Our 2026 Artists
Team Nightingale
ben
TEAM NIGHTINGALE
Ben is a screen and theatre actor based in Sydney. His infectious energy and riveting smile capture the crowd. His passion for telling stories, embellished by his own life experiences, imbue his performances with authenticity. Ben has trained extensively including at NIDA, ATYP, ITS, Hub Studio, and the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre where he currently works as a drama teacher artist. Ben has graduated with a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) majoring in Drama and French from The University of Sydney and a Diploma of Theatre and Screen Acting from Sydney Theatre School. With the Richmond Players, he played Jack Decapitated in Titanic: The Diamond of Dreams, Thomas Klopper in The Book of Everything and he directed A.R. Gurney’s Sylvia. With Shakespearience Australia he played Francis Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Silvius in As You Like It, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, and Guildenstern in Hamlet.
Jenny
TEAM NIGHTINGALE
Originally from New Zealand, Jenny graduated from the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art with a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Music Theatre). Over the past five years, she has worked professionally in theatre and dance across New Zealand and spent the last two and a half years performing at Universal Studios Beijing in China. Jenny’s theatre credits include Madagascar the Musical (GMG Productions), Matilda the Musical, Anna in Let It Go – The Songs of Frozen in Concert (New Zealand Tour), Madagascar the Musical (New Zealand Tour), The Cat in the Hat Live! (New Zealand Tour), and Niki Harris in Curtains the Musical. Jenny is a proud member of Equity New Zealand.
Declan
TEAM NIGHTINGALE
Declan is a multi-disciplinary theatre artist with professional experience across acting, directing, and writing. A graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Declan has performed leading roles in both classical and contemporary repertoire, earning accolades including the City of Newcastle Drama Award for ‘Best Actor in a Musical’ (Catch Me If You Can) and multiple BroadwayWorld Australia Award nominations. Declan’s original works explore the intersection of music theatre and new writing, with productions staged across the NSW Coast, in theatres from Newcastle to Sydney. His directorial credits include Shifted (in collaboration with ARIA nominee James Court), Songs I Wish I’d Written, Where Life Suits Me and None of Woman Born. In 2022, he served as Artistic Director for Sydney’s New Voices Festival, championing emerging Australian composers and librettists. He has also undertaken further actor training in New York at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and Strasberg Institute, and in 2020 was awarded the John & Anna Bell Award for Excellence in the Arts by the Bouddi Foundation.
Team Raven
will
TEAM RAVEN
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issy
TEAM RAVEN
Issy is a Sydney based actor who is ecstatic to be joining the Poetry in Action team. As a passionate stage and screen performer, Issy has taken on notable roles including Veronica in Heathers: The Musical and Jetsam in The Little Mermaid. Issy is particularly enthusiastic about Poetry in Action’s mission, having taught singing (Free Your Voice Studios) and drama (Stage Artz Theatre Company) for multiple years and can’t wait to spread the power of poetry to students across Australia!
Rupert
TEAM RAVEN
Rupert is an actor and theatre-maker who has performed across Australia and internationally. His one-man show Darling Boy – which he wrote, performed, and produced – enjoyed acclaimed, sold-out seasons in Melbourne, Sydney, Edinburgh, Dublin, and London. On stage, highlights include The Inheritance (fortyfivedownstairs, Green Room Award nominated), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Sport for Jove), and Away (Theatre Works). On screen, Rupert recently appeared in The Narrow Road to the Deep North (Amazon Prime). Rupert is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (BFA Acting). In 2025, he began assistant teaching at the Australian Theatre for Young People. Joining Poetry in Action this year is an exciting opportunity to explore how we maintain and nurture drama education for young people in schools. Long live the arts.
Want to join?
United by a passion for bringing language to life through dynamic performances, our playwrights, directors, dramaturgs and actors come together every year to create performances that further PIA’s artistic mission to Redefine poetry as a performance medium. Contact us to find out how you can be involved!