JB Theatre Co presents THE MAN written by James Graham
Director Joanna Bradley Performer (“Ben”) Mike Howlett Voice Performer (“Lisa”) Claudia Leon Assistant Producer / Voice Performer (“Inland Revenue”) Liminka Pather Assistant Producer Emily Smith Assistant Director / Understudy Joseph Tanti Stage Manager Pearl Junor Sound Designer Otto Zagala Lighting Designer Julian Dunne Production Designer Isabella Wellstead
Producing Company: JB Theatre Co
This performance is supported by Lane Cove Council
Lane Cove Season Photography by Emily Smith
Poster Photography by Campbell Parsons
Director’s Notes by Jo Bradley
JO TO WRITE DIRECTOR NOTES HERE
Jo Bradley She/Her | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER | @jolucyb
Jo Bradley is a director, producer and dramaturg who specialises in new and contemporary playwriting.
She launched her own theatre company, JB Theatre Co (@JBTheatreCo ), in 2024 with the Sydney Theatre Award-winning production of Mike Bartlett’s SNOWFLAKE at the Old Fitz. In 2026, SNOWFLAKE will transfer to Ensemble Theatre, and Jo will make her professional directing debut.
In 2025, JB Theatre Co produced the world premiere of GIA OPHELIA by Grace Wilson for Sydney Fringe Festival. At the Fringe Awards, the show was a finalist for “Best in Theatre”, and Jo won the prize of “Best Emerging Artist” for her work as director, producer and dramaturg. In 2026, GIA OPHELIA then transferred to KXT on Broadway, Canberra Theatre Centre (produced in association with Canberra Youth Theatre), and will return to Sydney Fringe as part of “Best of the Fest” season at Lane Cove on 25th & 27th September.
Jo is the current Artistic Director and Producer of the Martin-Lysicrates playwriting prize. She is also a freelance theatre critic for Limelight Arts, and a script reader for playwriting awards at several companies including STC and Canberra Youth Theatre. She is also a disability support worker and teaching artist. Jo is a graduate of UNSW (BA Hons in Theatre) and NIDA (MFA Directing).
Mike Howlett He/Him | “BEN” | @mike__howlett
Mike is a graduate of Actors Centre Australia and the MA Acting program at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. After graduating, Mike remained working in the UK and found professional work in London, and a touring production that took him across the UK. Since returning to Sydney, Mike has worked extensively on the MainStage with Bell Shakespeare, having appeared in; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, The Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night. In between these contracts, Mike has worked in the independent sector at KXT and most recently on the Playwrought Projects production of The Taming of the Shrew at Wharf 2, Sydney Theatre Company. His film credits include the feature film Companion, directed by Raghuvir Joshi and produced by Dev Patel, and short films The Biden Effect and Slider.
Claudia Leon She/Her | “LISA” | @claudia_s_leon
Claudia Leon is a recent graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Her student credits include À la Carte (dir. Lucy Rossen), Checklist for an Armed Robber (dir. Tasnim Hossain), and Royal Experiment (dir. Lee Lewis). Since graduating, she has performed in NIDA’s Festival of Emerging Artists production of The Actor’s Nightmare, directed by Louise Birgan. Claudia is thrilled to be part of The Man, and can’t wait to share in the chaos, laughter and unexpected moments with audiences each night!
Liminka Pather She/Her | ASSISTANT PRODUCER, PERFORMER | @limiiinka
Liminka (She/Her) is a Sydney based actor and producer. Previous producing credits including Scene Dating (Old Fitz), The Coven (Waterloo Studios), Babyteeth (KXT) and The Beautiful Future is Coming (Old Fitz).
Emily Smith She/Her | ASSISTANT PRODUCER | @living_with_emily
Born and raised in rural NSW, Emily is a dynamic, multi-disciplinary creative professional with experience in both independent productions and arts education. While at Sydney Actors School (2019-21), she discovered a passion for the production side of filmmaking and theatre. Emily has since channeled that skillset into education, where she has successfully written, directed and produced multiple children’s performances. This is her debut producing for the Sydney fringe!
