The Collective
Meet the members of “The Collective” – an ensemble emerging artists who have developed their skills in writing, performing and creating original works over 2-3 years. Collaborating with mentors and industry professionals, Fardows Abdul, Ioane Ale Brown, Sina Ale Brown, An Dang, Milana Markovic-Matovic, Chala Mohamed and Kiril Stamenkov make up the second ensemble to take part in our Level Up Professional Development Program after Sub30 Collective‘s hugely successful run.
Reconnected
In March 2022, The Collective debuted as an ensemble in Reconnected, Western Edge’s first live performance in over two years.
Presenting: Collective-in-Training
In November 2022, with new additions, Ioane Ale Brown, An Dang and Milana Markovic-Matovic, the Collective brought a collection of scenes and monologues to Newport Community Hub.
Collective x Open Stage: Sonder
Fardows Abdul, An Dang, Milana Markovic-Matovic, Chala Mohamed and Kiril Stamenkov present to audiences all that they have learned after 2-3 years in in the program. We bid farewell to The Collective as an ensemble, and the Level Up program in this end-of-year celebration.
Fardows (Fay) Abdul
Fardows is an actor from Melbourne. She joined Western Edge in 2019, playing Princess Helena in the Edge Ensembles production of The Watching, and has been with the company ever since. While acting is her artistic passion, she is also interested in developing her skills in screenwriting. Fardows is eager to grow as an artist and work on her craft through the Level Up program.
Sina Ale Brown
Sina is a Samoan actor based in Melbourne. Sina has worked closely with Western Edge for five years as a participant and performer in various programs and productions. Her credits include Lele, Butterfly (Western Edge, 2018), The Watching (Western Edge, 2019) and Security, written by Michele Lee, in 2022. Sina is passionate about bringing stories to life and bringing joy to people through the use of acting and art. She hopes to reach her full potential with the Level Up program, learning and gaining more knowledge and skills within the industry.
Chala Mohammed
I’m Chala Mohamed, an actor driven by a deep passion for the transformative power of storytelling. Growing up in Melbourne (Naarm), I’ve always believed that acting is more than just a craft; it’s a way to connect, to understand, and to give voice to the complex, untold stories that shape us. Whether performing on stage or before the camera, I approach each role with dedication and a genuine desire to evoke emotion and provoke thought. My journey as an actor has been one of constant evolution, shaped by both the joy and the challenges of bringing diverse characters to life. Each performance is a chance to share something personal, to forge a meaningful connection with audiences, and to leave a lasting imprint that resonates beyond the moment.
Ioane Ale Brown
Ioane is a Samoan actor based in Melbourne. Ioane has been working with Western Edge since 2018, joining Edge Ensembles as a participant and performer for the production of Lele, Butterfly. In 2022, Ioane played the role of Jeanjay in the 2022 Edge Ensembles production of Distortion and Ismene in Lele as part of the 2022 Neighbourhood Festival. Ioane has been interested in acting and performing since he was young, and is excited to learn more about the industry through the Level Up program.
Kiril Stamenkov
Kiril is a dedicated performer, writer and aspiring director who was born and raised in Macedonia. He moved to Australia in 2010 and found his passion for acting after performing in high school plays. Kiril has a strong love for screen acting and has attended classes at Mooregrace Acting Studio in Geelong, and later attained a diploma in Film and TV Production at JMC Academy in 2017. In 2018, Kiril joined Western Edge’s Geelong Edge ensemble. He performed as Haemon in Antigone and co-wrote and performed in North Geelong Edge’s original comedy piece Share House, to a full house at Courthouse Youth Arts. For the past three years, Kiril has continued his love for community and theatre as a Western Edge Support Artist and participant. Kiril is proudly part of Western Edge’s Collective in training program, where he continues to develop his professional acting skills. His recent work includes performing in Mucky Puppy Theatre’s promenade showing of DNA (2024) set in Banyule Council’s Binnak Park, with his next project being The Field of Forgotten Dreams as part of La Mama’s Festival of Mother Tongues 2024.
An Dang
An Dang (she/her) is an actor, singer and dancer with a background in contortion and circus. She is a proud member of the Western Edge community and has a passion for stage, screen, and musical theatre. She recently graduated from the University of Melbourne with a double major of Chinese and Japanese Studies and is currently training with the Western Edge collective program while undertaking a musical theatre course at ShowFit.
Milana Markovic-Matovic
Milana is an actor, filmmaker, theatre maker and writer. At Western Edge Youth Arts, she is a Collective member of the Level Up Professional Acting Development Program, and a Western Edge support artist. Milana has graduated from Victorian College Of The Arts Secondary School Theatre Arts program in 2021, where she has performed at the Melbourne Theatre Company’s Southbank Theatre in The Master And Margarita, Almost Maine, and Fess Up!. Milana is studying at Deakin University, doing a Bachelor of Film, Television and Animation. She has acted on screen, directed by filmmaker, actor and writer Ras-Samuel Welda’abzgi. Milana has performed in Western Edge’s Distortion and The Boss of Bakersfield. She is a starring actor in the DJ Fluke – Breathe music video by TMC Media. Milana has completed courses for screen and stage at NIDA, acting classes at the National Theatre Melbourne, and has been in several more theatre shows throughout her youth.