Our Staff

The Blue Room employs a team of highly skilled, passionate,
dedicated and hardworking professionals.

From left: Natalie Jenkins (Chair); Julia Moody (Board member); Jansis O'Hanlon; Di Star; Roger Miller; Sally Martin and Shalini Nair

Jansis O'Hanlon - Executive Director

Jansis O'Hanlon has been working with the Blue Room as Executive Director since July 1999. Prior to working with the Blue Room, Jansis gained extensive experience both as a performer and director. She has a BA (English) from Curtin University and a Diploma of Dramatic Arts (Acting) from the Victorian College of the Arts. In 1995 Jansis received a Fellowship to train as an Artistic Director from The Australia Council. Previous positions held include Artistic Director of Urban Myth Theatre (1996-1997) and Associate Director of Barking Gecko (1995 & 1998).

Jansis has been a Blue Room member since 1993 and was part of the creative team that produced Swim! The first production presented through The Blue Room Development Program.

Jansis loves working with the Blue Room and is passionately committed to supporting the development of performing arts practitioners and the work they create.

If Jansis could be an animal, she would be an elephant.

Shalini Nair - Associate Producer

Shalini arrived in Perth in 2005 to complete a three-year arts management degree at WAAPA. Prior to furthering her studies, she worked for 5 years as Senior Administrator of The Necessary Stage in Singapore, managing operational budgets and ticketing systems, maintaining databases and website, executing marketing activities, and front-of-house management for main season productions and theatre festivals. She is also trained in graphic design and has worked in publishing, printing and multimedia design companies.

During her stint in Australia, she has been involved in various capacities with The Blue Room, Black Swan Theatre Company, Perth Concert Hall, The Regal Theatre and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. In 2006, she was part of Black Swan Theatre Company's BSX Hot Bed program. Shalini thrives best in the arts industry and is committed to contributing to the growth of WA’s professional theatre scene.

If Shalini could be an animal, she would be a jellicle cat.

Roger Miller - Venue & Operations Manager

After completing a year 12 certificate in Canberra in 1979 and attending the Victorian College of Arts in 1981, Roger worked as a stage manager for the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney for 2 years where his work included lighting and sound design and operation as well as stage management. In between operating sound for touring productions he worked as a lighting operator at the Sydney Opera House until 1985.

After national tours as sound operator, he returned to the Sydney Opera House as a Sound operator and worked with companies like the Australian Opera, Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Dance Company and Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Roger moved to Perth in 1994. Since relocating to Perth he has worked as a lighting operator and designer, sound operator and designer, and stage manager at venues including His Majesty's Theatre, Playhouse, Concert Hall, Subiaco Theatre Centre, Regal Theatre, Pica, Rechabites' Hall and for companies such as Black Swan, Perth Theatre Company, Yirri Yaaken, Tura New Music Festival, Perth International Arts Festival, Barking Gecko, Awesome festival and Skadada. Roger has also taken tours to Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne as well as to Chiang Mai (Thailand) and Shanghai (China).

If Roger could be an animal, he would be a wombat.

Dianah Star - Communications Manager

Since 2003, Diana has been both a Blue Room member and the elected Event Coordinator for the Laugh Resort Comedy Club. That same year she also began work as a freelance production assistant, marketing manager and publicist for a series of local independent theatre productions (mostly at the Blue Room) and touring comedians.

Dianah was first employed as front of house/bar/usher by PACS after returning from work at the Adelaide Fringe in 2004. Diana has a BA Media Studies from Murdoch University.

If Dianah could be an animal, she would be a tiger.

Sally Martin - Office and Front-of-House Manager

Sally studied classics and languages at the University of Western Australia, became an Associate of the Trinity College of London and gained her Performer's Shield in dance before going on to do the theatre course at WAAPA.

After graduating, Sally worked extensively as an actor and wine promoter and formed the co-operative Actors Waiting and the all female, smoking, drinking and tap dancing group Veuve Click-O.

Sally finally got a proper job at Boffins Bookshop in 2000 but was enticed away by Jansis to join the Blue Room in 2007 where she lives happily ever after.

Sally also works one day a week at Planet Books and is a wine baron and a scrabble master.

If Sally could be an animal, she would be braised veal shank (in a red wine jus, on a creamy bed of garlic potato mash).

Karen Connolly - Accounts

Karen has been working as a freelance bookkeeper and administrative assistant since 2000. Karen is an arts graduate from UWA and a qualified secondary school teacher. As well as maintaining The Blue Room's accounts, Karen is a freelance proofreader; she also works part time as a graduate research assistant at the Centre for Integrated Human Studies at UWA.

Karen is inspired by laughter and would like to be (or let’s admit it, already is) a bookworm.

Casual Staff

The Blue Room employs between fifteen and twenty casual staff all year round, most of whom are working artists and Blue Room members. They contribute to the Blue Room by creating such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. They work extremely hard with a smile on their face and we LOVE them! Especially Matt Penny who is magic with housekeeping and banking.