Joseph Tanti He/Him | ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UNDERSTUDY | @tanti.jpg
Joseph is an actor, writer, and theatre director based in Sydney. He trained as an actor at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) as a part of the BA Acting class of 2020. Some of Joseph’s recent theatre credits include Sport for Jove’s critically acclaimed production of I Hate People: Or Timon of Athens, Three Sisters (Virginia Plain Theatre Co), Wit (Clock and Spiel Productions), Jellyfish (The New Theatre), Short Blanket (Slanted Theatre Co), as well as Poetry in Action’s Aus/NZ education tour.
Otto Zagala He/She/They | SOUND DESIGNER | @ottolastname
Otto Zagala is a composer, lyricist, and sound designer whose practice is deeply research-driven, drawing on experimental production, text, and performance pedagogy, and where they may overlap and coincide.
Otto’s recent collaborations include Assistant Director to Cameron Taylor on Kitty Litter by Hamish Johnston (2026) and Composer for Gia Ophelia by Grace Wilson (2025). In his second year of study, Cultural Binge described his work as “excellent design worthy of a much larger production”. Both works were critically acclaimed, extended due to demand, and are in development for return seasons.
He composed, designed video for, and co-wrote the new Australian musical, The Birds, presented at NIDA’s Festival of Emerging Artists and at Hayes’ Festival of New Work. He is currently sound designing ATYP’s upcoming production of Islander.
Julian Dunne He/Him | LIGHTING DESIGNER | @_j.m.d__
Julian is a Sydney-based lighting designer and stage manager. He is very excited to join The Man as its lighting designer
Bella Wellstead They/Them | PRODUCTION DESIGNER | @bellawellstead
Bella Wellstead is a designer working on Gadigal and Cammeraygal land. They have designed costumes and props on indie theatre productions including ‘Transparency’ by Suzie Miller at The Actors Pulse, dir: Georgie Eggleton and Nikki Eghlimi; ‘Various Characters’ by Šime Knežević at Flight Path Theatre, dir: Victor Kalka; and ‘Red’ by John Logan at Chippen St. Theatre, dir: Georgie Eggleton and Nikki Eghlimi. Bella has also worked extensively as an assistant stage manager at Ensemble Theatre, most recently on ‘The Dapto Chaser’ by Mary Rachel Brown, dir: Anna Houston and ‘84 Charing Cross Road’ by Helene Hanff, dir: Mark Kilmurry.
Pearl Junor She/Her | STAGE MANAGER | @pearl.pty.ltd
Pearl Junor is a graduate of Charles Sturt University in Bathurst with a B. Comms (Theatre/Media). In 2020, “Pirates!”, her collaborative original major work, received the Blair Milan Touring Scholarship. Pearl has been involved in productions that centre on LGBTQIA+ and disabled voices and stories, including “Ground Zero” (Brand X), “Dean Don’t Dance” (QTopia), and, as Stage Manager/Associate Director, “Teenage Dick” (Flight Path Theatre). She has also spent much time on the road with CDP Theatre producers as an Assistant Stage Manager on “You and Me and the Land of Lost Things”, “Magic Beach”, and “Room on the Broom”.
Special thanks:
The whole team at Canberra Youth Theatre: Luke Rogers, Caitlin Baker, Helen Wojtas, Anna Johnstone
The Canberra Theatre Centre team, particularly Rochelle Whyte, Jo Blacker, Karina Leotta, Kat Voss, Lisa Freshwater and Nick
The Sydney Fringe Team: Kate Marks, Rowan Brunt
Finally, Alana Shootingstar, Josh Hammond, Luke McGilvray, Bianca Watkins, Violeta Brau Mugica, Kurtis Laing, Lachlan Houen, Kerry O’Kane, Keith Bradley, Ellen Bradley, Jack Horner, Bernadette Maher-Pratt, Sandy Meaney.
The original production of Gia Ophelia in 2025 at Sydney Fringe Festival was supported by Randwick City Council’s Community Investment Program.
JB Theatre Co 
