Cast

Afua Adjei, a vibrant and talented performer, is set to make her mark on the professional theatre stage with her debut in Groundhog Day the Musical. Based in Melbourne, Afua’s journey into the world of theatre has been marked by a deep passion for musicals and an active involvement in the city’s amateur musical theatre community.

Her repertoire includes iconic shows such as Les Misérables, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, In the Heights, and most recently, Heathers the Musical. Each performance has not only demonstrated Afua’s dedication to her craft but has also allowed her to explore diverse roles and genres within the musical theatre spectrum.

Afua’s commitment to honing her craft is evident in her extensive training, which encompasses tap, ballet, and hip hop. Her formative years at Stage School Australia provided a solid foundation for her artistic development, equipping her with the skills necessary to thrive in the demanding world of musical theatre.

Her journey from Melbourne’s amateur stages to the professional realm exemplifies the dedication and talent that define her as a rising star in the theatre scene.

Grant obtained his National Diploma in Musical Theatre from the Tswani University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa. His professional debut was in the international touring company of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS touring Korea, Shanghai, Taipei, Qatar and Scandinavia in 2002. Theatre credits include; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour  Dreamcoat, Showboat, We Will Rock You, Romeo and Juliet at Maynardvill (Cape Town), Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent, Hairspray, Chicago, African Footprint, High School Musical. He played Mungojerry in 2009 in CATS and was in Ben Elton’s Boys in the Photograph in 2010 as well as a production of Evita in 2011. In 2012 Grant joined the South African production of Jersey Boys playing the role of Frankie Valli which toured Singapore, Korea, Istanbul and Kuala Lumpur. In 2016 he landed the International tour of Singin’ In The Rain where he played the role of Don Lockwood (made famous by Gene Kelly in the movie Singin’ In The Rain).  Later he would take over the same role in the Australian national tour of Singin’ In The Rain.  He was invited to reprise his role as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys on the inaugural voyage of The Norwegian Bliss for Norwegian Cruise Lines in 2018. Grant is very excited to join the cast of Groundhog Day as his first show as an Australian resident.

Kaya is a graduate of The Victorian College of the Arts. He most recently appeared in the return season of A Christmas Carol (GWB) after performing in The Hello Girls (Heartstrings Theatre Co) in his hometown of Canberra. His previous theatre credits include: the national tour of Come From Away (Newtheatricals), Chess (Storyboard Entertainment), HOSH: West Side Story (Opera Australia), Lazarus and Ragtime (The Production Company), Ring! Ring! and The House on Fire at the Edge of the World (Fringe Replanted), The Wind in the Willows (Australian Shakespeare Company) and Gilligan’s Island: The Musical (Left Bauer Productions). On-screen, Kaya appeared in the You-Proof Banking campaign (NAB), the short films The Tide and My Straight Mate, and the web-series There After.

He is also a passionate instrumentalist and songwriter, and is excited to be releasing his debut EP Belladonna/Supernova in 2024.

Kate’s theatre credits include Circle Mirror Transformation, His Girl Friday, and as a stand by for Admissions, The Sound Inside, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Bloom for Melbourne Theatre Company.

As a founding member of Melbourne’s Red Stitch Actors Theatre, Kate has performed in multiple productions, including Grace, Grounded (Best Actress award in an Independent production 2015 Sydney Theatre Awards, Best Actress nomination 2014 Green Room Awards), Suddenly Last Summer, Jumpers For Goalposts, Incognito and Out Of The Water.

In Musical Theatre, Kate has appeared in Assassins (Hayes Theatre Company Sydney, Sydney Opera House) Ladies In Black (QTC & MTC, National Tour) Sweet Charity (National Tour) West Side Story (VSO IMG National Tour) My Fair Lady (VSO) and 42nd Street (Helen Montague productions Her Majesty’s Theatre Sydney).

Television credits include Wentworth, How To Stay Married, The Divorce, Doctor Blake Mysteries, Seven Types of Ambiguity and the feature film Surrogate.

Kate trained in NYC and LA, with Uta Hagen, and The Actors Studio Lifetime Members Marcia Haufrecht and Sharon Chatten.

Rachel’s musical theatre credits include WICKED the musical (u/s Nessarose), The Acrobat in Matilda the Musical (u/s Miss Honey, Mrs Wormwood & Mrs Phelps), Evita with Tina Arena, Nicole in Muriel’s Wedding (u/s Rhonda), Billy Elliot (u/s Mrs Wilkinson), Collette in La Cage Aux Folles (u/s all women), Promises Promises and CHESS. For Opera Australia she has appeared in La Boheme, La Forza Del Destino, Die Tote Stadt, The Marriage of Figaro and The Love of the Nightingale.

