The Sleepover Club

The Sleepover Club

Katie Nazer -Hennings as Brooke Webster
The Sleepover Club is Katie's first television series

Starting her acting career in television commercials, her first commercial was in 1999 where she featured in an ING Bank promotions brochure. She has since appeared in commercials for Cadbury Chocolate, David Jones Christmas brochure, KFC, Kool Aid and AAMI.

In 2001, Katie attended an Enrichment Weekend for Improvisation Drama at St George High School, in 2003 she undertook an 8 week NIDA Breakfast Club Improvisation and Drama class and in 2004 she attended the three-day Performing Arts Workshop 'Haunted' and an evening performance at the Sutherland Entertainment Centre. She is currently attending the no.1 Enterprises drama classes and also the London Trinity Syllabus Speech Drama and Singing classes.

Katie is also a singer and dancer who has self choreographed her Gym Dance Routine for school concerts, represented her school as the main character at the Wakakirri Dance and Drama, performed at the Seymour Theatre with her School Dance Troup and also sang in her school choir. She is currently attending the Purnell School of Dance Modern/Jazz and Acrobatic Dance.

Katie also has six years experience in Artistic Gymnastics and on many occasions performed competitions at state level.

Brooke Webster:
Brooke is bright, enthusiastic and loves technology. She's into computers, mobile phones, anything electronic. She always has the latest gadget, brought from overseas by her father.

Brooke's eagerness can be a little overwhelming but is offset by the fact that she's smart. She's the one the SOC girls go to when they need help with their homework. If you want something done fast, ask Brooke.

Brooke is an excellent student. She's good at logical thought and is always asking "Why?" She's interested in everything but her problem is that she's so curious she's very easily distracted. She often arrives late to SOC meetings because she's seen "something amazing!" on the way.

Brooke is a computer buff and if she can't find something on the Internet, it probably doesn't exist. Email and SMS are almost as important to her as breathing and she has a web of e-friends across the world.

Because of her interest in computers, Brooke has more contact with boys that the other SOC girls. As a result, she's beginning to be aware of boys as something other than one of Nature's great failed experiments.

Brooke is also into music. She's seldom seen without a pair of earphones and her Ipod. She's always informed about the latest- and most, obscure, bands.

Brooke has a social conscience and is not shy about reminding her friends how fortunate they are and encouraging them to stop world hunger.

Brooke's ambition is to be a forensic investigator.

Brooke on:
"Charlie, who made that rule?"
"Maddy, tidiness is not a disease."
Tayla, if I need fashion advice, I'll go to style.com.
"Jess, you can fix it later. Just get it out there.

Family:
Brooke's father John is an airline pilot. Her stepmother Lisa is a vet.

Brooke has a stepbrother named Simon. He's Lisa's son. They're the same age and their parents have been married for nearly a year. Brooke and Simon are still sorting out their relationship and are embroiled in comic turf wars over TV and bathroom use and food preferences.

Morgan Griffin as Charlie Anderson
Morgan's love of performing began at the age of three at the Spot Dance Academy she has done professional modeling since the age of 18 months.

Morgan's work includes still photography, magazines, catalogues, catwalk parades and also television commercials including McDonalds, Hewlett Packard, Samsung, Praise, Kraft, Quit For Life, KFC, Cadbury's Rose Chocolates, Kool Aid and Level 3 Communications.

Morgan has been studying drama at school for eight years and also enjoys singing in the school choir. Morgan played the lead role in the short film The Red Shoes, which was one of 12 finalists in the Sour Grapes Film festival in July 2003. For this role Morgan was awarded "Best New Acting Talent" by a panel of industry judges headed by Dean Care, Director of the renowned Actors Centre Sydney.

Morgan was in the chorus of The Flower Drum Song at the Footbridge Theatre in 2002, and she has won first prize in the Battle of the Stars National in 2003 on the Gold Coast in Song and Dance Due for her age group. She also played the young Delta Goodrem in her video clip Innocent Eyes.

Morgan is in her fourth year studying ballet, tap, jazz, singing and acting at the Brent St School of Performing Arts and her further year of acting at Australian Theatre For Young People.

