Menopause - Biographies.
Maria Mercedes
Maria is one of the leading ladies of Australian theatre, whose dynamic vocals and arresting presence are matched only by her exhaustive body of work including the first female Frank 'n Furter in the world for The Rocky Horror Show, plus Café Rebetika, Cats, Nine, Chess, Forbidden Broadway, Shadow and Splendour, The World Goes Round, Sunset Boulevard, Chicago, Zorba The Greek, Fame - The Musical, Gypsy, The Vagina Monologues and most recently Seriously - Pet Shop Boys Reinterepreted in Australia followed by Edinburgh Festival, United Kingdom late 2007.
Recognized for her passionate performances, Maria's talents have been recognized by a MO award and nominations from both the Green Room Awards and the Sydney Theatre Critics.
Her film work includes her compelling work in the acclaimed films Dreams For Life (2005), where she was nominated for best actress in a leading role at the 2006 Cyprus International Film Festival, Head On (1998) Patrick (1978) and lead roles in major Australian television productions including Kick, Neighbours, Greeks On The Roof, Thunderstone, Whipping Boy, Inside Running, Prisoner, Patrol Boat, Homicide & Division 4.
In the 80's she toured the rock circuit with her band King Hit. Maria is also in demand as a vocalist on the variety circuit with a string of performances on every iconic television variety programme including Good Morning Australia, Midday with Ray Martin, The Don Lane Show, Graham Kennedy's IMT, The Mike Walsh Show, Countdown and Hey Hey It's Saturday.
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Jennifer Levy
In the '80s, Jennifer studied at the prestigious Ecole Jacques Lecoq and with Philippe Gaulier and Monika Pagneux in Paris. Since then she has undertaken various courses covering Linklater Voice Technique, Musical Theatre and Acting for Camera Masterclasses.
During her 23 years abroad, Jennifer divided her time between France, Germany and Jamaica, working extensively as an actor and voice over artist in theatre, television, commercial and radio productions. She also performed her broad repertoire of musical styles at many music venues, concerts and commissioned performances.
On return to Melbourne, Jennifer has continued to work on a number of film, television and theatre productions including Blood Wedding, directed by Asa Palomera, My Fair Lady 50th Anniversary, directed by Will Conyers, the Award Winning independent feature, A Nocturne, directed by Bill Mousoulis and has also been teaching voice on a private basis.
Jennifer has worked closely with musicians Joe Camilleri and Ed Bates to produce an album of her original songs, Fugitive Desires, which is a unique and individualistic blend of pop, fused with reggae, rock and blues.
Jennifer is a very sincere, warm and attractive lady, whose great depth of character and soul shines through in all her performances - whether it be acting and singing.
Jennifer Levy's website: www.jenniferlevymusic.com.au
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Andrea Creighton
Andrea graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music, UK with a Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Vocal Performance and was then accepted into the Young Artist Programme of the Paris Opera.
Successful in many competitions, she was the winner of the New Zealand Mobil Song Quest; the Webster Booth/Esso Award in the United Kingdom; the Opera Prize of the Cercle Carpeaux de L'Opéra National de Paris; and the very prestigious Prix d'A.R.O.P for an outstanding debut performance.
After playing Carlotta in the 2007-2009 Australasian/Asian tour of The Phantom of the Opera, Andrea has returned from Europe where she has been working professionally since 1996.
Her most recent engagements include critically acclaimed performances in Kurt Weill's rarely performed masterpiece Die Sieben Todsünden with the Auckland Chamber Orchestra; Parson's Pirates - a theatrical interpretation of The Pirates of Penzance for Opera della Luna; Iphigénie en Tauride at the Paris Opera; Les Contes d'Hoffman for Iford Arts Festival UK; Il Barbiere di Siviglia for Diva Opera UK; Così fan Tutte for the Atelier Lyrique de Tourcoing; l Barbiere di Siviglia; Il Nozze di Figaro for the NBR New Zealand Opera and Le Nozze di Figaro for the Savoy Opera.
Andrea's concert and recital work has had engagements with the Vector Wellington Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonic, the Starlight Symphony, the Auckland Chamber Orchestra, the NZ International Festival of the Arts, Les Musiciens de Louvre and the Orchèstre National de Lyon.
As well as theatre and opera work, Andrea has appeared on television with The Good Morning Show TVNZ, The Breakfast Show TVNZ, Sunrise TV3 and a 20 minute feature documentary on the Sunday Arts Programme TVNZ.
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Michelle Collins
Michelle most recently appeared on stage in Billy Elliot The Musical. Other theatre credits include: Away (Impulse Theatre Company), Blue Heart (Siren Theatre Company at the Stables), Market Forces (Ensemble Theatre), Working The Musical (Q Theatre & Glen St Theatre), Click Clack (NSW Tour), Mission Possible (NSW Tour), After Dinner (Pilgram Theatre), Working (Pilgram Theatre), Hansel & Gretels' Excellent Adventure (Ensemble Theatre), Once A Catholic (Hayes Gordons' Rep Theatre), Twelfth Night (Iron Cove Theatre), The Trial (Hayes Gordons' Rep Theatre).
For television she has appeared in guest roles on Packed to the Rafters, Love My Way, All Saints (6 episodes), Home and Away (5 Episodes), Health Dimensions (ABC on-going role) and Breakers.
Her film credits include the feature films The Night We Called it a Day (Ocean Pictures) and Danny Deckchair (Deckchair Productions). Michelle has compared major corporate events, appeared in over a dozen tv commercials and many short films and training films.
She has performed her own show The Little Aussie Battleaxe at various venues including the Inaugural Cracker Comedy Festival.
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Carolyn Waddell
Carolyn is one of the original cast members of Menopause The Musical® having played Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, W.A. and New Zealand over a period of more than six years.
Previously she performed in both the Melbourne and Sydney seasons of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, covering and performing the roles of Mrs Potts and Madame de la Grande Bouche.
Prior to that, she featured in the Victoria State Opera's production of Ruddigore at the State Theatre. More recently she appeared in Sondheim's Passion at Chapel off Chapel (Sondheim remaining one of her great loves). Credits of his work include Dot in Sunday in the Park with George, the Witch in Into the Woods, Marta in Company and Domina in Forum.
Carolyn has been performing for over twenty five years and some of her favourite roles to date include Madame Thenadier in Les Miserables, Mabel in Mack and Mabel, Charity in Barnum, Nancy in Oliver, Paula in Goodbye Girl and Reno in Anything Goes for which she received the Melbourne Theatre Guild Award for Best Actress.