Actors Danny Ball (Acting, 2016), Wendy Mocke (Acting, 2017), Mandy McElhinney and Director Miranda Middleton (Directing, 2020) were awarded travel funding to expand their creative careers.
The Gloria Payten Foundation and The Gloria Dawn Fellowship are an extraordinary gift to the performing arts in Australia from an extraordinary woman. The Foundation represents the entire estate of Gloria Payten, a leading theatrical agent, who established International Casting Service in 1960.
It was Gloria Payten’s intention to honour the memory of Gloria Dawn, one of Australia’s foremost actresses, through this Foundation and Fellowship. The remarkable contribution of these women to the performing arts continues after their passing with new generations of artists benefitting from their generosity and foresight.
The Gloria’s 2024 Fellowship recipients are Actors Danny Ball, Wendy Mocke, Mandy McElhinney and Director Miranda Middleton, whose Fellowship funding will take them to New York, Edinburgh and London.
Actor Danny Ball (Acting, 2016) said, “I’m thrilled to be one of the 2024 Gloria Payten and Gloria Dawn Fellowship recipients. This opportunity will allow me to study at the internationally renowned Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies in New York City. This training will not only expand my range and skill as an actor but significantly enhance my teaching pedagogy in the realm of Laban, Movement Psychology and the interconnectedness between the inner and outer facilities of the actor”.
Actor Wendy Mocke (Acting, 2017) said, “Live theatre and performance art have deeply influenced my craft, deepened my storytelling, and broadened my artistic vision. The Glorias Fellowship provides an invaluable opportunity to immerse myself in global theatre at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and connect with theatre makers in London. As an actor and storyteller, I am dedicated to harnessing the power of performance to preserve culture, celebrate inclusivity, and empower creatives from underrepresented communities to strive for meaningful visibility in the arts. This opportunity will fuel my commitment to challenging and contributing to the evolution of Australia’s vibrant and diverse artistic landscape, ensuring that the stories we create reflect the complexity and beauty of our shared humanity.”
Actor Mandy McElhinney said, “I am truly honoured to have been selected for the Gloria Payten and Gloria Dawn Fellowship. As an established actor, opportunities to learn, grow, and gain new perspectives are rare, and this fellowship offers a unique and invaluable chance to do just that. I am deeply grateful to the two visionary women whose generosity has created such an extraordinary gift to the performing arts. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the NIDA selection committee for granting me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand my creative horizons and ignite new inspiration for the next chapter of my career.”
Director Miranda Middleton (Directing, 2020) said, “The Glorias Fellowship will offer me an extraordinary opportunity to do a workshop of my musical ‘Paper Stars’ (about the author of ‘Mary Poppins’, P.L. Travers) in London, with up-and-coming producer, Maryann Wright. The workshop will culminate in a staged presentation, through which I will be able to share the work with leading producers such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, ARIA Entertainment, and Michael Cassel Group, and connect with their new work teams. Throughout my time in London, I will also be attending a range of workshop presentations and productions, thereby inspiring and emboldening my own artistic practice. I am extremely humbled by the opportunity and am sure to return to Australia with enhanced knowledge, confidence and connections from the ‘musical theatre mecca’!”
It is a condition of the Gloria’s Fellowships that the recipients return to Australia to work in the industry and share their knowledge with those around them, enriching and benefitting the industry with their new insights.
Click here for more information on The Glorias.
For more information NIDA bequests please visit NIDA’s website.
*Header Image: From left to right, Mandy McElhinney, Danny Ball (Acting, 2016), Miranda Middleton (Directing, 2020) and Wendy Mocke (Acting, 2017).