Charlie Anderson:
"This is how it's going to be, OK? It's what the Rules say? All right, I just made that rule up but nothing would happen in this Club if it wasn't for me!"

Charlie's the leader of the SOC. She's the engine of the group, the ideas girl, the one who comes up with themes for sleepovers or interesting things for the Club to do. The SOC tends to gather at Charlie's house because she has the biggest bedroom.

Charlie is the keeper of the Sleepover Club Book. She takes her task seriously and makes sure that the Club's activities are recorded, its secrets kept and the rules upheld- even if she has to make them up on the spot.

Charlie is a good student. She's polite and respectful but has a strong moral sense and hates injustice. She's a girl who says what she thinks- when sometimes she should think before she speaks. Charlie is very certain of herself, which means she can come across as bossy but she is also quick to realise when she is wrong.

Charlie is sharp and quick to grasp the big picture. Bus she has a tendency to get frustrated when others can't see what seems so obvious to her. She waits impatiently for the rest of the world to catch up. Maddy says that Charlie needs to slow down otherwise she'll burn out before she is fourteen.

Charlie likes to go shipping because it's fun to hang out with her friends. But she's not really into actually buying stuff. Tayla pities Charlie and sees it as her responsibility to give Charlie a "fashion transplant".

Because Charlie is an only child, her best-friend Maddy is like her sister. They're always in and out of each other's houses- and each other's lives. They're each other's confidante and conscience.

Charlie has a way with words and her ambition is to be an international bestselling author.

As Charlie says:
"Maddy, will you please stop obsessing!"
"Tayla, leave me alone. I look fine!"
"Jess, no-one will notice it's not perfect."
"Brooke, not everything has to happen at light speed!"

Family:
Charlie's father Ray is an architect. He designed their house. Her mother Ellie is an accountant. Ray and Ellie work their design business together.

Monique Willams as Jess Phillips
Monique's main ambition is to one day be a famous singer who also acts.

Monique emigrated from South Africa when she was just four years old with her mother, father and brother (who also plays her brother in The Sleepover Club) to pursue a better lifestyle in Australia.

Monique enjoys dancing, acting and singing classes at the WA Academy of Dance and Drama where she has been training for the past five years. She attends up to seven classes a week to ensure she has an all round training which will help her achieve her dreams.

Monique's most favourite thing to do is go out with her friends anywhere. She is a very active school student, enjoying sports and playing percussion in the school band.

Jess Phillips:
Jess is intensely creative. She has a great visual imagination and is skilled at drawing, painting and photography. Jess has a wicked sense of humor and is a talented cartoonist. She can whip up a hilarious caricature in seconds.

Unlike some of the other SOC girls, Jess has a tendency to be quiet. She's still coming to terms with her parent's divorce. But in spite of this Jess is very perceptive and sees things the other girls don't.

When the SOC girls need a shoulder to cry on, Jess is the one they turn to. She's a good listener and the girls feel much better after talking to her- even though Jess hasn't said a word. She's a compassionate soul and is often the one who can see the other side of a heated argument.

But Jess' quietness hides a deep well of emotion that can suddenly open up like a yawning chasm during an earthquake. She has an awesome temper. It takes a lot to make her angry but when she is, watch out! Jess has a look that can roast meat. She's also a perfectionist and you don't want to disturb her when she's working.

Jess is the least physically confident of the girls. She has a problem with heights and likes to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground.

Because she has an active imagination, Jess has been known to vague out at school. Her ambition is to be a painter.

Jess on:
"Charlie, will you stop giving me orders?"
"Maddy, did something die in this room?"
"Tayla, I know what works for me, OK?"
"Brooke, does your personality have a volume control?"

Family:
Jess is Maddy's cousin. Their mothers are sisters.

Jess' divorced mother Alice is a graphic artist who works in advertising. She occasionally brings home the new products she is working on for the SOC girls to try.

Jess has an older brother, 16, named Zac who is an ace surfer and sailor. The SOC girls think Zac is gorgeous (though they wouldn't admit it) and these generally talkative girls can have trouble speaking a world when he's around.

