In 2023, the third year of the MakeSpace Residency program, ActNow Theatre has awarded four MakeSpace Residencies and one MakeSpace Fringe Residency. Our 2023 recipients include: actor, writer and community leader Elisabeth Hurrell (she/her), actor and creative Mabruka Obsa Ali (she/her), actor and theatre maker Kidaan Zelleke (she/her), writer and actor Frankie Frick (they/them), and actor and creative Juanita Navas-Nguyen (she/her) who will be undertaking the 2023 MakeSpace Fringe Residency.

Let’s get to know to the artists!

Elisabeth Hurrell (she/her)

Elisabeth has been involved in the arts industry for over 20 years, as an actor, writer and an advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in her community. She was a participant in ActNow Theatre’s First Nations Arts Pathway Program in 2022 where she first pitched her residency project. During her residency, Elizabeth will be exploring the story of her great grandmother Annie Wombat, a public figure in the Streaky Bay region during the 50s.

She says: ‘I have wanted to tell the story of my great grandmother Annie Wombat for a long time... More research will allow me to go more in depth with Annie's story.’

Mabruka Obsa Ali (she/her)

Mabruka is an actor of Somali and Oromo descent who has been touring with ActNow Theatre’s Responding to Racism program since 2020 and has starred in Jumu’ah (Friday Prayers). Inspired by the legacy of traditional Somali theatre and Black surrealism, Mabruka will be focusing her residency on the development of her project, Halwa Dreams.

Mabruka says: ‘Halwa Dreams tells the story of an unexpected duo on their chaotic quest for self-discovery. It aims to showcase the unique perspective of a third-culture child of African descent in Australia, using dark comedy to explore different aspects of the African-Australian identity.’

Kidaan Zelleke (she/her)

Kidaan is an actor, director and writer who recently made her main stage debut with the State Theatre Company of South Australia's Antigone. She made her directorial debut with Baby, What Blessings presented by Deus Ex Femina in 2022 Adelaide Fringe, Kidaan followed on from that to direct in Theatre Republic's Future: Present. Her residency will focus on the development of a project centred around and inspired by her Ethiopian paternal grandmother, Lomi.

Kidaan says: ‘In the 24 years I had with my grandmother, I was able to spend a couple months with her on only 3 occasions. I’m interested in developing the project around legacy, the connection between her and I, and what passes on through those generational links.’

Frankie Frick (they/them)

Frankie is a writer and actor with experience working in short films, monologues, a web series, music videos, and commercials in various roles. More recently, they have focused on writing and pitching projects independently and with collaborators. Their residency will focus on the development of My Little Apartment, an audio drama about a genderqueer person struggling to accept themself and move forward.

Frankie says: ‘As someone who has lived with anxiety and depression for many years, I think it’s important to tell stories like this about healing and letting go, especially for younger queer audiences who can be prone to isolation because they don’t feel safe seeking help from others.’

Juanita Navas-Nguyen (She/her)

Juanita is a passionate actor and creative of Colombian and Vietnamese heritage with an interest in creating new, inclusive work that is representative of the diverse world we live in. Her residency will focus on the development of a one woman, Fleabag-style show which focuses on anecdotal stories about herself and her relationship with her identity as a mixed race person. It will be performed during the 2024 Adelaide Fringe Festival.

Juanita says: ‘I've found that so often when we tell stories about identity and being BIPOC within Australia there is always dialogue around a single cultural perspective and what I aim to do with this piece is discuss my experiences with balancing not only being a woman of colour in a white dominated society, but also having to negotiate what my identity is within myself.’

The MakeSpace Residencies have been made possible with funding from Arts South Australia and the Australia Council for the Arts.

The MakeSpace Fringe Residency is supported by the Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund and delivered in partnership with the Adelaide Fringe Festival.