Australian Musical Theatre Academy

Queenie van de Zandt

Core Tutor/Director
(Next to Normal, Into the Woods, King Kong)
ALL WORKSHOPS

Queenie van de Zandt moves through the world entertaining, educating and serenading the people she meets. She has the unique ability in all her work to make people feel deeply, and to awaken laughter, empathy and awareness in equal measure.

Her ability to seamlessly transition between various genres of entertainment sets her apart as a truly versatile performer, with a career spanning musical theatre, plays, cabaret, recording, film, and television, as well as acclaimed work as a comedian, writer, and arts educator.

Her career highlights include: on television: Upright II (Foxtel/Stan), Safe Home (SBS), The Newsreader - Seasons 1, 2 & 3, Very Small Business and Da Kath & Kim Code (ABC), and Five Bedrooms (Network 10), in theatre: Face to Face (STC), Women of Troy (Malthouse/STC), Rabbit Hole, Absent Friends and Abigail’s Party (Ensemble Theatre), Secret Bridesmaid’s Business and After January (La Boite) and The Road to the She-Devil’s Salon (QTC), on film: Scooby Doo and Girl Clock, in musical theatre: Next to Normal (James Terry Collective), Thoroughly Modern Millie (TDP), Into the Woods (Victorian Opera), Follies (Storeyboard Entertainment), Funny Girl (SSO), King Kong Live on Stage (Global Creatures), The Full Monty (IMG/David Atkins) and Oliver (Cameron Mackintosh/IMG), and in cabaret - Smoke & Mirrors (Sydney, Melbourne and Edinburgh Festivals), Moments in the Woods, BLUE: The Songs of Joni Mitchell, CABARET - In 12 Easy Steps, The Best (and Worst) of Queenie van de Zandt and I GET THE MUSIC IN YOU, an evening with Jan van de Stool (Adelaide Cabaret Festival). Queenie has been nominated for 21 major theatre awards, winning 8, for her work in musicals, theatre, cabaret and television.

As the driving force behind her boutique production house Amazon Woman Enterprises, Queenie has released 4 albums (Amazon Woman, Other Stories..., Queenie van de Zandt – Live in Cabaret and Singing & Vocal Warm Up Exercises); created her award-winning show BLUE: The Songs of Joni Mitchell which continues to tour around Australia and internationally, and continues to develop projects involving her cult, comedy alter-ego Jan van de Stool. As Jan, Queenie has twice co-hosted The Helpmann Awards (Foxtel/ABC), performed in Jan’s multi-award-winning comedy show I GET THE MUSIC IN YOU, an evening with Jan van de Stool (MICF) and continues to tour her latest show, Jan van de Stool in PARTING THE RED CURTAINS (BCF & SCF).

Alongside her performance work, since 2000, Queenie has presented master classes, workshops and courses in cabaret, song performance and audition technique for musical theatre around the country. She is writing a book about audition technique and in 2020 released a CD, with fellow vocal educator Beth Daly, called Singing & Vocal Warm Up Exercises – From Beginner to Professional. She has held teaching positions in numerous performing arts schools, has been invited to conduct master classes and seminars throughout Australia and internationally and has written musical theatre courses for several leading institutions. She has taught in the music department at NIDA and has held teaching positions in the music theatre courses at VCA and Federation University in Ballarat (formerly BAAPA).

In 2015 Queenie co-founded The Australian Musical Theatre Academy (AMTA). AMTA offers workshops, masterclasses, and courses for students of all skill levels, bringing them together with top-tier industry professionals to give students the tools to live creative, passionate and fulfilling lives.

Widely regarded as Australia’s leading teacher of audition technique for musical theatre, Queenie combined her 20+ years of studying audition technique with her 35+ years as a multi-award winning performer of musical theatre, to develop a unique audition and performance preparation method, that has helped her students gain leading roles in shows such as Beauty & the Beast, Wicked, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Hamilton, Six: The Musical, Chicago, Mary Poppins, Annie, Matilda and Grease, to name just a few. Queenie has been teaching her method to performers across Australia and internationally for the past 24 years. The remarkable number of her students who have gone on to become renowned performers in commercial musicals, has seen her hailed in the press as a ‘musical theatre star-maker’.

As a true champion of the arts, having joined Actors Equity, MEAA in her very first professional show in 1989, Queenie’s unwavering passion for her craft and commitment to the union has made her a powerful advocate for artists Australia wide. Queenie brings to all her work, not only this wealth of experience but also her fine communication skills, her passion for the arts, her warm and positive nature and her wonderful sense of humour.

With a staggering 22 theatre award nominations and 9 well-deserved wins under her belt, Queenie van de Zandt's talent continues to be recognized with each new achievement. To stay connected with her latest projects and performances on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok follow @QueenievdZandt | @JanvandeStool | @AMTAcademy.

