Meet The Board
The cornerstone event for The Cabaret Fringe is an annual open platform festival (“Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival”) with a collaborative marketing ‘umbrella’, promoting accessible pathways for audiences to experience emerging and established cabaret artists, and providing income generating opportunities for artists.
We will seek to attract partnerships, sponsorships and philanthropy to support the development of Cabaret Fringe and its ventures.
The Cabaret Fringe is a non-discriminatory, inclusive, safe and welcoming Association for all its Members and stakeholders. It conducts its activities in compliance with the law, at a minimum, and endeavours to always be honest, and fair in all its dealings.
Shelley Dunstone
Chair
Shelley Dunstone is a former commercial lawyer turned cabaret performer. She has previously served on two South Australian Government boards. Since 2010 she has been creating, producing and performing original shows, including ‘The Confessions of a Wannabe Bond Girl’, ‘Adventures with a Brazilian’, ‘Unbreak My Heart’, ‘A French Romance’, ‘Non-stop from Brazil’, ‘Le grand Legrand’, ‘Memories of Brazil’ and ‘Wanderlust’. In 2015 and 2016 she performed in Brazil, including a two-hour show at the historic nightclub, ‘Beco das Garrafas’ (Bottles Alley) in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro.
Shelley is also a legal educator, and is a conference keynote speaker on the topic of achieving audacious goals.
She has previously chaired the SA Chapter of ALPMA (Australasian Legal Practice Management Association) and the Senior Lawyers Committee of the IBA (International Bar Association).
Lauren Thiel
Treasurer
Lauren Thiel is a Chartered Accountant and Registered Tax Agent, with a passion for the arts and small business. A performer since before she could walk, Lauren contributes to the industry both on and off stage. She has a Bachelor of Tourism and Event Management, and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting). She co-founded her first Company, a dance school, in 2015, and her next, The Real Thiel, in 2016. The Real Thiel is a boutique accounting firm, providing tax, accounting and advisory services to creative small businesses. In her spare time she loves to dance – Lauren may very well be the only accountant who also knows all the moves to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”!
In 2019 Lauren joined the Cabaret Fringe Festival as an inaugural Board member, and as Producer of the festival. She worked alongside all of the venues, artists and with the publicity team to create successful festival!
Laurence Nobes
Secretary
Laurence Nobes, a dynamic artist, producer, and events manager, emerged from London’s Urdang Academy with a dance foundation that evolved into a captivating career. From early performances in fashion and film, Laurence ventured into cabaret, appearing as Anja at The Weimar Room for Adelaide Fringe and later producing “Warning Contains Nuts.” at La Boheme, CabFringe and The Butterfly Room in Melbourne.
Helga Handfull, Laurence’s cabaret alter-ego, has entertained audiences globally for over a decade. Armed with an honors degree in Modern Languages, an education diploma, and event management expertise, Laurence brings a rich blend of knowledge and skills to CabFringe.
With a diverse portfolio, including two Olympic Games, one Paralympics and community events for organizations like Pride March Adelaide, Laurence recently produced “Life is a Cabaret” for South Australian emerging artists. Laurence Nobes, a true luminary, continues to leave an indelible mark on the arts landscape and community.
Paul Boylon
Director
Paul is founder of the Cabaret Fringe Festival and previous owner of La Bohème. He opened the arts venue La Bohème in 2005 with like-minded business partners. As Venue Manager and Program Coordinator, Paul has strived to fulfill his dream of a continuous cabaret venue in Adelaide. He has gone on to create a space that not only offers a stage for existing shows but supports local artists in the creation of new works. Paul and Co. pride themselves on making the space accessible for artists and this in turn has encouraged artists from all levels and genres to express themselves and their ideas through the unique art form of cabaret.
In 2008 Paul co-founded the Cabaret Fringe Festival, which grew rapidly from modest begins in a single venue to this year welcoming 14 venues and running for the entire month of June. The Cabaret Fringe Festival provides a forum for all artists to show their talents, and Paul is proud to continue to show the arts-going public that we have a wealth of talent here in the state.
Adam Boylon
Director
Adam Boylon is one of the founders of the Cabaret Fringe. His graphic design and printing background helped shape the original logo and programme style. Now a Director for Bespoke Hospitality he works back of house in production and logistics for events in both corporate and the arts sector. He has a passion for supporting local and emerging artists.
Mark de Raad
Director
Mark de Raad is a company director, a consultant to the Australian NFP and Arts sector, and a supporter and philanthropist of many projects. He also holds several President and Chair roles with small to medium arts organisations.
Passionate about providing opportunity and support for performing artists in this state, he enjoys especially seeing the fruition of creative and emerging energy making something new.
Benjamin Mackay
Director
Benjamin Maio Mackay (they/them) is an award nominated, critically acclaimed director, producer, actor, musician and MC. Their career spans two decades and they’ve performed theatre, musicals and cabaret across the globe – taking them as far as heading an Off-Broadway show. Benjamin is the artistic director of the Australian based production company, Preachrs Productions, working on thousands of performances since its inception in 2010. Benjamin directed and starred in the award winning non-replica production of RENT at Queens Theatre in October 2022 and followed this up with a season of tick, tick…BOOM! in June 2023. Benjamin is happiest when near a stage and their passion for the live performance industry never falters.
James Murphy
Director
James is an Adelaide-based radio broadcaster and music journalist with a deep love of the arts. He has spent years spotlighting local talent through community radio and in print. He co-hosts a weekly arts program on community station Three D Radio, showcasing Adelaide’s theatre, cabaret, comedy, and live music scenes. As a journalist, he has reviewed and reported on performances for local and national publications such as Scenestr, CityMag and InDaily, championing emerging artists and new work. He has studied classical singing with Brian Gilbertson and Belinda Matonti, and cabaret courses by Catherine Campbell, Amelia Ryan and Michael Griffiths and sung at La Boheme during Cabaret Fringe. Beyond his media work, James brings valuable leadership and advocacy experience to the board. He works in the not-for-profit sector as a policy and research leader, striving to improve access and inclusion.
Elliott Sarre
Director
Elliott Sarre is a commercial lawyer specialising in intellectual property and consumer protection. He is passionate about the development and protection of artistic works (human-made only) and has undertaken pro bono legal work for a variety of arts organisations and non-profits.
Under the alias ‘Elliott Bright’, he moonlights as a writer and performer of songs and tragicomic theatre works, including the world’s first interactive lawn-themed musical. His soundtrack to the short film ‘The Hitcher’ earned him a nomination for ‘Best Music Composition’ at the 2025 South Australian Screen Awards.