Manu Bains as Maddy Leigh
Manu was born in Sydney to a Sicilian mother and a British father.

She always remembers wanting to join in, taking on challengers and experiencing new things from a young age trying many types of art from circus to modeling to acting school.

At the age of 10, Manu was accepted into PEAC (Primary Extension and Challenge) which is a program that extends children and allows them to experience new things. Monique took many course- French, Chess, Improvisation-Advance and Theatre Sports for which, along with three other students, won the Theatre Sports Cup for Western Australia.

Manu attended the John Curtin College of the Arts in 2005 and auditioned along with over 500 students to be accepted into the Drama Specialist Program as well as the Artsmedia Specialist Program and was accepted for both, so she had to choose- preferring to be in front of the camera than behind it.

Maddy Leigh:
Maddy is Charlie's best friend. They grew up together and started school together. They're more like sisters than friends.

Maddy is the most physical of the girls. She loves the beach and is never happier than when she's riding a wave. But she'll have a go at riding anything- whether its snowboards, roller blades or skateboards. Because Maddy is so sport-oriented, she is often restless in school because she would rather be outside.

Maddy believes in the saying "a healthy mind in a healthy body" though with Maddy, the mind sometimes ahs trouble getting a workout. Maddy will respond physically rather than think things through. She's an impulse on legs and once she's got the big between her teeth, it's hard to hold her back.

Maddy is a health food nut. She believes "you are what you eat" and the other SOC girls often can't believe what she eats. But Maddy has a secret love of chocolate and fights a constant struggle with her desire for it.

But though Maddy is a perfectionist when it comes to sport, things are not so perfect at home. Her bedroom is a pigsty. In fact it's so messy, the SOC girls will refuse to meet there until she's cleaned it. Maddy's room has been known to get so messy that the SOC will organise a raid and lean it for her.

Maddy's ambition is to be a professional surfer. But she is also a skilled sailor and races small "Optimus" class yachts at the local Yacht Club.

As Maddy says:
"Charlie, stop thinking so loud!"
"Tayla, could you please let someone else talk?"
"Jess, it's OK. You won't get hurt."
"Brooke, sunlight and exercise do not kill brain cells."

Family:
Maddy's father Jim is a yacht broker. Her mother Annette is a fitness coach and nutritionist. They live in a townhouse on the Seaview Marina. Maddy has an 8-year-ol brother named Luke.

Rachel Watson as Tayla Kane
Rachel has always had a flair for Performing Arts from a very young age. Her first major role on stage was as Compere at the Perth Concert Hall for The Combined Schools Music Festival in 2003.

Her School dram and Actors NOW acting classes, along with her natural comedic flair helped her to attain one the five major roles in Sleepover Club Series 2.

Over the past two years she has won many awards for acting and modeling. Her energy and smile is contagious and her beauty is fresh and natural.

Some of her other skills include basketball, surging, dancing, singing and public speaking. By bature she is easy going, friendly, compassionate and creative and is devoted and dedicated to every task she undertakes.

Tayla Kane:
Tayla is the first friend that Charlie and Maddy made when they started primary school.

Tayla lives for fashion. Her wardrobe is full of clothes, her bedroom is a fashion statement and even her homework is produced with style. She believes her mission in life is to make the world look good. Consequently, she's always offering the SOC girls suggestions on how they could improve their look and where to find the best bargains.

Tayla tries hard to be positive and optimistic and believe in always presenting a good image. As Tayla says, "If it looks good, it is good." When she's feeling down, a trip to the mall to find a bargain is usually all that's needed to put Tayla back on top. And when it comes to finding a bargain, Tayla is tops. She was born to shop and is on first name terms with many sales girls.

Tayla is generous and loyal. She's the girl everyone loves and often gets on better with her friends' parents than they do. If anyone has a problem, Tayla is happy to listen though her advice tends to be the same - "You need a makeover!" Occasionally, she's right!

Tayla is impulsive and fad driven. She's an avid magazine reader and is always up with the latest gossip, She's also into astrology. She started taking ballet lessons because she fell in love with the outfits and the shoes. Then she discovered the she wouldn't get to wear the shoes until she'd been doing the classes for ages.