Rachel studied undergraduate Psychology at The University of Sydney and Economics post graduate. By day, she works as an Investment Analyst, is the face of and ‘finance guru’ for OneTwo Home loans. She regularly presents at high schools, on podcasts and lectures on all things economics and finance.

Benjamin is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Music Theatre).

His theatrical credits include the 40th Anniversary tour of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, the national tour of Shrek The Musical, the 40th Anniversary international tour of CATS and both the 2022 & 2023 Australian productions of The Old Vic’s A Christmas Carol. He most recently toured Australia in Cameron Mackintosh’s timeless classic Mary Poppins.

He has also musically created and directed several productions for Melbourne Shakespeare Company, including Romeo & Juliet, Love’s Labours Lost, The Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors and The Tempest.

Benjamin cannot wait to share Groundhog Day with audiences here in Melbourne over and over (and over) again.

NZ born Andrew Coshan graduated from the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2018, and has since worked professionally on both sides of the Tasman.

Notable works include Melbourne Theatre Company’s A View From The Bridge for which his portrayal of Rodolpho earned a Green Room Award nomination, Australian Shakespeare Company’s Hamlet as Laertes, the Hayes Theatre production of Merrily We Roll Along as Franklin Shepard, the New Zealand Tour of Jersey Boys as Nick Massi, My Brilliant Career as Harold Beecham, The Production Company’s Thoroughly Modern Millie, Opera Australia’s The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour, Hayes Theatre’s Anyone Can Whistle as Hapgood, Belvoir’s Into The Woods as Rapunzel’s Prince/Lucinda and the 2022 and 2023 seasons of GWB Entertainment’s A Christmas Carol as Fred.

Andrew has also featured on the long running Network 10 series Neighbours.

Andrew is very excited to be a part of GWB Entertainment’s Australian Premiere of Groundhog Day.

Andrew has enjoyed an extensive career over the past 30 years in many Musical Theatre Productions throughout Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. His musical credits include the recent World Premiere season of Midnight the Cinderella Musical, The Phantom of the Opera, (Australia/New Zealand, 1995 – 1998), Cats (Australia/New Zealand/Asia), Love Never Dies, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Pirates of Penzance, Me and My Girl, Annie Get Your Gun, South Pacific, La Cage Aux Folles, Carmen, Dido and Aeneas and Genesis to Broadway. He has also appeared as the famous Mr Toad in The Wind in the Willows.

Most recently, Andrew made his Opera Australia debut in the newly reimagined production of The Phantom of the Opera as Monsieur LeFevre / Fire Chief in Sydney and Melbourne. He has performed in South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore with Cats where he covered and performed the roles of Gus/Growltiger/Bustopher Jones and Old Deuteronomy. Andrew has also featured in Possum Magic, Puff the Magic Dragon, The Tales Peter Rabbit, Pinocchio, Winnie the Pooh, The Magic Faraway Tree, Noddy, Hippo and My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch for theatre legend Garry Ginivan AM. He also performs in the corporate acts The Three Waiters and Tenors Undercover.

Andrew is thrilled to be part of the Australian Premiere of Groundhog Day the Musical.

One of Australia’s most versatile musical theatre performers, Madison has toured Australia and internationally in productions ranging from Rock Musicals to Operetta.

Her credits include Judith Durham understudy in Georgy Girl – The Seekers Musical (Richard East/Dennis Smith), Alysha in the Australian premiere of Green Day’s American Idiot (shake&stir theatre co./QPAC), Jennyanydots (u/s Grizabella) in Cats (RUG/GWB South Korea Tour 2017/2018, 2022/2023), Cherry in the 2019/2021 Australian tour of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (GFO/Crossroads Live), Angie in the New Zealand tour of The Wedding Singer (David Venn Enterprises) and Kate McGowan in Titanic the Musical: In Concert (The Marrollo Project). She received a Green Room Award nomination for her performance as Franca in 2016 Australian Premiere of The Light in The Piazza (Life Like Company).

Madison is thrilled to be part of the Australian premiere of Groundhog Day, which would not have been possible without Mum, Dad, Jennifer Peers and Ian White Management.

Originally from the Midwest of the U.S. Theatre credits include the Australian premier of ‘Wicked’ coving the role of Fiyero, ‘Legally Blonde’, ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ , ‘Georgy Girl the Seekers Musical’ , ‘Into the Woods’, ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, ‘Dream Lover’, ‘Mamma Mia.’ Matt was the standby “GUY” in the critically acclaimed production of “Once.” Most recently in ‘School of Rock’, ‘Barnum’, ‘Ragtime’ and performed in the Alanis Morissette musical ‘Jagged Little Pill.’

