Celebrity MC’s and Performers

Celebrity Performers and mentors

Rachael Beck

Award-winning actor Rachael Beck is one of Australia's most in-demand performers in musical theatre and television. 

Rachael is widely remembered as Belle in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, which won an ARIA Award for the Best Australian Soundtrack / Cast / Show Release in 1996. Rachael has performed in EUREKA; as Sally Bowles in CABARET, Kathy Selden in SINGIN IN THE RAIN which earned her a prestigious Mo Award nomination and the role of Maria in THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Rachael's other stage credits include her Green Award nominated performance as Fantine in LES MISERABLES, Rumpleteaser in CATS, Naomi in SECRET BRIDEMAID’S BUSINESS and as Sally in ME AND MY GIRL.

In 1992, Rachael performed the role of Judy Garland in her own one-woman show, YOUNG JUDY written by John Beck. With many television credits, she is best remembered as Sam in HEY DAD.

Over the past twelve months Rachael has played role of Peg Hartigan in SUMMER RAIN, directed by Robyn Nevin and has worked with Todd McKenney and Tommy Tycho in a series of concerts entitled BROADWAY TO HOLLYWOOD with Symphony Orchestras around Australia. She has also co-starred with the Rat Pack’s Pack at Jupiters and Crown Casinos and appeared in SHOWSTOPPERS at the Opera House with Rhonda Burchmore, Judi Connelli, Peter Cousens and Todd McKenney.

In May Rachael starred in Channel 7’s production IT TAKES TWO and in July she played the lead in the Production Company’s PAJAMA GAME. 

Rachael's impressive career is a testament to her staying power in Australian entertainment.

Todd MCKENNEY

Trained from the age of three in jazz, tap, acrobatics and ballroom dancing, Todd has won numerous Mo Awards, Variety Heart Club Award, the Glugg Award, Green Room Award, Australian Dance Award and Helpmann Awards for his roles in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, CATS, WESTSIDE STORY, SINGIN IN THE RAIN, CABARET and of course the role he is perhaps best known, that of Peter Allen in BOY FROM OZ. 

Todd received rave reviews with his own production of TODD MCKENNEY LIVE that headlined in Sydney’s Star City Casino, Jupiters on the Gold Coast, Melbourne’s Crown Casino and the Adelaide Festival Centre. 

In 2005 Todd released his first album JUST A GIGOLO, which rocketed up the charts and this year he debuted in his first non-musical theatrical role opposite Nancye Hayes in SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS, which will tour Australia in 2007. Todd continues to perform to sell-out audiences in his own production, TODD MCKENNEY LIVE and he is currently in his 5th season as an expert judge on DANCING WITH THE STARS.

Todd takes great pride in his association with numerous charitable organisations and he has recently learned to sign to communicate with his fellow performers from the Australian Theatre For The Deaf.

Rhonda Burchmore

From television to the big screen, musical theatre to opera to cabaret, there are few entertainment mediums that Rhonda Burchmore has not embraced with her wide ranging talents. 

Rhonda’s numerous acclaimed roles include; STOP THE WORLD I WANT TO GET OFF with Anthony Newley, EASTER PARADE on Broadway opposite Tommy Tune, David Atkins’ DANCIN’ MAN and HOT SHOE SHUFFLE, Tanya in MAMMA MIA and Penelope Pennywise in the MTC production URINETOWN.

Rhonda has starred in a number of her own highly acclaimed productions including most recently RHONDA BURCHMORE SINGS ‘N SWINGS and FEVER, all of which have earned her numerous ACE and Mo awards and nominations. Rhonda’s albums comprise the self titled, Rhonda Burchmore, Midnight Rendezvous and Live At The Melbourne Concert Hall.

Helen Richey

Known for her snappy wit and stylish good looks, Dancing With The Stars judge Helen Richey has been a competitive dancer for more than two decades. Retiring to coach and adjudicate, Helen has since judged at most major world ballroom dancing events. 

Australian born, Helen travelled to the UK with her husband Robert for dance training and international competition experience – and ended up living there for 27 years. 

