Email: jodie@milkcratetheatre.com

With 20 years of experience working in the not for profit sector for organisations such as Cancer Council, Sydney Opera House and the Red Cross, Jodie brings a wealth of Marketing, Development and Leadership skills to Milk Crate. Jodie is a passionate believer in the power of stories and their ability to bring communities together, bridge differences and most of all, connect with audiences and create change.

In her previous role at Holdsworth Community, Jodie worked closely with Social Workers teams delivering Aged Care and Disability support to secure funding and develop innovative programs. While at Holdsworth Community, Jodie secured seed funding and developed partnerships to deliver supported arts programs, including Dance and Drama, for participants living with intellectual disabilities. This included a collaboration with Sydney Theatre Company to providing facilitating artists to lead Drama workshops.

Email: felicity@milkcratetheatre.com

Felicity is an award-winning Performance Director, Writer and Theatremaker from Sydney, Australia. After graduating from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) Directors Course, Felicity has gone on to work with prominent artists from around the world, including Ontroerend Goed (BEL), Punchdrunk & Gecko Physical Theatre (UK), Illutron (DEN) and Mammalian Diving Reflex (CAN). Felicity holds a particular interest in working with young people, and young queer people. This has led her to working with Australian Theatre for Young People, Spark Youth Theatre, Matriark Theatre, Monkey Baa Theatre, PACT Centre for Emerging Artists and Milk Crate Theatre (AUS), Mit Ohne Alles (GER), The Torontonians (CAN) and Company3 (UK).

Felicity is a proud queer, neurodivergent and disabled artist. Her work explores these identities, stereotypes and power dynamics. She does this by weaponising humour, history, politics and the body. Ultimately, Felicity’s work functions to reveal and disrupt systems of authority in order to empower and envisage equitable new worlds. She has created work for Dark Mofo, Sydney WorldPride (AUS), Theater Neumarkt (CHE), 10 Nodi Festival (IT), Cork Midsummer Festival (IRE), Ruhrtriennale (GER), HAVEN Festival (DEN) and Wiener Festwochen (AUT).

Felicity has also worked as a cultural curator, creating artistic and socially engaged projects and programs across government, cultural organisations, festivals and the independent and mainstream theatre sectors. She has produced programming for UTS, the Inner West Council, the City of Sydney, Wear It Purple, Shopfront Youth Arts, 107 Projects and Sydney World Pride. Career highlights include directing at The Sydney Opera House, creating a one-on-one performance for audiences in a moving car, directing a non-verbal performative memorial via clowning, beer and a slideshow, and co-creating Take My Hand, where she married strangers for ten minutes in Copenhagen.

Felicity is a recipient of grants from Australia Council for the Arts, CREATE NSW, The Ian Potter Foundation, Accessible Arts, Fundability, a Mike Walsh Fellowship and a Sandra Bates Directors Award. She has been an artist in residence at Bundanon, Hot House Theatre, The Big C (AUS) and Wanås Konst (SWE). Felicity holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre & Performance from UNSW, a Bachelor of Art History & Theory from the College of Fine Arts, UNSW and a Postgraduate Diploma (Direction) from NIDA.

Email: jessica@milkcratetheatre.com

With close to 15 years of experience in the arts, both in Australia and internationally, Jess is an arts worker working at the unique intersection of arts and impact, producing, and evaluation management. As a producer, she has produced standout works at venues including Griffin Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, Redline Productions, The Old Fitz Theatre, New York City Fringe, Adelaide Fringe. In 2020, Jess co-founded her own independent company, Akimbo and Co., where she is driving bold, new projects and looking forward to an exciting future of innovative productions.

Jess’s career took a transformative turn in 2016 when she collaborated with Bond St Theatre, a New York-based NGO using the arts as a powerful tool for conflict resolution in some of the world’s most challenging environments. From here, back in Australia, her commitment to community led her to work with Aboriginal organisation Barang Regional Alliance, where she undertook a secondment role, to homelessness with Neami National’s STEP program and in community development with HopeSt Community Services in Woolloomooloo, focusing on young people and animal welfare. Jess is currently working with Confit Pathways, as an Impact Consultant.

Jess has a post-graduate degree in Human and Community Services from the University of Sydney, has participated in Digital Storytellers Pathways to Purpose Program where she learned to develop Impact documentaries, and has secured a runner up award from Social Impact Measurement Network Australia for Excellence in Social Impact on behalf of Milk Crate Theatre.

Very silly and always up for yarn – Jess is deeply passionate about the transformative power of the arts.

Email: olivia@milkcratetheatre.com

Olivia is an award-winning director whose debut short film “Her Own Music” (2020) generated buzz at festivals worldwide. Since then, Olivia has directed projects including the proof of concept for the TV Series “Bedlam” (2022) (writ. Alexander Richmond) and “BoyMode” (2024) (writ. Natalie J. Ryan). Most recently, Olivia directed the bisexual romcom musical series “Girl Crush” (2024), spearheaded by celebrated creator Ally Morgan found exclusively on TikTok. The project received funding through the Every Voices Initiative, a Screen Australia, TikTok Australia and NZ on Air partnership. “Girl Crush” has been nominated for several awards including Best Online Drama or Comedy at the 14th Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award.

Olivia has a passion for elevating queer voices, with a focus on female and gender-diverse stories. There’s no better example of that, than the talented emerging writer Natalie J. Ryan’s short film “BoyMode”. The story highlights one transwoman’s experience of a high school reunion where she hopes to reconnect with a first love whilst grappling with staying true to herself. Working closely with such a talented team, of creatives, behind and in front of the camera was a joy for Olivia. This story has a lot of heart, and means a lot to the trans community involved in making it to see themselves represented in an authentic light.

Olivia’s current slate includes shooting their first documentary which explores inter-generational queer stories and shared grief. Olivia is stoked to be joining MCT in this capacity where they’ll get to combine their love of theatre with their digital film passion.

Olivia’s work has screened at the following festivals: Sydney Film Festival 2020, Outfest L.A. 2020, Mardi Gras Film Festival 2021, Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2021, Mardi Gras Film Festival 2024, LA Stareable Fest 2024 and Melbourne Webfest 2024.

Awards: Best Online Drama or Comedy AACTA 2024 (Nominee), Best Director LA Stareable Fest 2024 (Nominee), Best Actor Short and Sweet 2022 (Winner), Best Director MQFF 2021 (Winner), Emerging Filmmaker MQFF 2021 (Winner), Audience Award MQFF 2021 (Winner), The Dendy Live Action Short Film Award SFF 2020 (Nominee), The Rouben Mamoulian Award Best Director SFF 2020 (Nominee).

Email: socialworker@milkcratetheatre.com

Laura is a Social Worker with over 15 years experience. Laura moved to Australia 10 years ago from the UK and was employed by CatholicCare Broken Bay for over 8 years.

Laura has been working as a Consultant in Social Work and Welfare projects since January 2017.

In 2013 Laura was voted International Triple P Practitioner of the Year. Laura was one of 11 nominations from all over the world. Laura is trained in Teen Triple P, Triple P standard, Incredible Years, Circle of Security, 1-2-3 Magic and Engaging Adolescents programs. Laura is also trained in the Love Bites program.

Email: finance@milkcratetheatre.com

For over 17 years, Dale has worked with some of the most ambitious arts companies in Australia. He founded ARTSANDBUSINESS to share his unique understanding of arts and not-for-profit organisations’ financial and organisational requirements. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce, a Bachelor of Psychology and has studied Social Impact at UNSW.