DREW DOWNING
WRITER
Drew is an entertainer, vocalist and creative. A renowned arts educator, Drew has delivered music programs in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. Acknowledged for his commitment to diversity and inclusion, he remains one of Melbourne’s most popular voice teachers for teens. Drew is Founding Director of Arts in Schools.
Drew was invited to be the ambassador for Melbourne Cabaret Festival (2019) and served as Musical Director for Melbourne Pride Chorus (2015 - 2021).
Writing credits: Beautiful Things (2017 Workshop Season, StageArt), Rebel (2013 Midsumma, 2014 MCF and 2019), A Super Brady Cabaret (2016 Premiere, StageArt), Children’s Book Week (2012-2013 Australian Tours), SBS, ABC, Disney Cruises. Stage/tours: God Only Knows: The Songs of Brian Wilson, Drew’s Drive-Inn, Let it Be: The Songs of Lennon & McCartney, Ultimate 90s Playlist. Festivals: Midsumma, Fringe, Mardi Gras and ACL.
CLARY RIVEN
DIRECTOR
Clary Riven (she/her) is a director from Caracas, Venezuela. Clary is a graduate of Monash University Bachelor of Performing Arts degree, where she trained to become a theatre maker.
Her recent credits include: Director of ‘Calminaré’ (2025), Associate Director of ‘Dial M For Murder’ (2025), ‘In the Heights’ at the Sydney Opera House, Resident Director of ‘&Juliet’ with Michael Cassel Group (2023-2024), Director of ‘Rebel: A New Musical’ (2019), Autonomous Inventions’s ‘Protein’ (2021-2022), ‘Drew Downing’s Ultimate 90’s Playlist’ (2019), ‘God Only Knows: Songs of Brian Wilson’ (2018 – 2019), ‘Tinder Tales: A New Musical’ (2018), ‘Beautiful Things: A new musical Workshop’ (2018),.
Clary has performed the role of Assistant Director on productions such as Stageart’s ‘Memphis’ (2017), ‘Bare’ (2018) under Dean Drieberg, and Watch This’ ‘Into The Woods’ (2022).
ALEX MARTELLO
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Alex is an accomplished bass player, arranger, and musical director. He has recently performed bass on the national tours of Footloose and Hair, and his arranging and orchestrating work has been featured by the Australian Pops Orchestra.
An in-demand bass player and arranger, Alex performs across a wide range of contemporary, jazz, and orchestral settings, with his charts commissioned and performed internationally.
Alex is very excited not only to have orchestrated Rebel, but also to be making his theatre musical directing debut.