Career highlights include coming second at the UK Professional Latin Championship, and 3rd at three events; the World, the International and the British Professional Latin Championships. 

Mark Wilson

Judge Mark Wilson lives by the philosophy that sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. Mark is a harsh but fair judge. This attitude is perhaps what made him Australian Dancesport Champion five times – four in new vogue and once in modern. He has competed throughout the UK, Europe and Japan.

On two occasions he came 15th in the world Dancesport Championship finals, once at Blackpool, England in 1989 and again in Tokyo, Japan, in 1990. 

Mark also appeared in That's Dancin', winning the professional series. He went on to adjudicate at the Australian Dancesport Championships every year since becoming a judge, and at other competitions in Asia. 

Kate Ceberano

Noted for her soulful and powerful vocal style, singer-songwriter Kate Ceberano has won almost every entertainment award in Australia. She has released five Platinum albums, five Gold albums, selling in excess of 1 million albums in Australia alone, performed tours, acted in feature films and hosted her own television show.

 A true Australian singing legend.

XL Cricket Sporting Legends

Rodney Hogg

Blonde, blue-eyed, aggressive and menacingly fast, Rodney Hogg announced himself with 41 wickets for World Series-depleted Australia against England in 1978-79.

It was the way he regularly beat Geoff Boycott for pace that thrilled Australian cricket fans. Injury and a rebel tour to South Africa interrupted, and cricket life was never quite so bounteous again. Nevertheless, Hogg was generally in Australia's first rank. Playing 38 tests and 71 One Day Innings, with best bowling figures of 6/74, Hoggy is a true Aussie sporting legend.

A very popular corporate cricket identity, he bellies the spirit of a great bloke who enjoys a story or two, and a cold beer with our guests after the last ball has been bowled.

Steve Rixon

A sound wicketkeeper and dependable lower-order batsman, Rixon was thrust into the spotlight when chosen for Australia against India and the West Indies in 1977-78 after Rodney Marsh and Richie Robinson were signed up for World Series Cricket. After being Marsh's understudy during the 1981 Ashes tour he received his next international opportunity when Marsh retired and Wayne Phillips was injured in 1984-85. He signed for a lucrative, but rebel, tour of South Africa in 1985-86 which ended his Test career.
At the time of his retirement in 1988 he had played more games for New South Wales than anyone else.

After his retirement as a player, Rixon became coach of the New South Wales team in 1989-90. In his first five seasons the Blues reached the Sheffield Shield final on each occasion, winning three, and achieving the Shield/one-day cup double twice. From there he became the successful coach of the New Zealand team from late 1996 until the end of the England tour of 1999, after which he returned to Sydney to pursue his business interests.

But at the start of the 2000-01 series he returned as New South Wales's coach, and at the end of the 2003-04 summer, with his contract up, he moved to England to take charge at Surrey but that didn't work out and he left after two years with some stinging criticism of English cricket. He was subsequently linked with a series of international vacancies. He joined the Indian Cricket League before its second season and took over as coach of the Hyderabad Heroes from Moin Khan.

Len Pascoe

Dark and swarthy, Len Pascoe was the son of Yugoslavian immigrants (his original surname was Durtanovich) who would have won more than 14 Test caps had he not defected to World Series Cricket just as he was making his mark in Australia.

A fast bowler with little subtlety but heaps of aggression (he regularly topped 90mph) he took 41 wickets at 21.78 on the 1977 tour of England - including 13 in three Tests - and in the hostile environment of WSC he thrived. He emerged as a genuine Test fast man, taking 5 for 59 (his only five-for) in the first innings of the 1980 Centenary Test and followed up with good home series against new Zealand (12 wickets) and India (16) in 1980-81. But he was increasingly troubled by a knee injury, and he opted to miss the 1981 tour of England to try to get it sorted.

He returned for one Test against West Indies in 1981-82 but was not as effective as he had been although he did take four wickets. On retiring he had a spell coaching New South Wales and subsequently ran Len Pascoe Sports Entertainment. Pascoe, who once famously noted that "a tiger never changes its spots", was also a schoolmate of Jeff Thomson at Punchbowl Boys High and the Bankstown Club: imagine coming up against those two in a school game.