ABOUT US

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS…

Formed on Wadawurrung land, Bravo Arts was launched in 2018 with the ambition to bridge regional creative industry opportunities with metro and interstate artistic communities. Bravo Arts endeavours to create high quality theatrical works that become synonymous with creating opportunity for regional Victorian artists across the creative landscape.

Our first venture was to produce a series of workshops, engaging professional mentors for the Geelong region, the first of which was a Music Theatre Masterclass with Geelong born leading lady, Amy Lehpamer. Supporting the growth of skill and stagecraft is an important part of the Bravo Arts vision.

In 2019, Bravo Arts produced two live performance works, the premiere production of H#SH’D OUT by UK based Australian/ American writing partnership Kurt Kansley and Oliver Lidert in conjunction with the Victorian College of the Arts, and an original production of Jeff Goode’s The Eight Reindeeer Monologues.

As the pandemic forced the performing arts industry to pause live-gathered pursuits, Bravo Arts abandoned plans to produce performances and workshops, and turned to development of new work. The company currently has a number of new works in developmnent. We plan to present these in Geelong, Melbourne and surrounding regional cities.

The Rubble has been supported by Geelong Arts Centre, and will resume development in the future. Its key artists are currently dispersed across the country on various tours.

The Mentor premiered in November 2022 at Theatre Works in St Kilda, and the project is now back in development.

Woolf won the QPAS Fast Track Award, and will be presented for a premiere performance in January 2024 in conjunction with Gasworks Arts Park and Midsumma Festival.

LOOKING FORWARD…

With a bold ambition to bridge regional creative industry opportunities, we aspire to cultivate a nationally recognisable quality of work. In its theatrical endeavours, the company values remarkably written and dramaturgically considered works, exeptional design, and world-class performances that elevate diversity and the region’s talent.

With sustainable working values at its core, Bravo Arts believes wholeheartedly in the development of new works, reimagining existing works, investment in emerging artists and their practice, audience development and engagement, and championing work that is made by the community, for the community.

Bravo Arts will be a champion for diversity and regional voices, facilitating experimentation and creation for a vibrant artistic community. Bravo Arts will celebrate risk, value the familiar, find joy, and work to provide a platform for underrepresented stories.

Bravo Arts was founded by Christian Cavallo, a Geelong-BORN theatre maker, director, performer and producer. Like the company’s founder, the word ‘Bravo’ has an Italian origin, and is synonymous with appreciation of high quality performance.

Christian is a graduate of the Master of Directing for Performance at the Victorian College of the Arts (University of Melbourne).

A proud Italian-Australian with strong working relationships across metro and regional Victoria, Christian has worked extensively with community groups and incorporates methodologies that uphold learning and development opportunities through arts practice.

Christian was one of the co-founders of Hope New Works, a platform that supports the development of new musical works. The platform was recognised by the Green Room Association Awards with two awards for ‘Contribution to Development/ New Work’ and ‘Community Building and Advocacy’.

He was Resident Director for Class Act Theatre In Education from 2020-22. The company’s four touring shows explore themes of respectful relationships; online safety; gender, sexuality and adolescence; and mental health.

Directing credits include The Mentor, If we got some more Cocaine…, Animal Farm, Our Town, H#SH’D OUT, The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, Kinky Boots, Dusty The Original Pop Diva, Heathers The Musical (GEA Award, Best Director), The Addams Family Musical, Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision.

As a performer, Christian has a range of stage experiences spanning 20 years across musical theatre, plays, concerts and cabaret. He worked at Universal Studios Japan as an inaugural cast member of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and performed in It’s Only Life with John Bucchino in both Melbourne and in New York. His last performance was in King Of Cool: The Songs Of Dean Martin.

He is a Performing Arts Teacher and works with JMC Academy, The National Theatre Drama School, Oxygen College and Australian Institute of Music.

Christian has also works as a freelance performer, producer, facilitator, writer, and graphic designer.