How do you like to start your weekend?
Like most days, it starts with coffee. But it’s a little lazier with my partner and I staying in bed and letting our two dogs up too … It’s nice to play with the dogs, catch up on one another’s weeks and reboot with caffeine.

What’s your favourite thing to do on a Saturday morning?
Check out the local markets and search for garage sales.

How do you like to unwind?
I love to read. I went through a period when I stopped reading and I definitely felt it.

What are your essentials for a well-spent weekend?
My partner, my dogs, coffee, wine, a good book and – I hate to say it – but cleaning products. I love getting my house clean on the weekend.

What’s something you’ve been meaning to do on the weekend but haven’t got around to yet?
To learn how to ride a horse. I’ve always wanted to and I have faith that I’ll get around to it by the end of the year.

What’s your favourite thing to do on a Sunday evening?
Curl up with a big plate of pasta, a glass of wine and a good movie.

What are you looking forward to next weekend?
Next weekend we go into our final rehearsal phase of Aurelian before heading out on a regional tour, so I’m looking forward to that. It was lots of hard work, but we’re finally seeing the work come together after three years of development.

What are you reading at the moment?
I’m currently re-reading one of my favourite books, The Catcher in the Rye.  But I’ve also been reading a whole heap of Tim Winton short stories. I love his way of painting the Australian landscape through his text.

What inspires you?
Storytelling: the process of it and the people and communities behind the stories.

What was your childhood dream?
I wanted to be lots of things in terms of profession – jobs like a geologist, a chef, a florist, a jewellery maker and an architect. I think at one stage I wanted to become a priest, but I was raised a Catholic so that was never going to happen … I was always involved in theatre and the arts from an early age, but I never thought I would make a profession out of it. I feel extremely lucky to do what I do, but I sometimes think, ‘how the hell did I get here?’.

What has been your greatest achievement?
To get Aurelian to this point is a great achievement, but I feel that taking the show to my hometown of Ayr in North Queensland will rate pretty high after the next month or so. I know the opportunity to share the work with that community will be pretty special.

What is success to you?
Success is not about career or money, although those things are good and required in this day and age. But I would have to say that success is about seeing the person you want to be and being that person. For me, that person is strong in their independence but connected and grounded in strong relationships with friends and family. Being that person for me is success – if I’m true to that, then the rest of the benchmarks will follow.

What are your words of wisdom?
I have to say it’s an odd question. I consider myself quite young in the life cycle, so I feel I don’t really have a lot of wisdom to impart. But maybe to always be a student – a student in life, relationships and profession. Always be willing to learn from those around you and to revisit your past learning because sometimes we can forget.

Only a local would know … one day we will finish our front garden bed and I will continue to apologise for the state of it until then.

FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
Perk up … In my lounge room, dancing with my dogs.
Relax … One of the swimming holes at Cedar Creek.
Dine … My parents’ house. The food is pretty good, but the stories and conversations are the real drawcard!
Indulge … A bottle of wine more than $30. It’s a big deal for an artist and has to be a special occasion!
Shop … Garage sales.
Catch-up … A friend’s back verandah, watching the sunset.
Be inspired … Head to the theatre or a multi-arts event.