Thursday Lunch Club: Dani Harrison

Dani is a 54-year-old married mother of 3 adult children who has always been drawn to working with people.

A Psychologist for nearly 30 years, Dani has worked both in both private practice and the not-for-profit sector including roles at Wesley Mission and Department of Corrections.

Due to both her daughters’ keen interest in performing arts during their school years Dani developed a side passion for musical theatre, costuming and makeup. A true ‘Stage Mum’ she became head of costumes at the King David School as a side gig, working on countless productions including Hairspray, Shrek, The Little Mermaid, The Sound of Music and A Chorus Line. Later Dani went on to study Makeup Design & Special Effects Makeup to further her interests.

In 2022 Dani assisted Saltpillar Theatre with their costuming for their production of The Importance of Being Jewish. Since then, Dani has immersed herself into a Production role at Saltpillar Theatre bringing musical theatre to Melbourne’s Jewish community with a young adult focus. The first two productions have been the 21st Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in 2023 followed by Little Shop of Horrors in 2024. Spearheading these projects with a close family friend, Camryn Elbaum, she has found this rewarding and gratifying as the focus on young Jewish adults has provided a safe and nourishing environment for them to pursue their artistic passions beyond high school.