Amongst our members we have a number of creative and applied theatre practitioners including:
Jen Barrkman (a founder of Red Thread Stories Australia Inc) has been assisting people to connect over many years in her work as a group facilitator and psychologist, oral historian and Playback theatre practitioner. She loves to find creative ways to gently engage diverse people in groups. She believes through sharing and listening to each others stories in safe, inclusive spaces magic happens. We can connect deeply with each other even when we are very different. More recently she has been learning to be more mindful in her own life and has been providing counselling using Acceptance Commitment Therapy. Jen is a member of the Australian Psychological Society and is a nationally registered psychologist. More about Jen at Red Thread and her other work.
Kris Plowman (a founder of Red Thread Stories Australia Inc) has worked as a scientist, ecologist and facilitator in universities, state and local government and the community sector both as an employee and a consultant. She has had a lifelong interest in walking gently on the earth and in working cooperatively with others to act hopefully for good in our world. More about Kris
Frankie Jaiyeola (Frankie) was drawn to Playback in 2012 during a clowning workshop where she met current members from Red Thread Stories. With a background in dance and physical theatre, Frankie enjoys the meaningful outlet Playback provides for creative expression.
Frankie has performed with various troupes and bands as a dancer and has held dance classes and workshops at venues and festivals around Brisbane. She has trained in contemporary and West African dance, clowning, improvisation and physical theatre in Brisbane with a variety of trainers including Ira Seidenstein, Liz Skitch and Jenny Winter.
In her other life, Frankie is passionate about education and is inspired by the way children learn naturally through play and how we are born with an innate desire and ability to learn. Frankie currently works as a primary school art teacher and Baby Play facilitator at the State Library. She loves the playful nature of working with children and being involved with bringing people and communities together through, song, stories and art.
B. Creative Industries (Drama/Dance), Grad. Dip. Education (Primary)
Frances Marrington has performed with Red Thread Stories since 2015. She has worked as a performer, artistic collaborator and teaching artist since graduating from QUT in 2002.Frances’ performing credits include: Minefields and Miniskirts (Brisbane Arts Theatre); The Odyssey (Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre / Qld Arts Council), As You Like It and Shakespeare’s Shorts (Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble); Joey and Maria’s Italian Wedding (Gold Coast Arts Centre); Swan Lake (Qld Ballet); Zeitgeist (Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre); The Ship That Never Was (Round Earth Theatre, Tasmania); Sad Bird Boy (theatre of decay, Melbourne); Eight Days (Adelaide Fringe); and Picasso’s Women (Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne). Her film credits include lead roles in independently produced features Watch Me and Purge.
Frances has worked as a teaching artist with Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre since 2008, and with Red Thread Stories since 2016. In 2016 she also facilitated the Lotus Place drama group in conjunction with FAN Theatre. In 2017 she will graduate from the Graduate Diploma of Education (Drama – Senior Years).
Deanna Borland-Sentinella is a creative facilitator who has specialised in using applied theatre techniques in communities to share stories, process difficult times, problem solve and vision for the future. Starting with Playback Theatre in 2003, she has continued to add other Applied Theatre techniques to her tool kit ever since – a journey which has taken her to work and train in Australia, the UK and South America. She believes in theatre as powerful tool in development and has used it in her community development work with young people, refugees, homeless, those who are incarcerated, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, and with people with disabilities. She has been part of a variety of projects including those in prisons, in schools and in community centres. She is currently under-taking PhD studies at QUT and has taught Applied Theatre at QUT, Griffith and UQ. More of Deanna’s work can be found at www.d-create.me
Collins co-founded a Playback troupe in Brisbane in 1989 and her journey with story and its ability to build and heal individuals and communities still thrives. She has worked with both Brisbane Playback and Red Thread Stories. Her varied background over many decades in Community Arts, Health and Education assists her in exploring the notion that we are all authors of our own stories. Sandra is a certified Listening Hour Guide and participates in other acts of service which assist with building community.
Daria Tosc
hi got involved in Playback Theatre in 2011 in Bolivia, where she became a performing member of the De Sutileros, the only Playback Theatre company in the country.
Back in Europe in 2013, she joined the UK Playback Theatre School and received her diploma in December 2014. Upon completing her studies, Daria founded and directed Blending Voices, the first and only English-speaking Playback Theatre company in the Netherlands. Since then, she has been deepening her performance skills in Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, and Serbia.
In 2016 Daria moved to Singapore, co-founded the Playback Theatre Company 3 Kopie of Coffee and started her journey in physical theatre.
In 2019, Daria crossed the ocean and landed in Brisbane and joined Red Thread Stories.
Why does she love Playback Theatre? Because it has the power to make people meet in a space devoid of judgment and filled with gratitude, curiosity, authenticity and fun!
Associate artists – past troupe members who continue to join us as guest performers – include:
Emma Che Raethke – bio coming soon!
Olga Rubio Garcia is a Spanish multidisciplinary arts practitioner based in Australia. She specialises in Improvisation and Playback Theatre and has worked internationally, performing and teaching theatre processes for self discovery, growth and empowerment for individuals and communities in Sri Lanka, Spain and Australia.
Of an adventurous nature and motivated by a strong inter-cultural curiosity, Olga continues travelling the world, learning, sharing and creating connections.
Daniel Sala is an multi-faceted performance artist and creator, with a formation in Fine Art and Cinema Realisation. He is a professional exhibition designer, installer and builder for institutions such as The State Library of Queensland, Museum of Brisbane, and QAGOMA.
Daniel is a Playback Theatre actor, musician and facilitator with Red Thread Stories. He has worked locally and internationally making and directing theatre for empowerment, empathy, community and group development, team building and of course… story telling.
In the world of puppets… he has directed Memetica giant puppets at Woodford Folk Festival since 2015. He recently co-directed “Love Stinks!” giant puppet theatre for Snuff Puppets at the Georgetown Festival in Penang, Malaysia in 2016. In his spare time, Daniel plays percussion for HannaKisst (tropical punk band) and dabbles with post-apocalyptic pedal-powered music making machines for Spoked (mobile musical performance), and other creative projects. Daniel loves to experience this wonderful world around us… by air, land, and water.
I
“Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.”
– An old Native American proverb