His TV credits include the shows ‘Neighbours’, ‘One Life To Live’ and ‘Rescue Me’.

A Proud member of MEAA.

Matt is a recent graduate from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts with a Bachelor of Arts (Music Theatre). Their WAAPA credits include Daryl Ames in Bright Star, Dance Captain in The Pajama Game, Sir in Side Show, and Ensemble in Mack and Mabel and Crazy for You.

He made his professional debut in 2022 as Jack with West Australian Opera’s Into the Woods, and most recently performed in Songs for a New World with Soundworks Productions.

They’re absolutely thrilled and humbled to be joining the incredible cast and company of Groundhog Day.

Michael has worked for over 30 years in theatre, musicals and cabaret. Most recently, he featured in Guys & Dolls for Antipodes Theatre and Bearded, a new Australian musical and on the main stage as part of Billy Elliot – The Musical playing several roles as well as covering and performing the role of Dad.

Theatre credits include choreographer and assistant director on Mother Courage performed at La Mama. Michael also toured Australia in Around the World in 80 Days and The 39 Steps and performed as the one of the lead roles in Melbourne Workers Theatres’ 1975.

Musical theatre highlights include South Pacific, Avenue Q, Mary Poppins, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Grease – the Mega Musical, Miss Saigon, Hair and Scrooge. Michael performed in six musicals for The Production Company.

Credits in over a dozen Garry Ginivan musicals for children include Possum Magic, My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch, Winnie the Pooh and Peter Rabbit touring Australia and Asia.

As a creator, Michael performed and produced successful performances for Midsumma and the Adelaide Fringe, Michael and the Mascs, Cole’s Girls and No, Really I’m Straight!

Etuate is a Tongan-born musician and performer hailing from Auckland, New Zealand. He graduated with a Bachelor of Musical Theatre from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University in 2022.

During his studies he played the roles of J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Sammy in The Wedding Singer and was in the ensemble and understudied Danny Zuko in Grease at the Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

Etuate played the role of Rabbit in the development of the new Australian musical ‘Round the Twist! (RGM Productions). During his final year of study, he accepted an ensemble position, understudying the roles of Ronald/Greg/Blaine in David Venn Enterprises’ Cruel Intentions the 90’s Musical!

More recently, he played the role of Eddie in the national tour of Mamma Mia! The Musical.

A graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Conor is a performer/ writer/ composer/ instrumentalist and one half of the creative duo ‘Neylon & Peele’. He was recently seen in City of Angels at the Hayes Theatre (Joshua Robson Productions). Other credits include the US Tour of Meeting Mozart (CDP Productions), Irene and Brigadoon at the Hayes Theatre (Neglected Musicals) and music directing The Beep Test (Neylon & Peele) at Melbourne Fringe which won the Green Room Award for Best New Australian Musical Theatre Writing. Whilst at WAAPA, Conor performed the role of Bobby in Company, Ken Railings in Strictly Ballroom, Dennis in Rock of Ages as well as receiving the 2017 Bill Warnock Scholarship. Conor would also like to pay his respects to the traditional custodians of the lands, past, present and emerging, on which we work and perform.

@conor_neylon_

Sydney Theatre Award-winning actress Ashleigh Rubenach most recently starred as ‘Johanna’ in Sweeney Todd at the Sydney Opera House (Victorian Opera). Growing up on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Ashleigh graduated with a Bachelor of Music Theatre from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). She has graced the stage as ‘Milo Davenport’ in GWB Entertainment’s An American in Paris, ‘Billie Bendix’ in Nice Work If You Can Get It (MGP) and ‘Allison Vernon-Williams’ in Cry-Baby (LPD/Hayes Theatre Co). Other notable credits include Anything Goes (GFO/OA), The Sound of Music (GFO), My Fair Lady (OA), Funny Girl (SSO) and Muriel’s Wedding (Global Creatures). Ashleigh is a Talent Development Project alumni and a proud member of MEAA Actors Equity.

Connor is joyously returning to the Princess Theatre six months later after nearly five years performing in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Michael Cassel Group). He has also appeared in the musicals Muriel’s Wedding (Sydney Theatre Co and Global Creatures), Bring It On: The Musical (David Venn Enterprises) and The Pirates of Penzance (Essgee). He wore vampire teeth at Melbourne’s famous former-spooky-castle-now-themed-hotpot-nightspot Dracula’s in their shows Terrorbyte and Resurrection (Newman Entertainment). Connor grew up under a busy flight path in Hobart, Tasmania. He trained in Musical Theatre at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and nowadays is an enthusiastic student at The Clowning Workshop. He is an active member of Equity and is proudly represented by Ian White Management. Connor’s other loves are cycling and hummus.

