Theatre and Performance Studies alumnus stars as Henry 5

Following a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communications, majoring in Theatre and Performance Studies (TaPS) and Marketing, JK Kazzi (BA (Media & Comm.) ’21) built on his TaPS background to leap into the world of acting among many other exciting gigs.

Theatre and Performance Studies is a unique offering and forms part of the Shared Pool of majors and minors. Students can examine the performative dimensions of theatre, dance, live art, cinema, sport, and popular culture. Our students develop practical skills in workshops, attend a wide variety of performances, and learn how to engage with them critically. Our graduates forge careers in professional theatre, production management, drama teaching, or leverage the insights and research from the discipline in law, public health, politics and social justice, foreign affairs, and many other areas.

JK will make his mainstage theatre debut starring as the lead in Bell Shakespeare’s Henry 5, opening this week at the Sydney Opera House. The riveting new production is directed by celebrated theatre maker Marion Potts who also completed a Master of Philosophy, specialising in Theatre and Performance Studies, at the University of Sydney. In a nuanced approach, the new contemporary production exposes King Henry’s complexities, questioning the costs of war.

Your degree combined Media and Communications, Theatre and Performance Studies, and Marketing. How have these disciplines shaped your approach to acting and storytelling? 

These disciplines have prepared me with an understanding that the entertainment industry is a business like many others where it’s vital to know what you are selling, who you are selling it to, and why you are selling it. It has also opened my perspective to the wide range of what can be considered as 'performance' and 'art'.  

How did your studies help you develop the skills and opportunities to land acting roles? 

My studies helped me understand the importance of adapting to change and being open minded in my approach to everything I do. They also placed an emphasis on collaboration in devised work championing varied approaches to creativity that have influenced my longing to make my own film and theatre work. 

What was the most valuable lesson you took from your time at the University of Sydney that you still carry with you in your acting career?

Lived experience and imagination are the greatest teachers an actor has. 

What has your career path been since graduating from the University of Sydney? You went on to study acting at NIDA, how valuable was it to have a scholarly grounding before studying acting?

After graduating USYD, I completed three years of acting training at NIDA. After finishing NIDA, I worked on a few different Australian TV shows last year, and then went on to live in Europe and the UK for three months to research the life of Henry V in preparation for my upcoming role. I owe a lot to my scholarly grounding at university, as it is where I first fell in love with libraries. To have access to such beautifully peaceful spaces full of rich resources of knowledge, history and imagination is truly a privilege that I value every day. 

What advice would you give to students balancing creative passions with other areas of study, as you did with your diverse degree? 

You’ll never get this time back, so enjoy it. If there’s ever a time in your life to try your hand at as many new activities that may interest you, it’s now. Having other passions outside of acting exposes you to different people with unique perspectives on the world, and ultimately gives you a better understanding and capacity for empathy. Life experience fuels creativity and inspires you to bring something to the art, to have something to say with your work. 

The best part of both my degrees was that they gave me time to have fun outside of the classroom. I played basketball and soccer for the uni and college, surfed the coast of Sydney, acted in plenty of short films and SUDS theatre plays, worked jobs in retail, sales, coaching, philanthropy, marketing, and even debt collection to support myself, whilst always finding time to socialise and dance. University helps you realise the importance of maintaining a balance in life, so relish every moment, because the time flies by. 

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is proud to have partnered with Bell Shakespeare. This partnership unites two uniquely Australian institutions with a shared focus on education and creating positive impact for the greater community. We offer annual HSC Shakespeare Seminars including in-depth analysis by one of our academics covering close reading, literary techniques, different interpretations, themes, and character analysis.

Henry 5 by Bell Shakespeare will be presented at Sydney Opera House from 1 March – 5 April 2025, Canberra Theatre Centre from 10 – 20 April 2025, and Arts Centre Melbourne from 11 – 25 May 2025.

Banner image: JK Kazzi as King Henry. Photo by Pierre Toussaint. Supplied by Bell Shakespeare.