Lucinda Gleeson
Lucinda Gleeson she /her was born on Ngunnawal and lives on Gadigal land. Lucinda is an actor, director, producer, sometimes lighting designer and most recently the newly appointed Artistic Director of Playback Theatre Sydney.
Lucinda is inspired by the great levelling that playback theatre provides. It allows scope for the many stories that otherwise would never be seen on stages, to be fully realised with the immediacy that the tellers deserve. She is a proud member of MEAA.
Max Finlayson
Max has a BA in Theatre/Literature studies from QLD University and has also studied improv/scripted theatre techniques at the Actors Centre in Sydney. He also holds a Grad Dip in Education from Sydney University. In a previous life Max worked as an actor in Sydney based Theatre, Film and Television as well as performing Theatresports. He joined Sydney Playback in 1989 and has occupied the roles of Treasurer; Conductor; Administrator; Director; and Actor. At other times Max is found skateboarding between work, family and playback lives.
Paula Novotna
Paula Novotna is a playback actor, social justice lawyer, professional storyteller and poet. She is also a TaKeTiNa rhythm process facilitator. Paula has been a playback actor since 2009. She is passionate about the power that comes to each of us, and to us as a collective, when our stories are shared. In her creative work, Paula draws inspiration from the long spiritual tradition of Storytellers as entertainers, teachers and healers. Her commissioned work includes No Boundaries (Illuminart) and Into the Unknown (Blue Mountains Bicentennary – LBMNC). Playback encourages Paula to continue to say ‘yes’ to the offers of life, and to listen deeply to each of life’s stories
Majella O'Shea
Majella joined Sydney Playback in 2016. She has toured as an actor internationally with The Good Company Pride and Prejudice (UK), Praxis Theatre Laboratory Salome and The Cenci (UK and Ireland), Compagnie Oz Dracula (France), La Boite Noir Inner Voices (France) and This Viral Intelligence The Dismissal (Edinburgh Fringe Festival). Her solo performance in Stolen won Best Actress at the Sydney Short and Sweet Festival with direction by Stephen Wallace. Majella’s music has received Triple J rotation and has been played in the American TV Series Crash and Vanished and the Australian series Laid. In 2013 she was commissioned to compose and record a score for “Soar” for the Womens’ Circus, Melbourne. Majella has also worked as a director for Everafter Theatre Company Sydney, featuring actors living with a disability: “How To Handle A Fractured Heart” was performed at PACT Theatre and Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” at Leichhardt Town Hall.