Photo Steph Girard
Leah Patterson (Director)
Award-winning Australian director Leah Patterson works in theatre, film, and the voice over world. She was the first in her family to attend university, attain a passport, and travel.
In 2021, she was one of eight global filmmakers selected for the Australian Screen Forum’s Women in Screen Workshop. She is a Ryan Murphy Half Initiative Episodic Directing Fellow and shadowed Producing-Director David Grossman on Fox’s hit show 911 Lone Star. She was named a Top 10 Women In Film To Watch by Diversity In Cannes.
Her film Bridget and Iain, starring Vivienne Powell, was based on the play of the same name by Norelle Scott. Damian Sommerlad won Best Actor at Diversity in Cannes. She previously directed the play and was awarded Best Director of the 60+ play festival, Best Play, the People’s Choice Award presented by the City of Los Angeles at the Short+Sweet Festival.
Leah works as a Dubbing Director and has directed 50+ episodes for English localisation. All work is currently on Netflix, including breakout Korean hits Physical 100 and Zombieverse.
She was the Literary Manager for LA based Australian Theatre Company, curating and producing its popular annual Summer Reading Series.
www.leahpattersondirector.com
United Stages
All the world’s a stage… Shakespeare once said ‘All the world’s a stage’, yet arts organizations seem to be always linked to a place; a street, a suburb, a city or a nation.
We think it is time for a new kind of arts organization. One that goes beyond borders, so anyone, anywhere, can share their stories to audiences around the world.
Beginning in North America, United Stages is establishing a worldwide network of theatre practitioners, artists and arts organizations, establishing a unique platform to share international works on a global scale.
United Stages is proud to present the World Premiere of DIVA the play.
Kim A. Tolman (Production Designer)
Originally from Germany's rural North Sea coast, not far from Bremen and the famous town musicians, Kim set aside her original trade as a furniture maker to attend art & design college.
She relocated to the beautiful media city of Cologne in her twenties, bringing her first big-city exhibitions and press. She was soon designing sets and costumes for theatre and opera. The passion for design and theatre soon became a full-time engagement.
In the late 90s, she met her husband. Joining him in San Francisco in 2001, she designed and worked on hundreds of theatre productions in the Bay Area and nationally, winning several awards for her designs.
Moving to Los Angeles in 2010 opened up opportunities to work in themed entertainment. She's worked with the biggest names in the entertainment industry including Walt Disney Imagineering, NBC Universal, and Universal Studios Japan. Her TV work has included McDonald's, DreamWorks, Pepsi Cola, and L'Oreal.
Kim has been a fine art painter (kimatolmanfineart.com) since her teens with exhibits in both Europe and the U.S. She paints large format and her abstract, expressive work emphasizes texture and color. She recently started a new direction, painting imaginary, moody, slightly surreal subject matter, as evidenced by her new Lost Highways series.
She is also the owner and creator of a contemporary art venue in greater Palm Springs called MAD.KAT Gallery.
Production design: kimtolmandesign.com
Nova Meza (Sound Designer)
Nova Meza is a versatile Audio Engineer based in Los Angeles. Her sound is known as Nuva Sound, the post-production company she founded early in her career, providing a variety of audio services including sound recording, editing, designing and mixing.
Nova’s artistic approach to every project, sets her apart from other engineers of her generation, her experience in different sound disciplines creates a unique sound that fits her clients’ vision.
Her sound design and mixing for short films include “Stay”, where she got her first nomination for Best Sound Design at the Idyllwild Film Fest 2024, and “Who The Hell is Michael”, Best Picture award winner at the Los Angeles Film Festival 2024.
Nova pursued graduate studies in The Los Angeles Recording School in 2017. During her academic journey she developed her craft working on renowned films such as “Jiu Jitsu” starring Nicholas Cage and “Moonage Daydream”, a documentary-film about David Bowie.
Kate Bergh (Costume Designer)
Felicity Jurd (Audio Director & Dialect Coach)
Felicity she trained full time at the Atlantic Theater Company, NYC. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts (English/French) and has spent extended time living in the UK, USA, NZ & France.
Coaching credits include;
Furiosa (Australian Accent coach to Tom Burke & Voice Coach to Charlee Fraser, dir: George Miller, Warner Bros), The Last Anniversary (Russian Dialect Coach, dir: John Polson, Blossom Films/Made-up Stories), Last Days of Space Age (Russian & Italian Dialect Coach, Disney+), Total Control S3 (Blackfella Films), The Wonder Gang (ABC), The PMs Daughter (ABC/Fremantle), Misery Loves Company (Northern Irish Dialect Coach, dir: Mat Lee), A Very Expensive Poison (Russian & UK Accents Coach, dir: Margaret Thanos), Labyrinth (US Accent Coach, dir: Margaret Thanos), Olivia Lee Comedy Show (Dialect Coach, Tiger Aspect London), Zoo Story (NYC Accent Coach, dir: Olivia Costa), Random & Whacky (UK Accent Coach, Ambience Ent.), Half Time (US Accent Coach, dir: Helen Dallimore), Lion King (Disney AU).
Megan Reed (Production Stage Manager)
Megan Reed is delighted to be a part of DIVA! She has worked professionally with various companies in California, including Broadway at Music Circus, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, and South Bay Musical Theatre. Megan is currently finishing her BFA degree in Stage Management at the University of Southern California. Merde!
Jacqui Rathner (Front of House Manager)
Sandra Kuker PR (Publicist)
Sandra Kuker-Franco is an Award-winning Publicist with over four decades of experience has created a client list of diversity and successful campaigns. Film highlight: A World Away (Mark Blanchard). Stage: I’m Not A Comedian, I’m Lenny Bruce (Ronnie Marmo, Director Joe Mantegna), Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground (Tony Winner John Rubinstein), Elephant Man, My Child Mothers Of War (an all-star cast),
Adventures In The Great Beyond, Voice Lessons (Laurie Metcalf, French Stewart & Maile Flanagan), Write Act Repertory 15+ Production Campaigns, Panic! Productions: Footloose The Musical, plus 8 others. Crimson Square TC/BHP: Outrage + 8 other shows. Utilizing the strength of relationships, social media and traditional PR. www.SandraKukerPR.com