Meet the Cast
Summer Of The Seventeenth Doll
by Ray Lawler
ADAM HETHERINGTON – JOHNNIE DOWD
Adam is a graduate of the National Theatre Drama School. During his time at the Nat he played in productions of The Crucible and The Man Who Came To Dinner. In his final year, he was cast in Harvey Fierstein’s International Stud at the Butterfly Club and Stephen Belber’s TAPE at the Courthouse Hotel.
Since graduating he has filmed extensively with Sportsbet on a variety of online/TV content, and TVC’s for Baker’s Delight and Cougar Bourbon. He has also been a part of Short and Sweet, Melbourne Fringe festival, and the Madwomen Monologues. Recently he worked on award winning web series Fresh and newly premiered Girl Interpreted. He also can be seen on Channel 10’s Playing for Keeps and the upcoming Informer 3838.
LUKE STEPHENS – BARNEY IBBOT
Luke studied at the National Theatre Drama School before going on to work in shows for No Mates Productions and the late and great Garry Ginivan AM.
Luke’s Theatre credits include, Mamma Mia!, Sideshow Alley, Shout the Musical!, Eureka, The Pyjama Game, The Hobbit, Dutch Courage, Crusade (South-East Asian Launch), You May Kiss The Bride, Jude the Musical (Yale University-USA), The Story Goes On, Deeper Water, Argentinian act – El Guacho, Find Me, Call Me, Meet Me, Madwomen Monologues, Winnie The Pooh, The Magic Faraway Tree, Puff the Magic Dragon and numerous other shows for Garry Ginivan Attractions, No Mates Productions, X System and Royal Caribbean Entertainment.
Recently he appeared in the workshop of Love is a Battlefield for Kat Talbot, Emma Powell and Stephen Amos.
Luke’s film and TV credits include The Heckler, Shadows Of The Past, I’m Not Dead Yet, City Homicide, Love Bytes, Home & Away, Underbelly Files: Chopper, Leongatha, My Brother Jack, Denise and Monday Dump with Roy & HG. Some of his short films include Hard Rubbish, Asylum, Lift, Sandwich, The Weather in London, Mack the Knife & Lifeswap.
He has also appeared in a number of web series including Helifishing for Farmers Union Iced Coffee, Hangryman, Footballer wants a Wife and Irresponsible Service of Alcohol. Luke has enjoyed working on various TV commercials including an anti-bullying campaign for kids; Dolly’s Dream.
Luke is also a writer and has produced and appeared in his short film, Courage, and later wrote and directed another short film, Lake Breeze. He is currently writing a comedy series and feature film.
CLAUDIA HRUSCHKA – BUBBA RYAN
Claudia Hruschka trained at the National Theatre Drama School and 16th Street full time actors program.
Driven by her extreme passion for story, she has featured in a variety of roles in short films, television, and stage plays. Some of her theatre credits include The Crucible, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Top Girls, Ancient Lights, After Kafka and Seven Jewish Children.
Claudia co-created and starred in a short film called Jungle, which was part of the 2021 Melbourne International Film Festival Accelerator selection. She was recently nominated as best lead actor finalist at the 2022 CinefestOZ film festival for her performance in Jungle.
LAURA GABRIEL – EMMA LEACH
Laura has worked in theatre, TV, film, radio and voiceovers over many years.
Theatre credits include A Couple of Broken Hearts, When They Send Me Three and Fourpence and King Richard for Griffin Theatre, Gladbags, No Names, No Pack Drill, Buried Child, We Can’t Pay We Won’t Pay, Privates on Parade, On the Wallaby, Charlie’s Aunt, Happy End, Sweeney Todd, On Our Selection and Don’t Just Lie There, Say Something for Q Theatre, and numerous pub shows for Kirribilli Pub Theatre.
Television work includes The Restless Years, GP, A Country Practice, The Last Resort, Home & Away, Doctors Down Under, Over There, Ride On Stranger, Kingswood Country, Hey Dad, Homicide and Division 4.
Film work includes The Roly Poly Man, One Wild Weekend with the Lonesome Rustler, Blue and Cody 1.
Laura has worked extensively in radio drama and comedy, performing roles in many ABC radio plays. She was the announcer of Foxtel’s Hallmark Channel for 8 years, and has voiced many documentaries and government health campaigns, as well as radio and TV commercials. She has also read audiobooks and played numerous characters in animated films.
She is a proud member of Actors Equity and until recently was Treasurer of the Actors Benevolent Fund NSW for the past 5 years.
JOE PETRUZZI – ROO WEBBER
Joe graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1984 and from 1988-1990 furthered his training in New York at HB Studios. He has worked extensively in television and film both in Australia and overseas.
Recent television credits include The Devil’s Playground (TV Series) as well as ongoing roles in Stingers, Possession, and The Violent Earth. Joe has featured in Bordertown and The Last Resort (for the ABC), as well as appearances in Rush, Neighbours, McLeod’s Daughters, Salem’s Lot, Blue Heelers, Beastmaster, Crash Palace, White Collar Blue, Water Rats, Police Rescue, On the Beach, All Saints, The Magistrate, Fields of Fire, Mafia Marriage, and Flipper.
Joe’s film work includes Love’s Brother, Paws, The Real Macaw, Mambo Kings, Dingo, Citizen Cohn and Captain Johnno.
Joe’s theatre performances include the Australian premiere of Jurassica by Dan Giovannoni, The Village Bike, The Way Things Work, Fury and most recently he played Andy in Joanna Murray-Smith’s American Song for Red Stitch & Critical Stages. HIT is delighted to be working with Joe again as he starred in their first ever touring production in 1999 of Hotel Sorrento alongside Beverley Dunn and toured nationally in 2006’s Double Act opposite Tina Bursill.
REBECCA HOWELL – PEARL CUMMINGHAM
Rebecca has been performing professionally for more than 20 years and is a familiar face on television and film appearing in dramas, comedies and countless TV commercials. With a penchant for period pieces, one of her favourite roles to date was that of Peggy Turley in the miniseries, My Brother Jack. This production of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll heralds Rebecca’s return the theatre having focussed on screen acting while her children were small. She feels privileged to be playing a role in this most iconic of Australian plays and to be part of such a talented team.
RUTH CARO – OLIVE LEACH
Ruth is a graduate of the Ensemble Studios and her theatre credits include Rookery Nook (Marion St Theatre), The History of Theatre and Australian Drama (First Stage Theatre Co), Could Do Better, Monkey See Monkey Do (Toe Truck Theatre Co), The Glass Menagerie (The Phillip St Theatre), Illusions, Road, Simpson J 202 and A Shayna Maidel (Ensemble Theatre), Room To Move (Griffin Theatre Company) and the 2018 HIT Productions’ tour of Hotel Sorrento.
Ruth has also appeared in many Aussie TV shows including A Country Practice, Home and Away, Big Sky, The Bodysurfers, Changi and All Saints. She has narrated Bush School for the ABC.