The Knee High Ensemble
Lorinda Curnow
Lorinda trained as a mime artist in the US through 1992 to 1995 before completing a B.A.(Drama Studies) and Grad. Dip. Ed. She has performed as a mime artist, actor, and storyteller in Australia and overseas and has worked as an Android Sister for Knee Highs over the last thirty months. She also has experience in direction, choreography, lighting and stage management.
Jodie Foreman
Jodie is training as a stilt puppeteer, having come into the company as a production assistant, puppet builder and maintenance worker. She has worked on various Android Sister appearances both in puppet and as a ground-based performer and is keen to further her involvement in the company.
Tony Hannan
Designer, director, props maker circus teacher and more, Tony
has worked with community theatre companies and Universities in
Brisbane and Adelaide. Most notably, he was the co-founder of
Cirkidz. (Adelaide's youth circus school). Tony is a skilled performer
in circus and other media, a designer, engineer, circus equipment
builder and teacher and has years of experience creating giant
puppets for Cirkidz and in community arts projects across Australia.
He is the founder and Artistic Director of Knee High Puppeteers.tony@va.com.auCelena Hayward
Celena has worked extensively with Knee High Puppeteers after spending seven years performing then teaching with Cirkidz in Adelaide. She is a puppeteer, circus teacher, stilt walker, juggler and acrobat, and regularly performs as an Android Sister, having toured with the company throughout Australia and in Europe. Celena performed a main puppet character in <I>In Sight Unseen</I> at the Adelaide Fringe in 1998.
Evan Jones
Evan has worked for Knee High Puppeteers for some two years, performing in the Android Sisters giant stilt puppets, designing puppets and costumes, devising and constructing fire sculptures and undertaking graphic design work for the company. He has toured internationally with us on four occasions. Previous work includes performance, puppet construction, set design and construction with PuppetUPblack light puppet company (Adelaide), graphic design work with Hunter Gatherer Designs cartooning, and work with Cirkidz. He is currently working on an outdoor acrobatic project as well as continuing with Knee Highs.
Pete Lovett
After years in the Tasmanian bush building houses and selling
photovoltaics while running the local arts council, being involved
in local theatre, and working in community arts, Pete landed in
the big smoke of Adelaide looking for a job. He came on board
as our administrator, organised everything and now keeps the books
ticking over. He has even been known to be involved in the occasional
gig ... Kristy Makin
Kristy has performed as an Android Sister at most of their appearances since 1997, from production assistant to puppeteer. Now becoming an accomplished stilt performer, she also builds and maintains puppets and constructs fire sculptures for the company. She performed a main puppet character in In Sight Unseen at the Adelaide Fringe in 1998.
Kerry Mansfield
Kerry holds an Advanced Certificate in Technical Theatre and has worked as a stage hand, props buyer/painter, stage manager, sound operator and set dresser. She has worked with the company for the last eighteen months as a safety officer and production assistant, as well as carrying out maintenance and building work on puppets and props, managing the workshop, and running our premises.
Michael Newbold
Michael graduated from the Le Coq school in Paris and has since worked widely as a performer in Adelaide and elsewhere. He has worked for Salamanca Theatre Co, Magpie, State Theatre Co SA, Belvoir Company B and Anvil Theatre Co. Michael has directed for Magpie, and has extensive experience in physical theatre, clowning, and character acting in improvised street theatre. He is also a qualified teacher.
Emma O'Neill
Whilst a teenager Emma was a member of Unley Youth Theatre and tutored at the Fullarton Park Community Centre School Holiday Programmes in drama, art and craft, and music, movement and mime.
In 1989 Emma completed the Advanced Certificate in Technical Theatre at the Centre For The Performing Arts. She has been working and touring nationally and internationally ever since for companies including State Theatre of S.A., State Opera Of S.A., Melbourne Theatre Company, Magpie Theatre, Patch Theatre, Red Shed, Harvest Theatre and the International Women Playwrights Conference. Emma has worked extensively in puppet, prop and costume design and construction; stage, production and tour management; company administration, puppeteering, and teaching.Three years ago Emma rediscovered her passion for physical theatre becoming a performing member of Knee High Puppeteers.And joined the board of Cirkidz as Chairperson, (presently Vice Chair) and in 1997 convened and participated in Cirkidz women's circus classes
Juniper van der Ende
Qualified textile artist, sculptor, designer and illustrator and super-mum. Juniper has extensive experience in organising and leading workshops for adults and children. She is a workshop leader at Carclew Youth Arts Centre. Juniper has skills as a photographer, screen printing, cane and paper sculptures,stilt walking and loves making gigantic inflatables; (see Blowies)