Founder and CEO of The House that Dan Built, the joyous company that does. Passionate about passion, Danielle is an interdisciplinary contemporary artist whose site-responsive work with young female singers is being recognised and awarded internationally. Her work has been featured in collaborations through Melbourne Festival, Dark Mofo, and Sydney Festival. Danielle has worked in the Arts for over 20 years. Beginning her practice as a performer and vocalist. Danielle has in recent years honed her skills of leading, establishing a reputation as one of the country’s leading youth arts creators. A trained conductor, Danielle finished her studies in 2003 in London, retuning to Sydney to conduct the Australian Youth Choir (AYC) and held that post until 2012 when she left to adventure the great Australian Outback as the Artistic Director of Outback Theatre for Young People.
A Different Kind of Consultant for a New Kind of World. Kath’s career has encompassed leadership roles in Government, leading national grant programs and strategies, as well as executive roles in the private creative sector, festivals and NFP's. Kath currently works as a consultant providing high-level strategic, business and creative advice and facilitation to a range of clients across the arts, entertainment, festivals and events industries. Her client include a diverse range of organisations and individuals including; Blakdance, Ultra Music Festival, UNIFIED MUSIC, The Untitled Group, Parlour, The Dylan Alcott Foundation, The Taste of Tasmania, The British Council, Fling, Nayri Niara and Tin Camp Studios
Katrina is an award winning director and creative producer passionate about developing new work with artists and communities that push the boundaries of live performance. Her producing and creative work has involved VR live performance, interactive online experiences, film installations, and immersive performance. Katrina has worked for companies across Australia and internationally including ATYP, PYT | Fairfield, The Q at the Joan, Interplay Kenya, VCA, STC, Shopfront Contemporary Arts and PACT centre for emerging artists.
Debbie has had a varied career in comedy, children’s theatre, acting, and production. She was co-artistic director of clown company Choo Chop Troupe where she produced cabarets, tours, and solo shows for both adults and children. She has performed at Fringe and Comedy Festivals all over the country and appears periodically in film and television. Debbie taught drama to kids for years through St. Martin’s Youth Arts Centre, Blossom Management, and many others. She studied clown at Ecole Philippe Gaulier (Paris), Meisner at Ward Studio (NYC), improvisation at ITS (Sydney) and clown at Brooklyn Movement Studio (NYC). Debbie is also a visual artist and graphic designer having created marketing materials for live performance and original paintings.
Suzanne Hauser is a writer, director, and teacher. She is passionate about the development and production of work by and for young people. Suzanne has written, directed and produced numerous works for young actors, several of which have been published. Her play War Poems was shortlisted for the Patrick White Playwright Award. Suzanne has been Creative Producer of Outback Theatre for Young People (2009-11), Artistic Director of Ryde Youth Theatre (2012-20) and Facilitator of Beyond Vision Theatre (2011-12). Suzanne holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Iowa, a Bachelor of Science, Theatre from Texas Woman’s University and a Bachelor of Theatre from James Cook University. She is currently undertaking a Master of Research at the Writing and Society Research Centre at Western Sydney University.
Jayden is the Artistic Associate at The House that Dan Built. She is a soprano singer and has been a member of this organisation since 2014. She has trained as a classical ballet dancer for ten years, and also has been vocally trained since she was eight. She was a vocalist in Sydney Chamber Opera’s world premier of The Howling Girls in 2018 & 2019 for Tokyo Festival. She performed in the chorus of Angelica Mesiti’s work ASSEMBLY for the Venice Biennale 2019. Jayden has been a core member of The House since 2014 and continues to explore the female voice and its development over time through music.
workshop staff
Tallulah Simpson is a Sydney-based performer. She has been singing and songwriting since a young age starting with The House’s Toy Choir in 2017.. Since beginning The House Apprenticeship this year she has honed her skills in performing and teaching, gaining industry experience in The Mother Project, BAGATELLE, SALT 360, REVERENCE and performing with The Houses Performance Ensemble since 2020.
Grace Campbell is an emerging artist and ensemble member of the House. Beginning her time here in 2016 as a part of Toy Choir, Grace has since performed and creatively devised further productions with The House, including Tender Young Creatures and Salt. This year, she is undertaking a part time fellowship position with the House that Dan Built.
Olivia Bryant is an emerging composer from Ipswich, QLD.
In high school she performed in several Symphonic Wind, Jazz, and Vocal ensembles. Olivia has been composing music since she was a young teenager and wrote music for her school Ensembles. She was awarded QCE prizes in Music and Music Extension in her final year. Olivia is currently studying a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Composition for Creative Industries at Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She plays with the Spectra Jazz Orchestra and directs several choirs and vocal groups. This year she participated in several composition competitions, and her pieces embolden and alive will be recorded by AYO, and SYO later this year.
Scarlett Gibson-Williams is a member of the Ensemble at The House That Dan Built. They are a performer, singer, and songwriter. Scarlett has trained in classical and contemporary voice, and plays the violin and guitar. They trained in ballet (8 years) and contemporary dance (4 years). In 2019, their school drama group placed first at the Sydney Eisteddfods. Scarlett studied HSC music and was part of their school’s choir, Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, and chamber choir. In 2019, Scarlett took part in Gondwana National Choral School and The Gondwana World Choral Festival, giving them the opportunity to work with choirs from around the world.