Tayla is an average student. It's not that she's not capable. It's just that her talents and interests lie elsewhere. Though Tayla can come across as an airhead, she is not an idiot and is able to be truthful where other prevaricate.

Her ambition is to be a fashion editor.

As Tayla says:
"Charlie, why won't you just try it on?"
"Maddy, there are other fabrics than neoprene, you know."
"Jess, shopping is a creative act."
"Brooke, if you can't wear it, why have it?"

Family:
Tayla's mother Emma runs a dress shop and has her own design label. Her father David is a lawyer.

Tayla has a younger sister named Claire (10) whom she sometimes has to babysit when her parents are working.

Nathan Coenen as Simon Webster
Nathan is a seasoned younger performer who has studied film and television with the Ali Roberts Screen Studio jazz, tap, ballet and singing with The Performance Company and vocal tuition with Christine Fillis.

Nathan has appeared in the television series Wild Kat the feature film Thunderstruck and the short film Little Man. Other credits include Space Beams, Non REM Sleep Creates Dreams and Fish. He has also appeared in television commercials for the Perth Royal Show, Maritime Museum and cricket promotion.

Nathan's theatre credits include My Fair Lady, Hansel and Gretel, The Wizard of Oz, Singing in the Rain, Oliver and Godspell. He has also performed at the James Crawford Retirement, Telethon 2000, Melbourne Cup Show, Nocturnal Ball, Children's Sing Festival, Place Please, Perth Wildcats and the Melbourne Cup Luncheon with Sam Newman.

In 2002 Nathan won "Model 2002" as Mannequin of the Year.

Simon Webster:
Simon is a kid who doesn't have a lot of friends. Consequently, he's keen to belong to the boy's group, even if he does get a hard time from Jason.

Simon is not exactly quick on the uptake and it can take a bit of explaining for him to get the idea- which Jason finds frustrating, as he's the one who has to do the explaining.

But once Simon catches on, he's like a steamroller and will follow Jason's plan through to the very end- and often beyond.

It's a great moment of excitement for Simon when he succeeds in pleasing Jason and supplanting Declan as his best friend. However these moments are short-lives and Simon is soon back at the bottom of the heap.

Though he'd never admit it, Simon is fond of his stepsister, Brooke. He's a "SNAG- Sensitive New Age Goon." When Jason tries to take things too far with the SOC girls, Simon is the one who will put the brakes on.

Simon has a great affection and facility with animals. He ambition is to work in a zoo.

Family:
Simon's mother Lisa is very concerned to make sure that her son is comfortable in his new family and tends to be overprotective, which Simon finds embarrassing.

James Bell as Jason Bloch
The Sleepover Club is James Bell's first lead in a television series.

James commenced his acting career in television commercials for products such as Phoenix Cars, Cool and Cosy, Lotteries Commission WA, Brownes Zoom Choc Milk and the Perth Royal Show. He is also an experiences voiceover talent with credits including ABC Radio Play, Western Power, Jesters Pies and Dad's Landing Pad.

In 2002 he appeared in the television series The Shark Net.

James was a solo vocalist at the Perth Telethon for four years running and he also appeared in the cult musical The Sound of Music as Kurt in 2000.

James has trained in musical theatre at Vogue Entertainment, Acting For the Camera Workshop, the King Street Arts Centre's Screen Acting Workshop and Screen Training with Annie Murtagh-Monks and Associates.

Jason Bloch:
Jason is the Alpha male. He thinks he's tough, smart and handsome. In reality he's an average-looking boy with an oversize ego. He talks big but it's mostly bluster.

Though he's not a great student, Jason is cunning and is usually the brains behind the pranks the Blockheads play on the SOC. He plays at being brave but when things go wrong, Jason runs for his life.

Jason's father is wealthy and Jason has the best of everything. Declan and Simon are engaged in an ongoing struggle to be his best friend. Jason takes pleasure in occasionally playing henchmen off against each other.

