STAGES with Peter Eyers

Zindzi Okenyo is a dynamic African Australian actor, director and singer. After graduating from NIDA in 2006, Zindzi was a member of Cate Blanchett’s Residents Company at Sydney Theatre Company for three years. In 2012 Zindzi toured Europe and the USA with A History of Everything and began as a much-loved presenter on ABC’s iconic children’s program Play School. Her kids project Zindzi & the Zillionaires is one of her most exciting adventures. A stunning hybrid of joyful R&B musical grooves combined with songs and themes that every child can love - friends, family, love, sharing, the wonders of nature. And of course, good vibes for the parents too! She is a familiar face on Australian TV screens with roles in series such as Fisk, Critical Incident, Troppo 2, Deadloch, Wakefield, The Code, Janet King, Harrow, and Sisters.In 2022 Zindzi joined Melbourne Theatre Company as part of the twelve-member cohort of Artistic Associates in an industry-first consultation capacity across two years. She has performed for most of Australia’s major theatre companies and recently began directing for Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse, Griffin and Darlinghurst Theatres.Zindzi’s directing credits for Sydney Theatre Company include the Australian premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat by Lynn Nottage, Assistant Director on Death of a Salesman and Associate Director to Wesley Enoch on A Raisin in The Sun. For Melbourne Theatre Company, Zindzi has directed the premiere season of Kirsty Marillier’s Destiny and co-directed with Shari Sebbens Is God Is (a co-production with Sydney Theatre Company). Other credits include co-directing with Shari Sebbens the acclaimed production of Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner. This was a co-production between Green Door Theatre Company and Darlinghurst Theatre Company which went on to a season at Malthouse Theatre. Zindzi directed Orange Thrower for Griffin and Choir Boy (co-directed with Dino Dimitriadis) for National Theatre of Parramatta. Zindzi is presently at the helm of Purpose, a Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning play by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins being presented by the Sydney Theatre Company on stage at Wharf 1theatre until March 22nd. In June she returns to the stage as actor in John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au

A graduate of National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1980, Garry Scale has built a rich and varied career across theatre, cabaret, film and television. Born and educated in Geelong, Victoria, he first trained as a teacher before moving to Sydney to pursue acting — a foundation that would later bring his journey full circle.Garry became a beloved figure on Sydney’s cabaret scene through his long association with the Tilbury Hotel in Woolloomooloo. Performing alongside Tony Sheldon, Genevieve Lemon, Brett Murphy and Philip Scott, he helped create a string of sharp, irreverent comedies that became legendary. Their annual Christmas pantomimes — including Ubewdy and the Beast and Sunset Boulevard: The Panto — remain highlights of the city’s cabaret history.On the musical theatre stage, Garry has appeared in productions of Fiddler on the Roof, The Boy from Oz (as an original cast member), The Fantasticks, Hairspray, Buddy, Merrily We Roll Along, Carrie, and Bye Bye Birdie, among many others. He has performed for major theatre companies across Australia and toured extensively throughout the southern hemisphere. His television and film credits include All Saints, Heartbreak High, Police Rescue, The Sullivans and Billy’s Holiday. For many Australians, however, he is fondly remembered as the voice of “Johnson” in the children’s series Johnson & Friends.In recent years, Garry returned to education, retraining as a teacher librarian, taking up a full-time role. He has transformed his school into a thriving performing arts hub — producing plays, building a dedicated theatre space, and inspiring students through storytelling and stagecraft. Whether under the spotlight or guiding young performers, Garry Scale remains devoted to the transformative power of theatre.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au