MEET THE TEAM!
BEXD Create is a team of dedicated teachers and admin who are determined to help our students learn, grow and succeed.
Tianna Paget
Tianna Paget is a character actor whose influence stems from Depp to Brando and D’onofrio. Honing her craft in acting ,singing and dancing, Tianna completed her Advanced Diploma in Screen and Media at New York Film Academy on the Gold Coast and Los Angeles and has gone on to work in numerous productions in front of the camera as-well as on stage.
Stage credits include Rock Of Ages at Phoenix Ensemble and Gold Coast Little Theatres One Act Play Season, Etc.
Directing has been a big passion of her’s and she has been so grateful to Direct both adult and youth shows such as Now We Are Ten for the Short + Sweet Festival at Home of the Arts Theatre and Aladdin Jr.
Tianna has a Certificate 3 in Early Childhood and has been teaching and entertaining children most her life and it gives her great joy to be a part of helping each child pursue their creative dreams.
Tianna is directing High School Musical in June 2023 with BeXD Create!
Hannah Kassulke
Hannah is an actor, singer and director with a wealth of theatre experience. 2021 saw Hannah direct Puffs at Brisbane Arts Theatre, and perform as one of the Major General’s daughters in Pirates of Penzance (Ipswich Musical Theatre Company). Other notable theatre credits include the critically acclaimed productions of Wicked and Les Miserable (IMTC), as well as leading roles in Next to Normal, Ladies in Black and the Boy from Oz (Brisbane Arts Theatre).
Over the years, she has also directed Reasons to be Pretty, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Goldie – a children’s fractured fairytale about Goldilocks. In 2018, she participated in the South East Queensland One Act Play festival for which she was awarded Best Actress in her section. Hannah holds a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in drama from the University of Queensland, where she gained experience in both playwrighting and dramaturgy, and she is currently in her third year of a Bachelor of Psychological Science (honours), with a keen interest in the effects of music on wellbeing and the regulation of the nervous system.
Hannah is thrilled to be joining a team whose values underly the most important elements of participating in theatre – life-long learning, connection with others, self-determination, and expression of creativity.
Holly Leeson
Holly has had quite an eclectic career as a performer, choreographer and teacher. Holly trained for in excess of 15 years across many dance and performance areas, completing a number of prerequisite examinations toward a teachers diploma. During this time she first experienced musical theatre and has since performed, dance captained, taught and choreographed for companies spanning Logan, Brisbane and Gold Coast.
2019 saw Holly graduate from QUT with a Bachelor of Creative Industries, majoring in Drama, and a Bachelor of Human Services, specialising in youth work. Holly has dedicated a lot of her career to working with artistic methods of re-engagement for at risk and disengaged young people and children and adults with disabilities and their communities.
In addition to her ongoing human services and choreographic pursuits, Holly is also a proud founding member and performer of Peachy Keen, a Brisbane based LGBTQ+ dance and performance group.
Matthew French
Matthew is an actor, writer, and musician based in Brisbane/Meanjin.
He studied a Bachelor of Acting and Performance from 2014-2016 and has been working on stage and screen since as well as creating and performing his own works.
Matthew is an Equity committee member and has been with MEAA since 2016. He has taught drama and acting to children and teenagers with Room to Play and Beenleigh Theatre Group since 2020.
Alexander Sakellarakis
My name is Alex, I am 22 years old and have recently graduated with a double degree of psychology and business from the Queensland University of Technology. For the past 5 years I have taken private singing lessons with a classical singing coach who has expanded my repertoire, from the structure of musical theatre to the fantastical chaos of jazz.
I have always had a love for all fields of acting and have performed in multiple plays and musicals in both starring and ensemble roles. Now that I am free from university commitments, I aim to move forward into the world of professional acting in whatever way I can.
Kelsey Pigram
Kelsey has had a passion for drama and the arts since a young age and has over 10 years of experience in musical theatre performance. This passion slowly formed into a career, as Kelsey is now studying a Bachelor of Education (secondary) and Fine Arts (drama) at QUT. She is looking forward to using her experience to teach others and allow kids to find their joy within performance.
Along with this, Kelsey began piano at the age of 7 and achieved a level of AMEB grade 8 whilst in her last year of high school. She is now running her own business as a piano teacher to people of all ages. Her love of the arts has always played a major role in her life, and she hopes to pass this love onto others.
Ellie Waddingham
Ellie is a performer, writer and life-longer lover of theatre. Ellie is currently studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts (acting) at QUT, and hopes to inspire the next generation of creatives to chase their dreams.
Ellie has worked with Queensland Theatre, Shake & Stir Theatre Co, QPAC and Brisbane Arts Theatre, and held many leading and ensemble roles across theatre, musicals and film. She is also an avid writer, working as a reviewer for Theatrehaus and writing and performing in productions under her company, theatrePUNK co., an emerging arts organisation for which she is the artistic director. She recently performed in the debut show for PIP Theatre, The Ugly One with AllEntertainment. Ellie also works with Vena Cava Productions as an Environmental Manager.
She is passionate about inclusivity and social justice in the arts and works to ensure that everyone is given the chance to develop their creativity and talent, no matter their circumstances. Ellie is motivated to inspire the next generation to express themselves and allow their imaginations to run wild.
Ellen Marshall
We are thrilled to welcome Elly May Creative Co founder Ellen Marshall to the team as our Social Media Manager.
Elly May Creative Co are a small freelance social media management business passionate about helping people grow and develop their own small businesses with creative content, smart strategies, beautiful profiles, and a whole lot of heart!
Follow Ellen on your socials for regular inspiring and beautiful content.
Katie Toft
Katie Toft is a voice teacher, producer and performer, and is the Co-Founder of BeXD Create with her husband Will. Katie's tertiary studies include a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accountancy with a focus on Advanced Tax Law with a minor in Japanese and a Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Science. Her creative education was through school programs, co-curriculum drama and music and private lessons. Her theatre credits include Princess Fiona in Shrek the Musical, Scaramouche in We Will Rock You, and Kate Monster and Lucy in Avenue Q and she has performed as a guest artist at the Sydney Opera House.
Katie is currently living in the Byron Bay Hinterlands working as a singer and recently performed as Marianne in Constellations at the Brisbane Planetarium in November 2022. Katie currently manages the behind the scenes of BeXD Create.
If you have any questions about BeXD Create, who we are, what we do, you can get in touch with Katie directly at 0408149443.
Will Toft
Will has worked with 100's of students over the last decade and is passionate about improving the mental health of artists, confidence and community through engagement in the arts. Will Co-Founded BeXD Pty Limited with Katie which has two branches - BeXD Create (education) and BeXD Studios (music and production).
Will's university studies were in Business Management and Finance. Will learned singing, acting, piano and saxophone through school, co-curriculum activities similar to those that BeXD Create now run and many years of private lessons, Will's performance credits include Fredrick (Pirates of Penzance) Marius (Les Miserables), Fiyero (Wicked), Peter Allen (Boy from Oz), Galileo (We Will Rock You), George McFly (The Back to The Future Musical Parody), Princeton (Avenue Q) and Roland (Constellations).
He currently works full-time as music producer and songwriter in the Byron Bay Hinterlands. Will helps develop BeXD Create's curriculum plans and creative vision and he is currently helping developing holiday programs and our rural QLD program for 2023 and 2024.
“A wonderful place to work with great support and wonderful leaders! Highly recommend it for students and little ones as they take great care with who they invite to teach and how the classes are run!”