Creative Team
The City of Sydney produces the world famous Sydney New Year's Eve. Sydney New Year's Eve takes fifteen months of planning and preparation to produce a distinctly memorable night enjoyed by millions of people in Sydney, throughout Australia and around the world.
To achieve this the City of Sydney appoints the services of a professional and dedicated creative team. This team is responsible for the creative inspiration of the event adding colour and flair to Sydney New Year's Eve each year.
Creative Director
 Rhoda Roberts |
Rhoda Roberts is in her second year as Creative Director of Sydney New Year’s Eve and her involvement in the arts is extensive.
Rhoda is the Artistic Director of The Dreaming Australia's International Indigenous Arts Festival held annually at Woodford QLD. She was also the Artistic Director of the highly acclaimed International Arts Festival the Festival of the Dreaming, held in 1997, the first of four Olympic Arts Festivals held for the Sydney Organising Committee of the Olympic Games.
Rhoda was part of the Creative team for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. She has continued to work on a number of large scale events including 2012 Festival of Pacific Arts in Noumea, 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, 2008 World Youth Day, 2006 Fina World Swimming Championships, 2003 Rugby World Cup, 2005 World Expo in Japan, and was Creative Director for the opening of the Musse Du quai Branley Paris.
Well known for her work with SBS television as a journalist and presenter for the current affairs program, Vox Populi, Rhoda has also worked for Network Ten and ABC Radio as a producer and journalist. Rhoda has written and produced several documentaries, and was the first Aboriginal to host a national prime time current affairs program. She was co-founding member for the Deadly Awards and the Deadly Sounds music program and continues her radio work as reporter and presenter/producer of the national music program Deadly Sounds.
Rhoda is completing her first novel Tully Morgan. In theatre Rhoda has been appointed to direct the Opera Miricoloa a Milanao by Giorgio Battistelli for the 2009 Brisbane Festival.Her solo play Bible Boxing Love began its east coast tour in early 2008. A new film A Sisters Love featuring Rhoda and Directed by International Award wining filmmaker Ivan Sen is currently touring the film festival circuit. In 1998 as co-writer she performed the one woman show Please Explain.
Rhoda’s board appointments have included the Darling Harbour Authority, Australia Day Council, NSW Anti Discrimination Board, National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association, NSW Actors Equity, Aboriginal National Theatre Trust and was a trustee of the Sydney Opera House for nine years. Rhoda continues to represent the Arts and Entertainment Industry as a Board member for Indigenous Tourism Australia, the Dreaming Festival Board and the Australia International Cultural Council.Bridge Effect Designer
 Brian Thomson |
Brian Thomson was the Bridge Effect Designer for the 2005, 2006 and 2008 Sydney New Year’s Eve celebrations and was the Designer for the 2007 Sydney New Year's Eve celebrations.
Theatre: Company B, Belvoir: The Gates of Egypt, Keating! The Musical, Stuff Happens, Run Rabbit Run, Buried Child, My Zinc Bed, The Laramie Project, Burnt Piano, Ghost, The Tempest, Buzz, The Master Builder, Frogs, Aftershocks, Radiance, Up the Road and Suddlenly Last Summer. Griffin: Holding the Man. Sydney Theatre Company: Festen, The Unlikely Prospect of Happiness, The Real Thing, The One Day of the Year, Soul Mates, Up for Grabs and The White Devil.
Opera: Billy Budd, Death in Venice, Madeleine Lee, Ariadne Auf Naxos, Sweeney Todd, Summer of the Seventh Doll, Aida, Katya Kabnova, The Eight Wonder, Tristan and Isolde.
Musical Theatre: Keating! Shane Warne the Musical, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Company, The Boy From Oz Arena Tour, Dame Edna - Back with a Vengeance in San Francisco and a successful season on Broadway, New York and returning to the Capitol Theatre in Sydney for Barry Humphries and Friends: Back with a Vengeance. The Original London and Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar and the Rocky Show. Gordon Frost/Adelaide Festival Centre Trust: The King and I (including Broadway and London Palladium Season).
Awards: Winner of the Helpmann Award for The Boy From Oz. Winner of Best Set Design for Festen at Sydney Theatre Awards 2006. Sydney Theatre Critics Award: Best Designer in 1989, 1992, 1993 and 1994. Mo Awards for his Contribution to Musical Theatre in 1994 and 1995. Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Design for The King and I in 1996. Nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award in category Best Set Designer for The King and I, 2001. In 2005 Brian received an Order of Australia, AM for his service to the Arts.
Lighting Designer
 Mark Hammer |
Mark Hammer has over 25 years experience in the entertainment lighting industry. He has extensive experience in all areas of stage, TV, movie, architectural and corporate events with a special interest in large scale events.
Mark was the lighting designer for 2008 Sydney New Years Eve and is looking forward to continuing the high standard set by this event.
Some of Mark’s other memorable designs include ‘the stations of the cross’ for world Youth Day, opening and closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 2006, The Rugby World Cup opening ceremony, and The Edinburgh Military Tattoo ‘Salute to Australia’. Mark has been the Sydney Arts Festival lighting designer since 2005 and in 2007 was one of a team of three lighting designers chosen to light the Sydney Harbour Bridge for its 75th anniversary.
Event Designer
 Pip Runciman |
Since completing her Bachelor of Dramatic Art (Design) at NIDA, Pip Runciman has worked on a wide range of productions - including opera, events, musical theatre and film.
2009 will be Pip’s third year as the Event Designer for the Sydney New Year’s Eve celebrations. Previous event credits include design for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the 2003 Rugby World Cup Opening Ceremony.