Brendan Murtagh

Musical Director
(Wicked, TINA: The Tina Turner Musical, Beauty & the Beast)
ALL WORKSHOPS

Brendan Murtagh is a dedicated and experienced musician based in Brisbane, known for his work as a répétiteur, pianist/keyboardist, and music director across musical theatre, opera, and choral genres.

Brendan’s musical theatre credits for production powerhouses The Michael Cassel Group, Crossroads Live Australia, TML Enterprises, The Really Useful Group Asia Pacific, and Opera Australia include Wicked, Tina, Beauty and the Beast, Chicago, Moulin Rouge, tick, tick…Boom!, Mary Poppins, Cinderella, 9 to 5, Frozen, Chess, Once on This Island, Muriel’s Wedding, School of Rock, The Book of Mormon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Aladdin, Mamma Mia, Kinky Boots, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, Cats, Les Misérables, Strictly Ballroom, Anything Goes, The Lion King, The King and I, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Annie, and Avenue Q.

Brendan is delighted to have been involved with Prospero Arts since its inaugural production Singin’ In the Rain (2022). As well as playing keys in Jersey Boys (2024), he was Associate Music Director for Pirates of Penzance (2024) and The Wizard of Oz (2023).

In 2021, Brendan was the Assistant Musical Director for the national touring production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, conducting performances in the Lyric Theatre, QPAC and Crown Theatre Perth.

Brendan has toured extensively as a music director and accompanist with Underground Opera and worked regularly as a répétiteur with Opera Queensland, Queensland Conservatorium, and the University of Queensland. A long-time collaborator with Voices of Birralee, he has performed internationally in Canada, Austria, and at the WWI Anzac Centenary commemorations on the Western Front in France.

In addition to his performing work, Brendan teaches piano and works as a choral accompanist at St Rita’s College Clayfield. He holds a Bachelor of Music (Honours) from the University of Queensland.

Loren Hunter

Choreographer
(SIX the Musical, Jersey Boys, The Wizard of Oz)
ALL WORKSHOPS

With powerhouse vocals, commanding stage presence, and razor-sharp dance ability, Loren Hunter is widely regarded as one of Australia’s top musical theatre performers. A graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), she was honoured with the Finlay Award for Music Theatre during her studies.

Hunter's portrayal of Jane Seymour in the Australian productions of SIX the Musical (Louise Withers and Associates) has garnered widespread acclaim. She has embodied this role across multiple national tours, including the 2020, 2021–2023, and 2024–2025 seasons. Her interpretation brought depth and nuance to the character, contributing to the show's success in Australia.

Beyond SIX, Hunter's versatility shines through a range of notable performances. She starred as Evelyn May Murphy in Evie May (Hayes Theatre Co), a role that earned her a nomination for the Judith Johnson Award for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Musical in 2018. Her other significant roles include Mary in Jersey Boys (Woodward Productions), Mimi in RENT (Hayes Theatre Co), Liza Minnelli in The Boy From Oz (The Production Company), Jean in American Psycho (BB Arts/2 Doors Productions), Doreen in The Sentimental Bloke (Prospero Arts), Mitzi in Georgy Girl (Richard East/Dennis Smith), Glinda in The Wizard of Oz (Prospero Arts), and Elphaba in Wicked (Free Range Theatre Company). Earlier in her career, she also performed in Strictly Ballroom the Musical and King Kong (both for Global Creatures).

In addition to her stage work, Hunter is a dedicated arts educator, teaching dance, singing, and acting in Brisbane and conducting workshops across Australia. Her commitment to nurturing emerging talent reflects her passion for the performing arts and her desire to give back to the community.

Hunter's contributions to Australian musical theatre continue to resonate, marked by her compelling performances and dedication to the craft.

Jem Wray

Staff Assistant
(Calamity Jane, Round the Twist the Musical, Harry Potter & the Cursed Child)
ALL WORKSHOPS

Jem Wray is a versatile Australian stage actor known for his physicality, depth, and commanding presence. A graduate of NIDA, Jem has worked extensively across Australia’s major theatre companies, earning acclaim for his dynamic performances in both classical and contemporary works.

He is widely recognised for his recurring role as the Creature in shake & stir’s Frankenstein, a physically demanding part he has reprised across multiple seasons under the direction of Nick Skubij. Other standout stage credits include Pride and Prejudice with Queensland Theatre, James and the Giant Peach, again with shake & stir, he performed the role of Bandit in the international tour of Bluey’s Big Play and brought humour and charm to the immersive production Cluedo – The New Suspects with Brisbane Immersive Ensemble.

Jem has also appeared in musicals, notably Calamity Jane and Round the Twist the Musical both with Queensland Theatre. His earlier credits include Echoes in the Dust with Dead Puppet Society, Conviction with The Hive, and multiple roles in productions at NIDA including Woyzeck, Hello Again, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Love and Money.

On screen, Jem has appeared in NBC’s Rock, ABC’s Reef Break, and various commercial and voice-over roles, including projects for Audible and The Good Room.

Based in Brisbane, Jem works nationally and internationally and is represented by Mollison Keightley Management.