As the 2022 school year draws to a close, we’re looking forward to bringing back the glitz and glamour of the foil curtain and celebrating another huge year with the best and brightest teen voices.
Witness an inspiring line-up of young readers and performers, including the winner of the 2022 Plain English Speaking Award and the winner of the Kill Your Darlings School Writing Prize, alongside emerging comedians, actors and poets. We’re bringing you the most vibrant teen voices from a year spent showcasing exceptional new talent, alongside crowd favourites from previous galas. Prepare to be uplifted – the future is in great hands. Alongside the Gala event, teens have the opportunity to participate in a series of free workshops, designed to build onstage confidence, generate new writing and connect with publication opportunities.
The Wheeler Education Teen Gala and associated workshops are generously supported by George and Rosa Morstyn. The Wheeler Centre’s programming for young audiences is generously supported The Hon. Justice Michelle Gordon AC and The Hon. Kenneth Hayne AC QC.
Want to present in this year's Teen Gala, or know a teen who would? Get in touch with us at Bec.Kavanagh@wheelercentre.com.
Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Saturday 10 December
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location
Featuring
Anna Blinks-van Broekhoven
Anna Blinks-van Broekhoven is a young disability advocate and mobility aid user, particularly focused on the lack of adequate accessible public transport in Victoria. She has done theatre all her life and otherwise loves painting and spending time with her three cats.
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Poppy Holden
Poppy Holden is a Year 10 student from Melbourne.
She won the Stonnington ‘What’s Your Story?’ competition in 2019 and 2021, and the VATE ‘A Story in Miniature’ in 2022. She has always loved stories - reading them and writing them.
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Alice Horacek
Alice is a 14 year old Melbourne student. She enjoys reading and learning random information. They are very excited to perform!
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Erin Kim
Erin Kim has used story telling as a form of expression about herself and current interests. Seen through her paintings "Belonging" and "Acceptance" which were showcased in Top Arts 2021. Exploring her identity and adolescence ...
Charlie Mackenzie
Charlie Mackenzie is a 15 year old musical theatre performer, she also writes acoustic folk and rock music. Charlie is in love with 80’s music and grew up with artists like Queen, Stevie Wonder, Tears for Fears and Kate Bush however she ...
Audrey McKenzie
Audrey McKenzie is a 17-year-old year 11 student with a longtime passion for writing and literature. After winning the 2022 Kill Your Darlings School Writing Prize, her love for writing has been reignited and she hopes to one day share her writing with the world. She is very excited to be performing with the Wheeler Centre!
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Arshia Rana
Arshia Rana is a year 11 student, public speaker and debater, and avid reader. The founder of In My Opinion, Rana aims to teach the youth of today effective communication skills to help drive meaningful change, by creating and sharing ...
Fig Russon-Jorgensen
Fig is a 17-year-old emerging poet and artist. They grew up in rural Victoria, and much of their work is inspired by the bush terrain where they grew up, finding ways to integrate the themes of native Australian flora and fauna ...
Sunday Williams-Starkie
Sunday Williams-Starkie is 16 years old, and loves to sing, write music and stories and perform.
They love to experiment and create, and are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to perform something at the Teen Gala, and hope many people will one day be able to enjoy their words.
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Rufaro Zimbudzi
Rufaro Zimbudzi is a Zimbabwean-Australian singer, actor and writer. Her passion for the creative arts has allowed her to openly express the fusion of cultures she was brought up on in the diaspora, as she strives to be the ...
Red Brazil
I am a 13 year old boy from the Macedon Ranges. I play soccer and guitar and love the Beach Boys. I can’t say I like poetry because I have read all the books and the poets, because I haven’t read any. But what I like is how it can appeal ...
Lee Pennefather
Lee Peenfather is a 15-year-old writer and poet from Melbourne. In 2021, Lee became the overall state champion of the OutLoud Slam Poetry Competition with their poem “What Would You Say,” which explored their experience as a ...