The Teachers
The Actors Division teachers are classically trained, working actors, directors and educators that are dedicated to providing the next generation of young actors with the skills they need to be industry ready. We teach Stanislavski, Uta Hagen, Michael Chekhov, Stella Adler, Keith Bain’s Movement for Actors, The Alexander Technique, Voice Study, Scene and Story Deconstruction, Screen Acting and classical text. With over forty years of practical experience between them, our staff are at the top of their field in dramatic education for young people. Meet them below.
Josh Anderson
Founder, Senior Acting Coach
Josh is a 2012 graduate of NIDA. His theatre credits include This Heaven for Belvoir Theatre Company, The Removalists for Critical Stages,The Gruffalo for CDP, Shivered for Mad March Hare Theatre Co, Belleville, Bengal Tiger At The Baghdad Zoo and The Cripple Of Inishmaan for The Old Fitz and Lost Boys for Merrigong Theatre Company. Film and Television includes Home and Away (7), Wonderland (10) and Carlotta (ABC). His comedy group, Songtourage has appeared for ABC comedy and enjoyed two sold out runs at the Sydney Comedy Festival with Goodest Hits in 2017 and 2018 as well as Better Than Lego for the Old Fitz in December 2018. As a writer/director, Josh is behind Kidneys (short), Tall, Thin (short) and Embarrassing Parents Anonymous (short/pilot elected for Catalyst Content Festival in 2019, SeriesFest 2020, Stareable NYC 2021 and Stareable LA 2022) and Oil On Canvas. Josh is the producer behind Embarrassing Parents Anonymous, Privileged (half hour pilot now in development in the US with The Lonely Island’s production arm, Party Over Here), Death Doula (AFTRS Masters Capstone pilot), Oil On Canvas and Love Ya Baby.
Embarrassing Parents Anonymous is currently in development with a local production partner. Josh has been an active writer of children’s theatre since 2015. His collected works, I’ll Be The Dragon, will soon be available as a drama resource for young people and teachers.
Official Selection Catalyst Content Festival 2019 - Embarrassing Parents Anonymous
Official Selection SeriesFest 2020 - Embarrassing Parents Anonymous Official Selection Stareable NY 2021 - Embarrassing Parents Anonymous Official Selection Stareable LA 2022 - Embarrassing Parents Anonymous
SeriesFest 2020 awards Best Actor in a comedy series – Ben Wood, Embarrassing Parents Anonymous Best Supporting Actress in a comedy series – Sasha Rose, Embarrassing Parents Anonymous
Josh is a type 1 diabetic dedicated to creating space for people living with the disability through artistic expression. He is a proud member of M.E.A.A and the A.W.G.
Contessa Treffone
Senior Acting Coach
Contessa graduated NIDA in 2012 and since then has not only notched up an impressive list of credits but also continues to be a mentor and constant inspiration to many of our young actors.
Her numerous theatre credits include, On The Beach, Triple X, The Deep Blue Sea, Lord of the Flies, Harp in the South, Top Girls, Three Sisters, All My Sons, Children of the Sun for Sydney Theatre Company; Fully Committed, The Kitchen Sink for Ensemble Theatre; Minusonesister for Griffin Theatre Company/Stories Like These; The Mystery of Love and Sex for Darlinghurst Theatre Company; There Will Be A Climax for Redline Productions; Tiny Remarkable Bramble for KXT; Anatomy of a Suicide for Sugary Rum Productions; Unfinished Works for BONTOM; This House is Mine for Milkcrate Theatre.
Besides her constant theatre work Contessa’s screen credits include Here Out West (Emerald Way Productions), June Again (Headgear Films), Liberty Street (The Corinthian Food Store), Doctor Doctor (Channel 9) The PM’s Daughter (ABC), Wellmania (Netflix) and Totally, Completely Fine (Stan and Sundance TV).
Contessa is a proud member of M.E.A.A.
Claudia Barrie
Senior Acting Coach
Claudia is a highly experienced multidisciplinary artist with over 20 years experience in the industry. She has worked extensively as an actor, director and theatre producer since 2004.
As a producer, Claudia has mounted many successful Australian and International plays under the names Bareskin Productions (2005-2007) and Mad March Hare Theatre Company (2010-2019), developing a strong reputation for bringing exciting, challenging productions to Sydney stages of an exceptional standard. In 2017 her two productions, Dry Land and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo received a total of 6 Sydney Theatre Award nominations including Best Production and Best Direction of an Independent Production. These two shows also received 7 STA Honourable Mentions. Most recently, her production of The Cripple of Inishmaan received 3 Glug nominations including Best Independent Production.
Claudia has worked extensively as a director and actor for numerous theatre companies across Sydney including: Belvoir, New Ghosts, Ensemble Theatre, Griffin Theatre Company, National Theatre of Parramatta, Red Line Productions (Old Fitz Theatre), Outhouse Theatre Company, Bakehouse (KXT), Old 505 Theatre, Eclipse Productions, The New, Loud Mouth Theatre Company (Hobart), and Last One Standing.
Claudia has also been invited to work with Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting students at esteemed institutions including NIDA, Actors Centre Australia, WAAPA, Sydney Theatre School and Excelsia College directing their productions and play projects. As well as The Actors Division, Claudia works as a regular tutor for Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) and Brent Street School of Performing Arts.
She is currently working in film and television and across the subsidised and unsubsidised sectors of the theatre industry.
Claudia is a proud member of M.E.A.A.