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Meet the Team

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Gigi Pinwill is founder and director of DunnART Productions, which she named after Australia's tiny yet feisty endangered marsupials called dunnarts.

Gigi is a multi-disciplinary artist with decades of professional experience in arts entertainment, business, and education. Highlights include:
  • shortlisted for EM Fletcher Writing Award
  • placed in Top 100 of Short and Sweet Festival
  • national-tours as science presenter and educator
  • pin-up girl for Vodafone!

Through DunnART Productions, she develops original creations like writing and producing 'Bettongs & Buddies.'  Her scripts have been produced by Notre Dame University and international think-tanks.
​Gigi is a long-time children’s actor and entertainer touring nationally and full-time with Theatre in Education. 
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​Her insight into music, and professional experience in theatre and conservation education for children, come to the fore in developing ground-breaking and innovative DunnART programs.


Growing up on an Australian farm, she’d fall asleep listening to dingoes and wake to find diseased native animals during morning chores like local 'greenies' or Scaly-created Lorikeets, which she’d love back to health and freedom.

Gigi says: 'I’ve felt connected to animals my entire life and always wanted to learn about and promote lesser-known Aussie fauna. My cockatiel, Gandalf the Grey, sits on my shoulder wherever I go and is my best mate.' 
As a Maori women, her passion for protecting endangered cultures and species is only enhanced. And on a personal note, her experiences of chronic illness in youth magnified her resourcefulness, resilience, and hope-despite-the-odds in all she does. 

They say never work with children or animals, but Gigi is doing just that daily by creating and performing 'pawsome' kids’ artwork! As a travelling performer and violinist who enjoyed nature by living in her trusty van for 5 years, Gigi has always embraced the wild side of life.

​With many new projects in the wings, she 'flutters' busily between her many skill-sets to ensure her ‘babies’ come to life via the driving life-force only a maverick leader can harness! ​Gigi is thrilled to be actively creating many more innovative artworks supporting rare indigenous animals: coming soon!
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Mark Knight is DunnART's film/TV veteran and dramaturg (editor with original ideas). His diverse career includes:
  • McLoed's Daughters for 7 years  as Assistant Director
  • script editor and founder of StoryNerds
  • Bachelor of Science (Flinders Uni)
  • and Bachelors in Law and International Relationships
​DunnART is honoured by Mark's generous and loyal dedication to DunnART and all we stand for.
Jenna Hoffman is a passionate animal scientist and manager of the Nature Education Centre (NEC). DunnART is  fortunate to benefit from Jenna's broad experience in animal care and science communication.

With DunnART's founder and director Gigi Pinwill,  Jenna joined ABC Radio Adelaide’s Sonya Feldhoff and introduced Jeremy, a Fat-tailed Dunnart - after whom DunnART Productions is named.

(If you didn’t know, dunnarts are carnivous  mouse-sized marsupials found across Australia.)
Adrian Sherriff: 
  • ​Wildlife and Indigenous Species Expert
  • Founder/CEO of Animals Anonynous
  • Unsung Hero of South Australian Science Communication: Finalist 
  • Co-creator and presenter/interviewer of podcast The Aussie Wildlife Show 
  • ​favourite word: 'yay!'
  • favourite compliment: 'You are!' (from situational humour) 
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Alexandra Schulze toured Kangaroo Island with 'Bettongs & Buddies!' playing roles of Acacia the Bettong (a bogan bettong mum) and a Murray Darling Python with so much humour and caring-love. After training and working as an actor in London, Alex followed love back to homeland Australia and has since performed in many fun-loving shows like 'Fabulous? Absolutely' and 'Kath and Kim.' She is mother to two adorable children, does gorgeous face-painting, and enjoys giving to her community through art supporting disabilities and indigenous animals!​
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Curtis Shipley plays the lead in DunnART's 'Bettongs & Buddies!' as Rufous the Bettong with superb realism, dedication, and comedic interaction. His extensive experience in interactive and improvised children’s shows includes:
  • Harry Potter inspired 'Unplotted Potter' (Scriptease, Adelaide Fringe & Melbourne Comedy Festivals)
  • 'Tales of Adventure' (Emma Knights Productions)
  • 'Something on Saturday' (Adelaide Festival Theatre)
  • 'Herding Caterpillars' (Butterfly Conservation, SA)
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Melanie Munt is an original cast member of DunnART's 'Bettongs & Buddies!' playing roles of Quoll, Numbat, and Dunnart with exceptional innovation and realism. After training at prestigious Western Australian Academy of Arts, she became an international award winning performer:
  • WA Screen Award (Trinkets)
  • Perth Theatre Equity Guild Award (Evelyn in LaBute's The Shape of Things)
  • Best actress nomination for Maverick Movie Awards (Terms of Service) ​
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Sam Lau is an actor, musician, and original art creator with recent credits of:
  • ABC’s TV series ‘Aftertaste’
  • Anifex Studio’s animation ‘The Better Angels’
  • ActNow Theatre’s productions of ‘Like Me, Like You’
  • and Holden Street Theatre Award (Does it Please You?) 
Sam is understudy for lead role of Rufous in DunnART's 'Bettongs & Buddies!'
Ellen Graham is a multi-award wining artist receiving:
  • David Williamson Prize for Excellence in Writing for Australian Theatre
  • two Adelaide Fringe inSPACE Development Awards
  • AWGIE Awards Theatre for Young Audiences 
Ellen performed in DunnART's 'Bettongs & Buddies!' for Penola Festival regional tour, Stirling Fringe Festival, and at Adelaide libraries. 
 Mikayla Rudd performed a host of varied rare animal characters in DunnART's 'Bettongs & Buddies!' library shows with rave audience reviews.