Jason has no siblings but he does have a pet lizard called Leroy that lives in an aquarium in his bedroom. Jason is very protective of Leroy and is careful to feed him the best dead insects money can buy.

Jason is a reasonable sailor and races "Optimus" class yachts (the smallest ones) at the local yacht club. Unlike Maddy who uses the Yacht Club yachts, Jason has his own yacht- top of the range, of course. His ambition is to win the America's cup.

Jason and Charlie have been neighbours all their lives. Their families used to go on camping holidays together. Jason and Charlie played together as little kids but as they grew up, they grew apart. Their parents are still friends.

Family:
Jason's father Adrian is a car salesman. His mother Serena is a tennis coach.

Shannon Lively as Declan Mulaney
The Sleepover Club is Shannon's first professional acting role.

He came to the attention of his agent, Frog Management after they saw him in a production of The Princess Bride at his drama school- The Actors Workshop.

Shannon will soon appear in a television commercial for The West Australian.

Declan Mulaney:
Declan is an easygoing kid with a quick wit and a fast mouth. He doesn't try hard at school and is content for others- Jason in particular, to tell him what to do.

Declan and Jason have been mates for years and Declan enjoys the pranks that Jason devises to play on the SOC. Declan is very protective of his position as Jason's best friend. He's occasionally ousted by Simon and will not rest until he regains his coveted position.

Declan's mouth gives him the ability to do an "instant race call" and his favoured position is on the sidelines away from the action, egging Jason on.

Declan is good with his hands and is able to whip up the devices and gadgets that the boys need in their battles with the girls.

Declan's secret is that he has a crush on Charlie- though if anyone ever accused him of it, he'd vehemently deny it.

Decaln's ambition is to be an actor.

Family:
Declan's father Connor is a civil engineer and has a garage full of tools. His mother Liz is a physiotherapist.

Julia O'Connor as Krystal Beasley
The Sleepover Club is a dream come true for Julia and is her first television role.

Keen to grab the stage from a young age, Julia won Mater Dei Primary School's poetry recitals annual competition in both Kindergarten and year 1.

In mid 1999 Julia moved to San Francisco with her family for a year. She attended the San Francisco French School, Ecole Notre Dame De Victorie where she made her debut performance in the school's annual talent quest, playing Annie.

On her return to Sydney in 2000, Julia started school at Kincoppal Rose Bay. In her final year at Kincoppal, Julia was elected Girl Captain of the Junior School, gained high marks academically and won the public speaking competition conducted by the Junior School

At age 7, Julia commenced private singing tuition with Patricia Oertel, which she continues today and for three years was one of Patricia Oertel's selected students who formed the David Jones Junior Christmas Choir. Julia is an accomplished solo singer and has performed at private corporate functions. In 2003, Julia was chosen to sing 'What The World Needs Now' for the McDonalds Children's Day television commercial.

Julia has attended numerous NIDA workshops over the past five years and has performed in four Shakespeare plays at her school. She is currently studying Speech and Drama under the Trinity College syllabus and has attained High Distinction four times. Julia also studies piano and modern dance.

In her spare time Julia enjoys writing scripts for short movies and then directing and filming them with her friends during the school holidays.

Krystal Beasley:
Krystal is a selfish girl who is used to getting her own way. Her father is well off and Krystal has got him wrapped around her little finger. He spoils her rotten and can never believe that his little princess would ever do anything wrong.

Krystal isn't dumb. In fact, she's smart but her problem is that she is supremely confident in her own abilities and can't admit when she is wrong. She can't take responsibility for her failure and will always blame someone or something else for her mistakes. Often it's her long-suffering friend Caitlin, who is also the butt of Krystal's merciless putdowns.

Krystal is disdainful of the SOC. As far as she's concerned these girls are "a pathetic bunch of losers who should get out of their nappies and grow up." The reason for the attitude is that the SOC didn't ask Krystal to be a member. However it's often the case that what the SOC wants and what Krystal wants are in opposition- and when this happens, sparks are certain to fly.

But Krystal does have a club of her own. She's the leader, the rule-maker and what she says goes. Problem is, there is only one member- Caitlin.

Krystal's ambition is to be a TV news anchorwoman.

