Hilary Bell
Hilary Bell is a playwright, librettist and lyricist. Notable works include Wolf Lullaby, Splinter, Summer of Harold and Picnic at Hanging Rock: The Musical (composer Greta Gertler Gold), recently playing Off-Broadway. She has been produced nationally by the Sydney Theatre Company, Ensemble, Belvoir, Griffin, City Recital Hall, Black Swan, Deckchair, La Boite, NORPA, National Theatre of Parramatta, Sydney Opera House, Arts Centre Melbourne, Vitalstatistix and Darlinghurst Theatre Company. Internationally her work has been produced by Atlantic and Steppenwolf (USA), London’s National and the Edinburgh Fringe. Awards include the inaugural Philip Parsons Young Playwrights Award, Jill Blewett Award, Bug’n’Bub and Eric Kocher Award (both USA), Aurealis Fiction, Inscription, three AWGIEs, a Helpmann and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize shortlist. She was the 2003-04 Tennessee Williams Fellow in Creative Writing at the University of the South in Tennessee, and 2012’s Patrick White Playwriting Fellow at the STC. Hilary is a graduate of the Juilliard Playwrights’ Studio, NIDA and AFTRS. She has served on boards including Griffin, ANPC and Australian Plays. She is a member of 7-ON Playwrights and a New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect. Hilary is the creator, with illustrator Antonia Pesenti, of picture books including best-seller ‘Alphabetical Sydney’. hilarybell.org.
Shannon Burns
Shannon is a Sydney-based creative specialising in choreography and movement direction whose work spans theatre, opera, film, television, ceremonies and events. Musical theatre credits include recurring collaborations with Hayes Theatre Co — The Pirates of Penzance (2025), Ride the Cyclone (2024), A Little Night Music (2023) and Murder for Two (2023–2025) — alongside the Australian touring production of Dear Evan Hansen (2024, STC/Michael Cassel Group), The Producers (2025, JRP), Bright Star (2025, Sport for Jove), and works for Red Line Productions, CDP Theatre Producers, Musica Viva and The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. Theatre credits include Orlando (2025) Belvoir, The Comedy of Errors (2025) Sport for Jove and Born on a Thursday (2025) New Ghosts Theatre Company. In opera, Shannon has choreographed high-profile productions with Opera Australia including La Traviata on Sydney Harbour (2021), Carmen on Cockatoo Island (2022) and Carmen (2025). She has collaborated extensively with Victorian Opera and Pinchgut Opera across choreography, movement and direction. Other credits include the world premiere of Siegfried and Roy: The Unauthorised Opera (2025), commissioned by Sydney Festival and co-produced by LPD Productions, and internationally, Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire (2024) for the Berlin Philharmonic. Shannon has contributed to large-scale ceremonies, TV, film and new work developments. She trained at the Queensland Dance School of Excellence and ED5INTERNATIONAL, and brings to her practice an extensive performance career across stage, screen and major events.
Zara Stanton
Zara Stanton (she/her) is an award-winning Music Director, Composer, Arranger and Performer. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Most recently, Zara was Music Director/Arranger for the World Premiere of Eddie Perfect’s new musical, Tivoli Lovely (WAAPA) and Music Director for the 2025 Australian tour of In The Heights (JRP). For Hayes Theatre Co. in 2026, Zara is Music Director on Head Over Heels (Well Done Creative), Gutenberg! The Musical! and The Addams Family (JRP). She will then serve as Music Director for the world premiere of Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical with Sydney Theatre Company/Michael Cassel Group. Other recent credits include; Music Director for the Australian Premiere of Dear Evan Hansen (STC/MCG), Music Director/Arranger/Orchestrator for BLOOM (MTC) and Music Supervisor/Vocal Arranger/Orchestrator for the UK premiere of FANGIRLS. Zara’s work on FANGIRLS in Australia yielded an ARIA nomination (Best Musical Theatre Album), and a Green Room Award nomination (Best Music Direction). Zara is the Composer, Orchestrator and Music Director for Metropolis (Little Eggs Collective), which had its world premiere season at the Hayes Theatre in April 2023. For her work on the show, Zara received the Sydney Theatre Awards for Best Composition for an Independent Production and Best Music Direction. Zara also earned Sydney Theatre Award nominations for Best Music Direction for Dear Evan Hansen and for the Hayes Theatre Co. production of HMS Pinafore.
Further credits as Music Director include Send For Nellie (Sydney Festival), The Boomkak Panto (Belvoir St. Theatre), Bonnie & Clyde (Joshua Robson Productions), Every Musical Ever (Adelaide Cabaret Festival/Wyong Art House) and The Deb (Australian Theatre for Young People). Zara was also Associate Music Director for A Chorus Line (Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Sydney Opera House) and the Australian premiere of Choir Boy(National Theatre of Parramatta). Zara’s career to date has largely centred on the development of new Australian work. She has provided Music Direction and Arrangements for a number of workshops over recent years, including Oblivion (Sydney Theatre Company), Light (Hayes Theatre Co.), Nails Must Be Kept Short (Fruitbox Theatre), Alphabetical Sydney (Critical Stages), and Jack of Clubs (The Joan).
Zara is incredibly passionate about promoting representation in musical theatre, particularly for artists of Asian heritage and for female and non-binary musicians and creatives.
David Gardos
Originally from Sydney, David worked as a music director and pianist in New York for 15 years. He originated five Broadway musicals—Chaplin, Big Fish, Side Show (revival), Finding Neverland, and Falsettos (revival)—and can be heard on all five cast recordings. He was also a substitute conductor and/or musician on numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway productions including Hamilton, In the Heights, Matilda, and Peter and the Starcatcher.
As a music director, David has been deeply involved in the development of new musicals, with U.S. production highlights including Ever After (Paper Mill Playhouse), My Paris (Goodspeed, Long Wharf), Darling Grenadine (Goodspeed, Roundabout Underground), and Kiss My Aztec (Berkeley Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Hartford Stage), as well as Australia’s own Phar Lap (Hayes Theatre Co.).
Since returning to Sydney, David has joined the faculty of NIDA and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, teaching in their musical theatre programs. He is also active in the local theatre industry, performing with major musicals and serving as music director for A Little Night Music (Hayes Theatre Co.), Tell Me on a Sunday (Michelle Guthrie Presents), and Well-Behaved Women (Belvoir St Theatre).
David holds a Bachelor of Music (Music Education) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and a Master of Music (Orchestral Conducting) from the University of Cincinnati.
More Hayes Creative Advisory Panel Members will be announced in April 2026.