Over the summer period, Flinders Drama Centre graduates have delivered an exceptional run of high-profile work across stage and screen, once again illustrating the national and international impact of South Australia’s flagship programme for actor training, right here at Flinders.
On screen, Luke Wiltshire’s (BCreatArts(Drama) ’23, BCreatArts(Hons)’24) career has taken flight, starring alongside Claudia Karvan in the new series Homebodies on SBS which premiered on 28 March. Across the summer, alumna Mel Vallejo (BA(Drama) ’02), (former star of Winners and Losers on Channel 7) returned to screens around the world with a role opposite Sarah Snook in the prestige thriller All Her Fault. Together, Luke and Mel give us a timely reminder that the work of the Drama Centre permeates the upper tier of global contemporary screen performance.
In live performance, the ‘Mad March’ festival season has further underscored the strength and visibility of our recent graduates. Amber McMahon (BA (Hons)(Drama) ’01), and Elvy-Lee Quici (BCreatArts (Drama)(Hons) ‘23) headlined Mama Does Derby, in the prestigious Adelaide and Sydney International Arts Festivals.
The world premiere of Meteors, written and performed by Melissa Pullinger (BCreatArts (Drama)(Hons) ’21) and directed by Connor Reidy (BCreatArts (Drama)(Hons) ’22), has emerged as one of the defining works of the 2026 Fringe Festival, winning the Edinburgh Fringe Tour Ready Award, the Melbourne Fringe Tour Ready Award and the Holden Street Theatres Award, and gaining access to international touring pathways, marking a significant breakthrough for its creative team.
Multiple other graduates were recognised across the Adelaide Fringe awards, including Jim Smith (BCreatArts(Drama)(Hons) ’14) for How Not to Make it in America while Bitch Boxer, featuring graduates Hannah Smith (BPerf(Directing) ’25) and Shardae Santos (BLitt(French) ’25, BPerf(Acting)(Hons) ’26), enjoyed a sold out season and won the Artform Shaker Award.
Behind the scenes, Joanne Hartstone (BCreatArts (Drama)(Hons) ’05) has delivered a major producing slate across the fringe, with no less than seven productions, earning multiple Adelaide Fringe awards. Her coup of presenting two international works in a thrilling traverse theatre installed in the historic Mortlock Library demonstrates the scale of leadership and entrepreneurial impact our graduates.
Alongside the graduate successes, the Drama Centre showcased current students in four Fringe productions, on campus and at Holden Street Theatres. Enjoying sold out performances and rave reviews. The breadth our students’ and graduates’ achievements—spanning screen acting, new writing, touring performance, major festival presentation, and producing—demonstrates a cohort of artists not only sustaining careers, but actively shaping the contemporary performance landscape.