ENTERTAINMENT
Todd McKenney and friends
One of Australia's most versatile performing artists, Todd McKenney is an award winning and critically acclaimed performer on stage and screen. As an actor and the leading man of song and dance in musical theatre productions, he has entertained Australia for over 30 years from main stage to intimate venues. As a radio and television host, and the sometimes outspoken judge, he has shared his personality, humour and passions with us. It's not surprising that Todd is a household name.
Todd will be singing a few tunes live from his lounge room for us on the night and has invited along a number of his close friends to also perform songs on the evening together with some other surprising visitors!
Don't miss out on this truly spectacular evening.
Katherine Wiles
Soprano Katherine Wiles, originally from Hamilton, New Zealand, studied a Bachelor of Music (Honours) at Auckland University and completed the Dame Malvina Major Emerging Young Artist Programme with Opera NZ. She completed a Masters (Opera) at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, and spent many years performing both Opera, Concerts and Oratorio in the UK, Europe and NZ.
In 2007 she joined the Opera Australia Chorus Full-Time, based at the Sydney Opera House. Alongside her Chorus commitments, Katherine has also performed a number of leading, supporting & understudy roles and concerts within the Company, performed at the Edinburgh Festival and as a Guest Soloist on the Royal Yacht Britannia for Opera Australia. She has also appeared as a soloist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House. In 2016/17 Katherine toured Australia in the 60th Anniversary production of ‘My Fair Lady’ directed by Dame Julie Andrews. Katherine continues to perform full-time with Opera Australia.
Rhonda Burchmore
With a smile that could light up the Sydney Opera house and a voice that's as big, bold and colourful as Uluru, Rhonda Burchmore has endeared herself to the hearts of all Australians.
After 30 years in the business, this vivacious, flame-haired beauty continues to turn heads wherever she goes and draw thunderous applause wherever she performs.
She has forged a lengthy career in one of the toughest and most unforgiving industries, show business, yet as critics attest, she just keeps going from strength to strength.
Few Australian entertainers have shared her status and immense popularity amongst her peers, who admire Rhonda for her big personality, big heart and enormous capacity to give back to the industry that has shaped her career.
Johnny Ruffo
Johnny Ruffo is an accomplished Singer, Song writer, Actor and Presenter. With 2 top 20 hits under his belt, 2019 saw him releasing new music for the first time since his life changing, 3 year battle, with brain cancer.
He has undeniably matured as an artist which is evident in his authentic and convincing delivery of his new single Broken Glass, which resonates and touches the hearts of his audience.
He’s performed onstage with international hip hop superstars Salt ‘N Pepa and Guy Sebastian and was even hand-selected to support global pop sensations One Direction on their record-breaking tour down under, as well as touring with US pop icons Backstreet Boys and NKOTB.
Adding to his career, in 2012 Johnny won Dancing with the Stars, further solidifying his reputation as a captivating performer.
Johnny arrived in Summer Bay as Chris Harrington in 2013 and was a regular on Home and Away until 2016. He has since appeared on various Channel 7, 9 and 10 TV shows performing and co-hosting on The Morning Show, Today Show and Today Extra and more recently, Studio 10. 2017 saw Johnny star in the Channel Nine Mini Series, House of Bond.
Josh Piterman
Josh is a well established Australian musical theatre performer and classical crossover artist who has worked prolifically since he graduated from Federation University with a Bachelor of Arts (Music Theatre) in 2006.
Josh kicked off his career performing with the International pop opera group The Ten Tenors and he then made his mark as Tony in the 2010 Australian production of West Side Story. His other musical theatre credits include Bustopher Jones/Gus/Growltiger in the 2016 season of Cats, a role that won him the Green Room Award for Best Supporting Actor in A Musical; Edward in Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers; Corny Collins in the UK tour of Hairspray; The Caliph in Kismet; Giuseppe in The Light in the Piazza; Jamie in The Last Five Years and most recently Gerry Goffin in the Australian tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.
In 2018 his debut self titled album went to number 1 on both the Aria and ITunes Charts (Classical Crossover) in Australia. Josh is currently starring as “The Phantom” in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London.
Rachael Beck
One of Australia's leading performers and educators, Rachael Beck is a multi-faceted, award - winning powerhouse whose talents span across stage and screen, as both an acclaimed vocal artist and actress.
Most recently Rachael has completed filming the lead role of Vivian in Alex Lyko’s film A Long Night and opened The Long and the Short of It with Rhonda Burchmore at the Thebaton Theatre.
Rachael is currently touring You and Me with Michael Cormick throughout Australia.
Rachael Beck is widely remembered for her award-winning role as Belle opposite Hugh Jackman in Beauty and the Beast, which won the 1996 ARIA Award for the Best Australian Soundtrack/Cast/Show Release. Her outstanding credits include her Green Award nominated performance as 'Fantine' in Les Miserables and 'Rumpleteaser' in Cats, both produced by Cameron Mackintosh.