Pip’s theatrical design credits include;
Baghdad Wedding (Belvoir St Theatre - costume design), Just Macbeth (Bell Shakespeare), Attempts on Her Life (STCSA), Tender (Griffin, B Sharp), Cosi Fan Tutte, The Barber of Seville (Pacific Opera), Debbie Does Dallas – The Musical, Tiny Dynamite (Griffin Stablemates), The Sista She Story (Sydney Opera House Studio), Morph (Adelaide Fringe Festival), The Naked MC (Old Fitzroy Theatre) and Disco Pigs (B Sharp).
Fireworks Director
|
Foti International Fireworks is a Sydney-based fireworks company whose legacy in the fireworks industry dates back to 1793. Combining the European fireworks tradition of pyrotechnic art with Australian innovation, Foti have become Australia's most internationally awarded fireworks company. Artistic flair, value-for-money and a total pyrotechnic management capability has seen Foti awarded the 2009 Sydney New Year's Eve contract, which they have been exclusively producing for the City of Sydney since 2000.
Foti are recognised for having successfully undertaken some of the world's largest and highest profile fireworks projects and have entertained millions of people with their art. This reputation was enhanced through Foti's role as the sole pyrotechnic designers, consultants and suppliers for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, as well as through their role in many of Australia's major celebrations such as Rugby World Cup and Handover 2003 from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Foxtel Digital Launch in 2004, Australian Idol Grand Final in 2004, Australia Day 2005-06 (Perth), Riverfire 2005-2006 (Brisbane), Salute to Veterans 2005 (Canberra), Skyfire 2004-2007 (Canberra), World Youth Day 2008, APEC 2007 and Turkey National Day Istanbul 2007-2008. The company practises their art on every continent and takes part in many international competitions and is the most awarded fireworks company in Australia with seven 1st international wins.Music Director
 Max Lambert |
Max Lambert is one of Australia’s most talented and prolific composers, arrangers, musicians and musical directors. Max studied at the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney.
Max was the Music Director for the 2007 and 2008 Sydney New Years Eve celebrations and arranged the Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks’ soundtrack with Peewee Ferris in 2005. Max was the Musical Director of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. In 2002 Max was Musical Director for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games held in Manchester, and Musical Director of the Gay Games in Sydney. In 2005 and 2006 Max was the Musical Director for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.
Composing credits for Max include many productions for the Sydney Theatre Company and the Sydney Dance Company. Other credits include the London production of St. Joan and the critically acclaimed production of Hot Shoe Shuffle, in Australia, London’s West End, Canada and the U.S. Max was Musical Supervisor on The Boy From Oz, the album of which won an ARIA award in 1998. He co-wrote Tivoli for The Australian Ballet as well as writing songs for Old Masters by Beatrix Christian.
Kate Ceberano, Wendy Matthews, Grace Knight, Vince Jones, Judi Connelli, Renee Geyer, Paul Kelly, Iva Davies and Icehouse have all recorded albums with Max. He has also accompanied many popular Australian artists including Judi Connelli, Rhonda Burchmore, Geraldine Turner, Todd McKenney, Christine Anu, Kerrie Biddell and Su Cruickshank and played Dame Nellie Melba’s accompanist in the film Melba. Max is also known for his Playschool Albums for which he won an Aria Award in 1997.
Having arranged orchestrations for Jane Campion’s film, Sweetie, Max was also musical consultant on George Miller’s film Happy Feet. Max has been Musical Supervisor of both Australia Plays Broadway concerts, the most recent held in Carnegie Hall, New York. This year Max is a consultant on Jerry Springer the Opera, Musical Supervisor for The Premier’s Concerts in Sydney and is Composer/Music Supervisor to a new Australian feature film to be produced by acclaimed producer Margaret Fink.
Performance Director
 Jason Coleman |
Jason Coleman is an accomplished dancer, actor, choreographer and more recently director on television, stage and the big screen. He returns to Sydney New Year’s Eve in his second year as Performance Director.
Jason’s music industry credits include choreography for Christine Anu, Tina Arena, Sheena Easton, Chrissy Amphlett, Human Nature, Bardot, John Farnham, Chaka Khan, Vanessa Amorosi, Bee Gees, Bardot, Deni Hines, Kate Cerebrano, Euphoria, Toni Peron and Melissa Kautz.
Previous engagements have included Choreographer for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Choreographer for handover ceremony for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Director of Choreography for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.
In television and film Jason has choreographed on productions including George Miller’s Happy Feet, Water Rats, G.P. E-Street, Popstars, Hey Hey it’s Saturday, Roy and HG, the Footy Show, the Midday Show, three consecutive LOGIE Awards 1997-1999, the 1997 football grand final, the State of Origin entertainment 2003-2004 and Judge/Choreographer on Pop Stars in 2000-2001. In recent years Jason has been in the public eye as head judge on the popular television show So You Think You Can Dance.
Jason’s musical theatre credits include the musicals Hair, Sweet Charity, Fame, The Man From Snowy River, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Saturday Night Fever, Little Shop of Horrors, Dancin’ Man and Dancin’ Dynamite.
More about Sydney New Year's Eve
Lord Mayor's Message
Our celebrations bring together people from 200 cultures in one of the greatest cities in the world to welcome in the New Year.
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Charity Partner
Each year the City of Sydney appoint an official charity partner to Sydney New Year's Eve.
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Make Your Resolution Green
Find out all the details about how we make the event green and how you can help make it greener.
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Event Partners
Sydney New Year's Eve is produced with the generous support of its corporate and government partners.
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Creative Team
Meet the Creative team who are responsible for the inspiration, colour and flair of Sydney New Year's Eve.
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Production Team
Meet the Production team who are responsible for delivering the production, technical and operational elements of Sydney New Year's Eve.
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