After completing studies with Adelaide College of the Arts, Mikayla is now completing a Bachelor of Business majoring in Digital Marketing and Communications and Management at the University of Adelaide and interned at Carclew. 
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Susannah Birch: After 10 years in digital marketing and completing Masters of Marketing, Susannah offers services and training through:
  • Eat Digital
  • Ask Susannah, and
  • Business Station: Digital Solutions.
​She's often helped out the DunnART team at rocket speed with many a technical crisis. Thanks for bringing calm to the wild, Susannah!
George G. Aldridge is an international freelance illustrator and cartoonist with 35 years of experience. Highlights include:
  • A Cartoonist of the Year - Press Club Award
  • Resident Cartoonist for Rockford Wines
  • Exhibition Designer for SA Museum​.
He is a Board Member of Country Arts SA with a keen and active working interest in representing endangered Australian animals in his art. See George’s work: the Trojan Pencil!
Kerry Marsh (of Call This Guy) has produced and marketed many successful Adelaide Fringe shows with talent such as:
  • Puddles Pity Party — Global YouTube sensation, and
  • Tash York.
​Kerry is a generous mentor, supporter, and promotor of DunnART Productions. He's also a great rescuer and rehabilitator of abandoned and abused animals.
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Dr. Mark Seaton is a wonderful ongoing supporter of DunnART! Highlights include: 
  • Churchill Fellowship 2009
  • Honorary Research Associate, University of Sydney
  • lecturer at Academy of Film Theatre and TV (AFTT) and Excelsia College 
  • Director of Sense Connexion — supporting artists developing new work
  • Founding member of Australian Society for Performing Arts Healthcare
  • Founder and director of Actors Well-being Academy
 David Daradan is a magnificent actor and animal lover who performs many diverse roles with impressively contrasting vocals and physical representation in DunnART's 'Bettongs & Buddies!' He is known for: 
  • The Follower (2013)
  • The Leftovers (2014)
  • Charlotte (2017)
He also contributes his talent for multiple different characters in the same show with Shakespeare SA, and his own Adelaide Fringe show.
Samantha Mamaïssata Doncamara (nee Donvito)

Sammy is a DunnART workshop designer and facility, sound technician for 'Bettongs & Buddies!' at Penola Festival, and an innovative face-painter of adorable Aussie animal designs!

She is an award-winning performer and teacher, who brings joy and warmth to all!
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Kate van der Horst
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Kate's earliest appearances were on Channel 7's 'The Book Place' from 1997 - 2000. Her experience includes national TV commercials, independent short films, theatre, and feature films. Kate has also worked in marketing and design for University of South Australia.
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Dr Isabelle Rose Onley is a conservation biologist specialising in developing management strategies to future-proof species with her PhD on the conservation, genetics and adaptive management of the Greater Stick-Nest Rat.
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Sheri McCoy of The Costume Creator is DunnART's primary costume designer/maker with over 20 years experience and receiving extensive rave reviews of her innovative and uniquely crafted costumes for 'Bettongs and Buddies!'
​Sheri 
is also a costume maker to Queen Kong and is affiliated with Adelaide Costume Shop.
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Jess Clough-MacRae
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Jess directed 'Bettongs & Buddies!' prior to its first performances on Kangaroo Island, a show she describes as the Australian 'Wind in the Willows.'

She regularly uses clowning, physical theatre, verbatim text, and puppets to explore sensitive issues and tell new stories. Her company Clownfish created 5-star-show 'Attenborough and His Animals.' 

She also directs MANBO, Baroque, and Fool's Paradise. 

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  • Home
  • What's On
  • Coming Soon!
  • Meet The Team
  • Animal Welfare
  • Reviews
  • Donations
  • Contact Us