Alison Whyte is one of Australia’s most accomplished and celebrated actors, with an outstanding reputation in theatre, film and television.

Alison has worked with many mainstage theatre companies. Most recently, Alison performed in Death of a Salesman in the role of ‘Linda Loman’ for 5 Minute Call. For the Melbourne Theatre Company, Alison appeared in Jacky, Last Man Standing, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Clybourne Park and All About My Mother and for the Black Swan Theatre Company in Rising Water. Appearances with Sydney Theatre Company include The Testament of Mary, Love and Information and Travelling North, as well as Australia Day for both the Sydney Theatre Company and the Melbourne Theatre Company. For the Malthouse Theatre, Alison performed in the production of The Bloody Chamber, Tartuffe and Eldorado, as well as Optimism which toured the Sydney Festival and the Edinburgh Festival. Recent theatre performances include Michael Cassel Group’s blockbuster production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the Vass Theatre Group Production Hand to God, as Lady Macbeth in the Australian Shakespeare Company’s production of Romeo and Juliet, as well as their production of Macbeth, Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and in the epic Cloudstreet as ‘Oriel Lamb’ for the Malthouse Theatre and the Black Swan Theatre Company.

She originated the role of ‘Grace’ in Belvoir St Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of Faith Healer, starring alongside Colin Friels and directed by Judy Davis, reprising the role for the Melbourne Theatre Company and Adelaide tour.

On the small screen, Alison has been seen in numerous productions, including The Doctor Blake Mysteries, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Tangle, Satisfaction, City Homicide, Marshall Law, Sea Change, Good Guys Bad Guys, G.P. and the critically acclaimed Frontline, amongst many others. Alison has most recently been seen in Fisk, Harrow S3, The Kettering Incident, Glitch and Playing For Keeps (Series 1 & 2). Amongst her numerous films include The Dressmaker, Centreplace, The Jammed, Subterano and Saturday Night.

Alison is the recipient of numerous awards: 2009 ASTRA Award for Satisfaction, 2008 TV Week Logie for Satisfaction, 2005 Green Room Award for Dinner, 1997 TV Week Silver Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actress, as well as many nominations. Alison won both a Green Room Award and a Helpmann Award in 2010 for her outstanding portrayal of ‘Elizabeth’ in Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of Richard lll. Alison won the 2013 Green Room Award for The Bloody Chamber. Most recently, Alison won a Sydney Theatre Award and a Helpmann Award nomination for her performance in Faith Healer.

Tim has just completed the 2023 Australian Tour of Mamma Mia! performing the wonderful role of Bill Austin.

Tim has appeared in multiple Broadway productions and was most recently seen in the Tony Award winning Revival of Richard Greenberg’s Take Me Out.  Other Broadway credits include the Tony winning, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Best New Play) and The Bridges of Maddison County. His time in New York saw him work with the likes of Scott Ellis, Bartlett Sher, Marianne Elliot, Stephen Daldry, Justin Martin, Jason Robert Brown and Marsha Norman. Other US stage credits include The Jungle, Sunset Boulevard and 3 Kinds of Exile.

In Australia Tim has worked for the Melbourne Theatre Company in Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Metamorphoses, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and The Glass Menagerie, garnering some Green Room nominations along the way. He was also seen as Motel in the Topol led Fiddler on the Roof.

Tim’s many TV credits include SMASH!, Blue Bloods, New Amsterdam, Quantico and the pilot episodes for A Gifted Man and Do No Harm. He has also appeared in the films Ned Kelly, Two Hands, My Man is a Loser and Trinity’s Triumph.

Kate studied at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, graduating with a Bachelor of Musical Theatre in 2016. She most recently starred in Queensland Theatre’s hit Australian musical The Sunshine Club. Her other theatre credits include: Animal Farm (Shake & Stir Theatre Co), The Mystery of Valkyrie (Woodward Productions), Revolting Rhymes and Dirty Beasts (Shake & Stir Theatre Co), Songs from Stage and Screen (The 7 Sopranos), A Very Naughty Christmas (Woodward Productions), The Gruffalo’s Child (CDP), Sweet Charity (Woodward Productions), The Spirit of Christmas (QPAC), I Really Don’t Care (Melbourne Cabaret Festival) as well as touring Australia with National Theatre for Children. Television credits: White Fever (ABC). Kate has also worked as a presenter and host; most notably for the Australian Open & AFLW.  Kate is proudly represented by Ian White Management and would like to give special thanks to her loving family for their endless support. She is beyond thrilled to be joining the cast of Groundhog Day for its Australian premiere.