2025 Empire Theatre Youth Bursary recipients
Meet some of the future actors, singers, musicians, directors, and filmmakers from across the region.
Providing inspiring opportunities for emerging performers across a wide range of disciplines, The Empire Foundation is offering bursaries to 37 of the region’s talented young artists and performers
The Empire Theatre held a ceremony at the beginning of November 2025 to celebrate the talented recipients of the bursaries, and the $26,000 investment into the future of Toowoomba’s creative industry.
Meet a few of the regions’ most talented young creatives:
Eddie Pocknee
Eddie Pocknee was thrown straight in the deep end of the world of performing, when he got a major role in Big Fish with the Toowoomba Philharmonic Society when he was just nine.
“As I was the youngest person in the cast, it was a really strong introduction to the world of theatre,” he said.
“It got me hooked for the rest of my life.”
Now in year 10 at Toowoomba Grammar School, Eddie takes any opportunity he can to get involved in performing, production, and filmmaking.
Eddie was offered a bursary for a short program at the Australian Film, Television, and Radio School in Sydney and said he would love to do his course in Directing.
He said he had already done some directing for a few young ensembles at the Empire Theatre but would love the opportunity to learn more.
“No matter what you end up doing in life, there’s always a performance aspect,” he said.
“I would absolutely adore continuing into film or acting professionally or directing professionally.
“No matter what I do, the skills you learn in performing, in the arts and especially with the help of this bursary, they assist you along the way.”
Charlotte Tranter
When Charlotte Tranter came up to her mum when she was little, tears filling her eyes after hurting her leg, her mum knew she had to sign Charlotte up for drama.
Even at a young age she had put on such a convincing performance and has since taken her talent to the stage.
The grade 10 Glennie School student will be going an acting program at Theatre Residency Week at Queensland Theatre through the Empire Bursary.
“It’s opening doors that would have been previously closed for these students, these actors and actresses,” she said.
“It is such a wonderful opportunity for these people that wouldn’t have it offered to them any other way and specifically in regional towns.”
After performing in the eisteddfod and school musicals every second year, Charlotte knows acting is the right fit for her.
“At the end of the day the goal is to have acting in my life somehow, whether that’s working in a small regional town, performing shows, or in Hollywood being a famous actress,” she said.
“Without it I honestly don’t think I would be fulfilled.”
Isabelle Tay
At just 18, music has already come full circle for Isabelle Tay.
In the past few years she has started teaching young musicians, some as young as six which was the age she learnt to play the piano.
She said she has learnt a lot from teaching kids music.
“I’ve had to understand and learn a lot of other concepts on how to work with kids,” she said.
“It was really good because it really brought me back to the foundational aspects.
Recently graduating from Centenary Heights State High School, Isabelle will start a bachelor of music at the University of Queensland next year.
Isabelle said she is still considering combining her musical talents and interest in psychology to eventually do music therapy.
She said she was excited to do a program at Dalcroze Summer School in Sydney through the Empire Bursary.
Poppy Shann
Sometimes when Poppy Shann is struggling with her social anxiety she channels the energy of the characters she plays on stage.
“I had really bad social anxiety before, but as soon as I get on the stage it just disappears and I fully focus on performing and putting all of my spirit into the character I’m playing,” she said.
Poppy recently finished grade 10 at Chinchilla State High School and will be doing an acting program at the Little Red Company in Brisbane sometime next year.
She said she has been taking drama lessons since she was seven and has been in most school musicals ever since.
“I’ve been performing my entire life,” she said.
“It’s always been something that I’ve loved and what I’ve wanted to do.
“I love performing in front of people and seeing the smiles on their face or hearing them laugh.”
Stevie-Lee Powell
Stevie Lee Powell, 17, said she didn’t come from a family of any major creative artists but after starting to dance as a kid she just loved it.
“I’ve always loved dancing, singing, musicals, all that has just really shaped who I am,” she said.
“I love doing it so much that I want to make a career out of it and do it for the rest of my life.
“It’s sort of been my own ambitions that’s gotten me to where I am now.”
The recent Toowoomba State High School graduate said she was excited to do a dancing and choreography program at Brent Street Performing Arts Summer School in Sydney at the start of next year.
Her favourite dance styles are Jazz and Hip Hop but she also does lyrical, contemporary, acro, and ballet.
Cherish Mueller
Cherish Mueller, 19, grew up surrounded by the bustle and noise of her eight siblings.
This year her and two of her siblings Enoch and Trinity all received a bursary through the Empire for music.
Cherish has recently started a bachelor of music at the University of Queensland majoring in classical piano, and she said she wouldn’t be here without the support from her family and music teachers.
“A lot of it comes down to the opportunities that you’ve been given, and the people, the teachers who made it possible for me,” she said.
Cherish said like any musician she has days where she wonders if her hard work and dedication will pay off.
“At the end of the day, when I’m performing and I worked really hard, I give people something, and I can see how much they love it,” she said.
“Giving music to people makes it all worth it for me.”
Enoch Mueller
Like many of his siblings, 17-year-old Enoch Mueller started playing the piano when he was young but has since gone on to plays the cello and sing.
He said he loves the impact his music has on others, and one day hopes to compose his own music.
“The impact it can have on other people’s lives and also how you can express yourself, your emotions, your feelings through music,” he said.
“I think it’s powerful.
“It can touch people’s hearts.”
Enoch is doing an intermediate strings program at Cuskelly College of Music Summer School through the Empire bursary.
Trinity Mueller
As the third and youngest Mueller on this year’s Empire bursaries, Trinity is making her own mark alongside her talented family.
At 14 she has been playing the piano and done classical singing for years.
“I love the joy it gives people and that people can feel something from the music,” she said.
Trinity said a lot of the classical music she has sung has been in Italian and loves being able to sing in a different language.
“It just feels unique,” she said.
“I know roughly what I am singing about so I can portray that, but sometimes the music really relates – it’ll be slow and sad and have that expression.”
She is going to the Cuskelly College of Music Summer School for pre tertiary vocal through her bursary.
Ryan Ballini
Ryan Ballini said when he started drama at school a few years ago he never expected to become so invested in the art of acting.
The 16-year-old Wilsonton State High School student said he really got into it after his drama teacher suggested he audition for the school musical.
“I went through the process and fell in love with drama and acting,” he said.
The 16-year-old Wilsonton State High School student is doing Drama Plus acting lessons as part of the Empire bursary.
Ryan said he hopes to find ways to keep acting in his life, no matter what he ends up in his future.
“It’s been a great way for me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things,” he said.
“Drama is a lovely way to get out there in the community and express yourself.”
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