I loved to sing and (tried to) dance. I was obsessed with all things musical theatre, speech & drama, and for a brief while I had an identity crisis where I truly believed I was Olivia Newton-John from Grease. I even begged my Mum to let me get my hair permed so I looked like her. 

I was 8.

(Fun fact: she obliged...but only let me get my FRINGE permed. Good times). 

Then, my happy, musical-theatre obsessed world was rocked when I found a pamphlet my Dad left lying on our coffee table that said 'Discovery: A Seminar For Gay Married Men'. 

And so began life with a gay dad, as a ten year old, in the teeny tiny town of Bombo. 

The 'pre-braces' (and pre-real boobs) years

The years that followed were indeed colourful. 

Mum had been having an affair with our much younger handyman (which - as a grown woman I can now completely understand!). My parents separated, and life was suddenly filled with things like the annual Mardi Gras, and going to gay church. 

25 years on, in 2022, all of these things feel really quite cool and postmodern. But at the time... in the mid 90s.. in my parochial - very Catholic - part of the world, it was definitely outside 'the norm'.

I didn't tell a soul about dad's sexuality. I didn't want anyone to know, lest they tease him or give our family. 

I continued to study hard, put on a brave face, and graduated as dux of my high-school with the plum result of 99.40

okay we need to talk about the hair. and the brows.

The next decade felt like one gigantic clusterfuck. In truth, there were some wonderful highs. But it was sure peppered with devastating lows. Here's the dot point version...
⚡️I didn't get into the Performing degree that I'd set my sights on, and instead moved to Sydney and worked in pubs and clubs. It was a far cry from the School Dux days. 
⚡️I was brutally sexually assaulted by a group of men who I worked with. I didn't tell a soul for about 5 years. This event single-handedly led me down a dangerous path of drugs, alcohol and complete self-destruction. 
⚡️I spent a few months working as a stripper to pay for the drama school that I (eventually) got into.
⚡️I wrote of 5 (FIVE!) cars, because I was so epically irresponsible 
⚡️ I accrued over 15K of parking fines.
⚡️ I had my heart broken.
⚡️ I drank too much.
⚡️ I completely obliterated my self-respect, self-love, and self-compassion. My anxiety was debilitating and my sense of self was so thin on the ground.

SUre, the hair got better. but there was a sadness there.

Then all of sudden, it all changed.

I was in my final years of drama school (the VCA in Melbourne), and we spent a term creating our own cabaret show. For the first time since...well, quite possibly those early Julie Andrews lounge-room shows, I felt like I'd found my calling. My soul gave me a nudge to say 'this is it. You're home'. 

Simply by sharing about my Dad, and my colourful family, and my wayward stripping past, I was able to reconnect. With myself, with my stories, and most importantly, with other people. I felt like my entire life had come full circle and every single moment that had brought me to sharing and creating in this way - even the assault - was undeniably worth it.

And it was just the beginning. 

Still prone to hot pink

After graduating from VCA, I bit the bullet and wrote my own first full length show - A Storm In A D Cup. 

It was the most important thing I ever did. 

I traveled the world. I spent two months volunteering at a refugee school in Thailand. I lived out of my car for two years. I drank way too many margaritas,  kissed lots of boys, and a few girls. 

In 2012, I co-won the International Cabaret Contest, which saw me land a spot in The New York Musical Theatre Festival. My dreams of performing on Broadway came true. I realised that when mindset, manifesting, and unrelenting momentum combine, a person can really be unstoppable. 

Whilst in NYC, I met my (now) husband Zac. His Dad is gay too. Kinda feels like fate.  I've been living in Adelaide SA for 8 years now. Zac and I are happily married, we have a beautiful boy Archie. He is my world. We're working on gifting him a little sibling. 

My days are full. I still create shows, and tour the country performing them. Equally as importantly I  help fellows creatives, coaches and consultants tell their stories, and bring their visions and voice to life. 

I've used my stories - the good, bad, hilarious and heartbreaking ones - as the fuel for my fire. In doing so, I've become the narrator, interpreter and editor of my story. 

My wish is that you do the same.

still loves hot pink