Be New 2025
Our Shows
Knowing How to Love
By Amelia Pawsey, Matthew Poggi, and Kirilee Taylor
Set in the here and now, Knowing How to Love is a contemporary Australian musical that follows Ben and Charlie—two young adults caught in the chaos of connection in the digital age. Between typing bubbles, Tinder swipes, and ghosted messages, they’re searching for something real. This is a story of self-doubt, late-night D&Ms, and the awkward, aching journey toward self-love and emotional intimacy. Funny, fragile and fiercely honest, Knowing How to Love explores whether we’re losing the ability to love—or just learning it all over again.
Children of the Air
By Lachlan Obst
Children of the Air follows two women—Madison, a mother of two in the bush, and Ellen, a career-focused city bureaucrat—caught in a tug-of-war between personal truth and public expectation. Madison’s fight for rural education puts her directly in conflict with Ellen, whose budget cuts threaten the future of thousands of children. But nothing is simple. Their choices are shaped by guilt, memory, ambition—and an understanding that the system never makes space for people like them.
Performers in Residence
Knowing How to Love
Charlie – Georgia Unsworth (she/her)
Ben – Sam Dyer (he/him)
Swing – Kieran Humphreys (he/him)
Children of the Air
Madison – Isabelle Davis (she/her)
Ellen – Imogen Whittaker (she/her)
Swings –
Jackson Cross (he/him)
Lily Walker (she/her)
Marissa Economo (she/her)
Rama Luksiarto (he/him)
THE TEAM
Harry Tibballs: An analyst at heart and a literal doctor during business hours (and outside of them), Harry brings a critical eye to the structure and thematic flow of musical theatre writing. A performer and champion baker, he supports a balanced and measured approach to writing.
Laura de Iongh: A performer, director, and choreographer, Laura's area of interest is in creating meaningful characters that connect with audiences. A psychology graduate, she incorporates her knowledge of human behaviour into her approach.
Daniele Buatti: A composer, music director, vocal coach, and kinesiologist, Daniele brings a holistic approach to music and storytelling. A teacher and mentor in every sense of the word, he brings a depth and breadth of knowledge to the program.
Our team is supported operationally by Bradley Dylan, Jessica Parcell, and Emma Venzke.
Everyone involved is a volunteer.