Meet our Auslan Stage Left Patrons
Todd McKenney
Auslan Stage Left is proud to announce award winning performer Todd McKenney has accepted the role of Patron of our organisation. Todd is committed to supporting our not for profit organisation, which specialises in theatre interpreting for deaf audiences.
Todd’s patronage is testament to the work of Auslan Stage Left in the areas of theatre interpreting and development of the arts in the Deaf community. A household name in musical theatre and as an entertainer, Todd has also studied Auslan, worked alongside renowned deaf actors and with the Deaf community on a number of projects.
Todd’s versatile career has spanned three decades. Known as Australia’s leading man of song and dance musicals, since 1994 he’s also been the ‘colourful’ and often controversial judge on the Channel 7 hit series ‘Dancing With the Stars’.
Learning dance at the age of three, Todd has gone on to star in Cats, 42nd Street, West Side Story, Crazy For You, Born Yesterday, Camelot, Pirates of Penzance, Cabaret, Strictly Ballroom, La Cage aux Folles, Singin’ In the Rain, Anything Goes, The Boy From Oz, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Annie the Musical and more recently Grease is the Word. Landing the prized role of Peter Allen in the Australian hit production The Boy From Oz, Todd performed over 900 shows nationally in one of the longest running and most successful musical productions in Australian history.
The critically acclaimed entertainer has won two ‘Mo Awards’, the ‘Variety Club Heart Award’, the ‘Glug Award’, the ‘Green Room Award’, two ‘Australian Dance Awards’ and a ‘Helpmann Award’.
As Patron of Auslan Stage Left, Todd McKenney will promote the mission of the organisation, in providing quality access to the arts for Australia’s Deaf community. He will also provide consultancy and training to interpreters in theatrical and dramatic techniques.
Established in 2012, Auslan Stage Left has provided the Deaf community with access to over 200 arts events across Australia. These events have included large-scale musicals, festival events and mainstage plays, in productions such as Grease is the Word, Les Misérables, Wicked, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Festival, Melbourne Writer’s Festival, The Lion King, and in collaboration with venues such as Queensland Theatre Company and the Sydney Opera House.
Erin James
Auslan Stage Left is proud to announce that AACTA Award and Film Critics Circle of Australia Award nominee Erin James has accepted the role of Patron of our organisation. Erin has today committed to working with and supporting our not-for-profit organisation, which specialises in theatre interpreting for deaf audiences.
After working as a member of the Australian Theatre of the Deaf (ATOD) performing ensemble in 2006, Erin developed a love for Auslan and has been involved with the Deaf community ever since.
A rising star in the film world and an established performer in the Australian musical theatre scene, Erin has appeared in some of the country’s biggest musicals including CATS, South Pacific, Love Never Dies, Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I, Side By Side By Sondheim and Blood Brothers. She hosted a backstage special for South Pacific at the Opera House on Channel 7 Two and has earned critical acclaim around the world for her role as an Auslan interpreter in the Australian feature film The Little Death.
As Patron of Auslan Stage Left, Erin James will promote the organisation’s mission of providing quality access to the arts for Australia’s Deaf community. A NAATI accredited Paraprofessional Interpreter, Erin is the ideal advocate for Auslan interpreters working on the stage.
Established in 2012, Auslan Stage Left has provided the Deaf community with access to over 200 arts events across Australia. These events have included large-scale musicals, festival events and mainstage plays, in productions such as Grease, Les Misérables, Wicked, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Festival, Melbourne Writer’s Festival, The Lion King, and in collaboration with venues such as Queensland Theatre Company and the Sydney Opera House.
Erin says “I fell in love with Auslan a decade ago and it has been my absolute pleasure learning all about the rich culture of our Deaf community ever since. I am thrilled to now be working with such a wonderful organisation as Auslan Stage Left to help educate the wider community about the importance of access to the arts for our Deaf community, especially through Auslan interpreted theatre.”
