
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.
Known For

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?

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

Each episode involves performers walking through a door into an unknown situation, greeted by the line "Thank God you're here!". They then had to improvise their way through the scene. At the end of each episode a winner was announced.
Thank God You're Here

Comedy trio Aunty Donna showcase their uniquely absurd and offbeat style through an array of sketches, songs and eclectic characters.
Aunty Donna's Big Ol House of Fun

A space princess is thrust out of her sheltered life and into a galactic quest to save her bounty hunter ex-girlfriend from evil incel aliens.
Lesbian Space Princess

The 'Most Upsetting Guessing Game' is a comedy/improv guessing game based on 'Party Quirks' from the Aunty Donna Podcast. Each week a 'party host' is selected and tasked with guessing what 'characters' are attending their party. Sounds simple enough? It's not... it's cooked.
The Most Upsetting Guessing Game in the World

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

Fed up with the Magical Realm's obsession with large-scale fantasy warfare, Jack the Wizard decides to migrate to the sanest place he can think of: Melbourne's Western suburbs. After accidentally causing Flinders Street Station to turn ever so slightly into a giant Fish monster, his existence (and that of his fellow magical immigrants) is revealed to the Australian public. Fearing a backlash against himself and his kind, Jack swears off using magic in a bid to better assimilate into human life. But of course, fitting in was never going to be easy when people tend to get a bit 'explode-y' whenever you sneeze...
The Wizards of Aus

Penny and Mia are best friends, but they are not good for each other or anyone else. Leaving a path of destruction in their wake wherever they go, they say and do what they want - regardless of the consequences.
Why Are You Like This?

Comedy group 'Aunty Donna' present a sketch show set in Glennridge Secondary College, a quintessential Australian public school.
Aunty Donna: Glennridge Secondary College

A show where chaotic comedians roleplay through your favourite movie genres.
Trope RPG

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.
Melbourne Comedy Festival

FINDING YEEZUS is a six-part investigative comedy web-series starring comedians and pop-culture detectives Cameron James and Alexei Toliopoulos. The pair embark on an action-packed investigation to find out who made ‘Kanye Quest 3030’ – an infamous RPG game that went viral in 2013 after a hidden level was uncovered with potential links to the cult ‘ascensionism'.
Finding Yeezus

Sketch group Aunty Donna's limited workplace comedy web series
Aunty Donna: 1999

Aunty Donna dives into D&D with their signature absurdism. Expect outlandish characters, unexpected tangents, and a playful disregard for the Player's Handbook.
Aunty Donna's Dungeons and Dragons

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

Simple farm boys Lachlan and Jaxon make the move to the big city from their rural home. Although they thought it would be fun, it transpires the boys know nearly nothing about the modern world. Understanding dating, managing relationships, living with a girl: these are all things the boys are going to have to get a lot wrong, before they get them right.
Fairbairn In The City

A lonely widow is pulled from her grief when a lonelier, more determined widow forces her to realise that even in death, it’s important to win.
Scopa

Aunty Donna Presents a Brand New Live Special, 'The Magical Dead Cat'.
Aunty Donna: The Magical Dead Cat

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?