ASHLEY HAWKES

Ashley Hawkes is becoming a familiar face in Auckland – this is his fifth production with the Peach Theatre Company. He was last seen alongside Annie Whittle and Ray Woolfe as Mickey in the musical Blood Brothers, and Alan Strang in Equus. Ashley grew up in Matata in the Bay of Plenty, and moved to Auckland to study at Unitec's Performing Arts School. The 24-year-old has also appeared in the national tour of Milo's Wake (which included a week at the Fortune), and The Glass Menagerie at the Court Theatre in Christchurch.
Before coming to Dunedin, Ashley starred as Owl in Tim Bray's production of The Owl and the Pussycat and as Lloyd in Tom Sainsbury's new short play Lloyd the Life Coach. Ashley's short film Aphrodite's Farm recently premiered as part of the New Zealand FIlm Festival and was seen in cinemas around the country.
Ashley is looking forward to making the most of his time in Te Wai Pounamu by sampling some of Dunedin's renowned surf breaks.

SIA TROKENHEIM

Sia started her acting carreer overseas from the age of 8 but decided to take a leap in 2000 and moved to New Zealand to pursue her carreer here. She graduated from UNITEC Performing Arts School in 2003 with a bachelor in Acting for Screen and Theatre. Since UNITEC her theatre credits include Ulla in the sold out season of the Court Theatre's production of THE PRODUCERS, Elizabeth in SKIN TIGHT, Ursula March in Auckland Theatre Company's SWEET CHARITY, The Player Queen in HAMLET, Philomele in THE LOVE OF THE NIGHTINGALE, Miss Watson in BIG RIVER and Portia in JULIUS CAESAR.
Sia's television credits include Heidi Platz on SHORTLAND STREET, a couple of short films for SWEDISH TELEVISION, numerous television ads and a sports reporter for HYUNDAI SPORTS CAFE.
Sia has outside of New Zealand and Europe also worked in Australia but is pleased to have returned to Aotearoa which is also what she calls her home territory.

Sia joins us at the delightful Paris Stilton and is excited to be part of the fun filled end of year pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk.

CHERYL AMOS

Actor, improviser, drama teacher and mother of five.

Cheryl graduated from the Ucol Theatre School in 1999 and has been a regular face on Centrepoint Theatres stage since then. Shows include 'The God Boy', 'Macbeth', 'Kiwifruits', 'A Doll's House', 'Netballers', 'Merchant of Venice', 'Girls Weekend Escape' and 'Taking Off'.

She has also worked at Bats and Circa Studio as "Trixie" in 'A Whanau Thing'.

Cheryl is thrilled to be back in Dunedin after enjoying the World Premiere season of Who needs sleep anyway? in 2007. Cheryl joins the cast as the 'landlady' and mother of Paris, Mrs. Stilton.

DANNY STILL

Local actor Danny Still returned to the Fortune for his third role in a David Wood Roald Dahl adaptation, having been seen in The Witches, The Twits and James and the Giant Peach. Other Fortune appearances include The Beauty Queen of Lenane and his 1995 Fortune debut in Falling from Grace. Danny stars as Claud Back in Jack and the Beanstalk.

MARISIALE TUNOKA

Marisiale is well known to Dunedin audiences (via taveuni, Fiji) as he is the only resident Fijian actor. After studying at the Otago University through Allen hall Marisiale has hit the boards running. He last appeared on the Fortune stage as the narrator in the hilariously disgusting Roald Dahl classic “the twits” in which he recieved the most acclaimed gifted nielsen award for best fijian in a freezing town. Last year he played a deliciously black chocolate wedding planner, Flip, in “The Paradise Package” and as the foul mouthed Phillip in “The Shape of Things“. Marisiale began his professional career at the Auckland Theatre Company’s in the world premiere production of “Disgrace“. He has also performed on the satirical comedy show “facelift” and toured the country with the Theta trust performing in a secondary school show “sexwise“ . During 2007 year he performed an educational theatre show called “The Best Thing” for the Theta Trust again and is glad to be back on stage in Dunedin performing in his second pantomime - Jack and the Beanstalk.

AMY TARLETON

Amy Tarleton made her Fortune debut in the 2007 production of King Lear and audiences will also remember her from role as the Genie in Aladdin. Her appearances in Wellington includes The Sniper, Albert Speer and The Brilliant Fassah and she has been seen in the short films, Fish and Chip Shop Song and Spring Flames.

We look forward to seeing Amy on stage again in Jack and the Beanstalk

DAVID MCPHAIL

David is one of the most well known and experienced comedy actors in New Zealand. For the past 20 years, David has written and appeared in a wide variety of New Zealand television programmes including “Letter to Blanchy” and “McPhail and Gadsby”.

David has received many awards for his work. He has been named both Actor of the Year and Television Personality of the Year on two occasions. He holds the QSM for service to the community and was nominated for the 1999 SPADA Onfilm Champion Award.

David now does much work at The Court Theatre in Christchurch both as an actor and director in productions ranging from ‘The School For Scandal’ to ‘Look Back in Anger’. He has also performed with Opera New Zealand.

David has produced and directed over 300 programmes for Television New Zealand ranging from rock music series to documentaries and children’s programmes. He has published two books in association with Jon Gadsby and A.K.Grant and is currently a columnist for The Press in Christchurch. David is an articulate and witty speaker, debater and professional MC.