Australian theatre stars Dale Pengelly and Katie Kermond will be in Rockhampton over the next few weeks to nurture performing arts students at CQU Rockhampton.

Both have been supporters of the Bachelor of Performing Arts program over a long period.

Pengelly (in Rockhampton April 30-May 4) is known as a dancer with The Queensland Ballet and The Sydney Dance Company but has also featured in major productions of 'Saturday Night Fever', 'Singin' in the Rain', 'The Boy from Oz' and 'Hot Shoe Shuffle' in recent years.

Kermond (in Rockhampton May 9-May 11) has also worked extensively in Australian musical theatre, including roles in 'West Side Story', 'Camelot', 'La Cage Aux Follies', 'Guys and Dolls', 'Evita', 'Grease', 'Chicago', 'Singin' in the Rain' and 'Sugar Babies'.

Also scheduled to visit CQU Rockhampton in May are drama mentors Catherine Moore and Tony Kishawi.

Catherine (in Rockhampton May 10-11) has worked with Bell Shakespeare On 'A Comedy of Errors' and played Celia in 'As You Like It'.  She played a lead in the first production of the highly acclaimed 'A Moment on the Lips' at the Old Fitz, has featured in 'The Memory of Water' and 'Sold', and has worked on ABC radio and at the Melbourne Comedy Festival.

Mr Kishawi (in Rockhampton May 14-25) is co-founder of Transient Theatre, a company which creates and tours movement-based performance. He has many years of experience in community theatre, object theatre and mask and mime, via performance, teaching and directing throughout Australia. He has also worked solo in Europe and Japan.In recent years, Mr Kishawi has become well known as a practitioner of the Italian mask form, commedia dell 'arte.

Katie Kermond
Dale Pengelly

BPA coordinator Dr Emma Killion said the industry mentor involvement was a crucial way to ensure students get the latest insights and also networks within the entertainment industry.

"Our visiting experts are always active in professional shows and thus have a wealth of current knowledge to convey," she said.