Acting
Mark Bonanno
Acting
Biography
Mark Samual Bonanno is best known for his general silliness within comedy troupe Aunty Donna, one of Australia's biggest comedic acts who have garnered a huge international audience both live and online. Since studying Acting at the University of Ballarat Arts Academy, Mark's work has won and been nominated for numerous awards, including the Helpmann Award for Best Comedy in 2017, Best of The Fest at Sydney Comedy Festival in 2018, and across the last few years, Best Supporting Actor, Best Ensemble and Best Comedy Web Series at the Melbourne International Web Festival. Mark's work directing Demi Lardner's 2017 and 2018 stage shows also saw award attention, winning both the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Director's Choice Award and Pinder Prize in their respective years. In 2020, Mark has co-written/created the six part sitcom Why Are You Like This, which will be coming to the ABC (Australia). Mark also live streams weekly on Twitch under the name VeryPoliteGamer.
Feature Films (10)
A want-to-be stand-up comedian uses comedy routines to spark a connection with a Chinese girl. They are surrounded by an empty, urban landscape, yet an intimacy grows.
The Comedian
It's here, our third Aunty Donna special...the "Aunty Donna LIVE Spooktacular" filmed live at Stupid Old Studios in Brunswick.
The Aunty Donna LIVE Spooktacular
A cheeky taping of Aunty Donna's singular award winning "New Show". Filmed at the famous Enmore Theater in Sydney, and featuring all three of the Aunty Donna boys, "New Show" is legally a 'comedy'.
Aunty Donna: New Show
Australian comedy trio Aunty Donna, along with Michelle Brasier and Tom Armstrong, perform songs from their debut album at Max Watts in Melbourne. Haven't they done well?
Aunty Donna - The Album Tour
Peter believes his baldness is the root cause of his colleague's distain towards him. His struggle for acceptance leads to an unintended tragedy. With his job hanging by a thread, Peter devises a hair-raising, high-stakes plan to regrow his standing in the office and save his dwindling career.
Bald Future
A space princess is thrust out of her sheltered life into a galactic quest to save her bounty hunter ex-girlfriend from the straight white maliens.
Lesbian Space Princess
Join Aunty Donna and friends for this raw exposé into the making of the 2018 classic sketch 'Always Room For Christmas Pud'.
The Story of Pud: A Tell All Documentary
In 1995, Ken Holden, the actor known for portraying The Shadowman in the Australian children's television show Hug The Sun, self-funded his own expansion tape to the Australian video board game NIGHTMARE. After Ken's mysterious disappearance over 30 years ago, this tape was thought to be lost to time... Until today.
The Shadowman's Nightmare
Aunty Donna have beaten Marvel and Disney to the punch by adapting the entire X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga in only one day and with only a sliver of the budget. Hollywood has nothing on these boys.
X-MEN but better and more accurate
Television & Series (17)
BJ, Trent, Linda and (occasionally) Trina host Australia's favourite religious variety hour that is most certainly NOT for children. Praise Oxtos.
Hug the Sun
Drag queen contestants compete in an elimination-style contest and strut their stuff in a variety of challenges - all to prove that they’ve got what it takes to be Down Under's next Drag Queen Superstar!
Drag Race Down Under
Topical comedy-quiz show featuring five guests competing to see who can remember the most about events of the week. A fast-paced, funny look at international affairs, politics, sport and entertainment news, we test just how well our contestants have been paying attention.
Have You Been Paying Attention?
Starring Aunty Donna's Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly, and Zachary Ruane, the high octane and unpredictable series follows the story of three best mates running a trendy cafe down one of Melbourne's less-than-iconic laneways.
Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe
After a less-than-hilarious 2020, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival will be back, delivering COVIDSafe laughs and comedy good-times to Melburnians and the world.
