Leone White
Leone is a cross-disciplinary, dual-national, performing artist, actress and theatre-maker. With an Australian mother and an English/Welsh father, Leone grew up in the UK and moved to Australia in 2002.
Leone obtained a degree in English Literature and Anthropology from The University of Melbourne and went on to study Theatre Arts at Swinburne University. While at Swinburne, she won the Theatre for Community Cultural Development scholarship to train with Makhampom Theatre in Thailand. In 2010, Leone visited Thailand, working with the company and community members.
From 2008-2010, Leone performed in various interactive and roving performance pieces, as well as one of writer Louris van de Geer’s earliest theatre pieces Hunny Bun and Baby Doll. She also wrote and performed in the ensemble piece Practically Frozen Chicken at St. Martin’s. At this time, Leone was part of company classes with aerial performance troupe Strange Fruit, then headed by Sue Broadway.
Leone began studying at 16th Street in the part-time program in 2011. Upon graduating, she was invited to work with International film director Kim Farrant in Between Me, and perform in the comedy troupe ‘The Big Hoo-Ha’.
Other theatre work includes the development and performance of ensemble piece VOYAGE: The Actual and Properly Truthful Account of the Immigration of Thomas Pender directed by Tamara Searle with A is For Atlas and playing at 45 Downstairs, a lead role in Cherry Smoke directed by Suzanne Heywood, development and performance of Louris van de Geer’s play Triumph at Forty Five Downstairs and lead ensemble in UK performance artist Edward Thomasson’s Find a Problem to Solve for St. John's College, The University of Oxford.
Leone's been teaching and facilitating acting and theatre sessions for adults and young people since 2016. In the UK, she's taught for acting schools, theatre companies, clubs, social change and arts organisations and charities. In Melbourne, Leone teaches the Youth Ensemble at 16th Street Actors Studio, improvisation at Grace Acting Academy, has run workshops with Kingston Arts and delivered theatre sessions for young people at East Preston Community Centre.
Over the last twelve months, Leone's acted in Louris van de Geer’s soon to be released short film, co-produced and released the first of her musical audio-performance pieces, Over the Moon, with Melbourne production duo MEJU, returned to interactive theatre, and begun to share her audio practice and develop her writing through a monthly online blog and audio share.
- March 2024