Family:
Krystal's father Eric is a wealthy real estate agent and they live in a huge house. Her mother Bree is a retired swimsuit model.

Ruby Hall as Caitlin Holloway
Ruby has been dancing and performing for five years and studies jazz, tap, ballet and musical theatre. The last two years she has been studying with Vogue Entertainment in Perth.

The Sleepover Club is Ruby's first acting role- in fact it was the first audition that she had been to.

Ruby is an avid reader and has played the clarinet for two years.

Her ambition is to go to university and become a primary school teacher and a well know Academy Award winning actress.

Caitlin Holloway:
It's not that Caitlin doesn't have any ideas of her own. It's just that she doesn't have any confidence in herself. Consequently, she's an obvious target for the overconfident Krystal who needs someone to continually bolster her self-image and tell her she's right.

But Caitlin is desperate to find a place to belong and Krystal exploits this mercilessly. Consequently Caitlin is self-conscious and nervous. She's scared of expressing any opinions of her own in case they're different to Krystal's and she's always apolgising, even if she hasn't done anything wrong.

Caitlin believes that Krystal is a fashion goddess and tried to dress and act like her.

But in spite of being downtrodden, Caitlin secretly dreams of having her own daytime TV show like "Oprah".

Family:
Caitlin's father Duncan is a builder. Her mother Debra is a chef.

Executive Producer: Noel Price
Noel Price is Australia's most experienced and prominent producer of children's television. His programs range across all genres and cater for all age groups from pre-school to teens, from comedy to drama and from animation to live action. He has a wealth of international experience having produced or directed programs in the U.K, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Ireland, Poland, China and Singapore as well as Australia. Also, he has co-produced with companies in Japan, the U.S.A, all of Europe and China. Internationally, his productions have consistently been among the highest selling and most widely disturbed Australian programming. As well, his commitment to both innovation and excellence has seen his work win many awards from all over the world. He joined Southern Star in 1998 and is responsible for Children's and family productions as well as Southern Star's animation production in Australia and Singapore.

Noel's credits as Executive Producer include Pig's Breakfast, Tracey McBean, Outriders, Kangaroo Creek Gang, Don't Blame the Koalas, Snobs, Foreign Exchange, Bottle top Bill and Girl TV.

Noel's producer/director credits include Home, The Keepers, The Fast lane, Fame and Misfortune, Tomorrow's End and Spellbinder.

Noel's producer credits include Breaking Up, The Hour before My Brother Dies, The Fish are Safe, A Matter of Convenience, Hills end, Spit McPhee, The Adventures of Sam, The Girl From Tomorrow, Mission Top Secret and Molly. He has also directed The Water Trolley and The Patchwork Hero.

Noel has won numerous awards for writing, producing and directing for short films, documentaries, comedy programmers, sports films, current affairs etc. including AFI's Australian Teacher's of Media Award, Prix Jeunesse Melbourne Film Festival, Golden Cairo, Banff Film Festival Award, Beijing Festival Award, TV Week Logie award, and a Chicago International Children's Film Festival Award for Best Live Action Television Series for Snobs.

Producer Susie Campbell
As a Producer and Creative Producer of both animated and live action children's drama, Susie has produced around 240 half hours of children's series television. During her career Susie has developed an extensive skill based cross all facets of program making including concept development, story & script producing, pitching, financing, production, post production and international marketing.

Susie began her career in Western Australia in the late 1970's. Moving to Melbourne in the late 1980's she spent around 10 years producing television dram and special events for the Australian children's Television Foundation. Susie then freelanced, producing for Southern Star Entertainment. Prior to moving back home to Perth in 2003 to produce the 26 part series Foreign Exchange for Southern Star, Susie was Head of Children's Television with Circa Entertainment and Animation Producer for Circa's joint venture with Viskatoons. Susie also works as Executive Producer with 3rd Films on short feature animated projects, and acts as Consultant to Cecile Blackman of Mumbo Jumbo Animation on International Co-productions.

Susie's other credits include Executive Producer on The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello, and Line Producer on the children's live action comedy drama Pig's Breakfast.