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Sally McKenzie

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Sally McKenzie
Sally McKenzie in 2017
Born (1955-02-08) 8 February 1955 (age 69)
Alma materNational Institute of Dramatic Art, Queensland University of Technology, Flinders University
Occupations
  • Actress
  • director
  • dramatist/playwright
  • screenwriter
Years active1977–present
Children2

Sally McKenzie (born 8 February 1955) also credited as Sally MacKenzie, is an Australian actress, director, playwright and screenwriter. She graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1977.[1] She later earned a Master of Fine Arts from the Queensland University of Technology.[2]

Early life and education

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Sally May McKenzie was born on 8 February 1955 in Lindfield a suburb of Sydney. McKenzie grew up in South Australia. From the age of 11 she took drama classes run by Morna Jones[3] who went on to establish the Patch Theatre. During her teenage years McKenzie performed with the Pioneer Players, the Arts Theatre, Theatre 62 and the Bunyip Children’s Theatre. She began an arts degree at Flinders University but only completed 2 years of it[4] before moving to Sydney to study acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) graduating in 1977[5] with a Diploma of Acting, which she later converted to a Bachelor of Dramatic Arts - Acting.

Career

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McKenzie graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1977.[6] In 1978 McKenzie performed under the direction of Peter Schumann with the Bread & Puppet Theater at the Adelaide Festival. That year in Sydney she understudied all the female roles for the Queensland Theatre Company touring production of King Lear in which Warren Mitchell played Lear and Geoffrey Rush played the Fool. In 1979 she was part of the Early Childhood Drama Project[7] then professional arm of the La Boite Theatre Company. During this year she also performed for La Boite in their productions of Visions, playing Madame Lynch, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? playing Gloria Beatty and Alexandra Hills in The Hills Family Show.[8]

In 1980 McKenzie was a member of the TN! Theatre Company inaugural ensemble. That year she performed in The Importance of Being Earnest, Alex, Summit Conference and The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Jenny Diver under the baton of Georg Tintner. The following year she played Lavinia Mannon in Mourning Becomes Electra for the Queensland Theatre Company then returned to Sydney to play Sister Lilian Holliday in Happy End at the Q Theatre Penrith. McKenzie auditioned for the role of Lavinia Mannon and was to play this role again, this time for the Melbourne Theatre Company directed by Michael Blakemore.

Several productions with the Melbourne Theatre Company followed, including performing the title role in The Good Person of Szechwan by Bertolt Brecht and Beatrice-Joanna in The Changeling under the direction of John Sumner. A role came up with the Sydney Theatre Company and McKenzie moved to back to Sydney where she performed in a range of productions including the Australian premiere of Top Girls by Caryl Churchill with the Nimrod Theatre Company. During this time under the direction of Bud Tingwell McKenzie played the central role of Lynn in a 2-hour 500th special episode of Cop Shop for which she won a 1983 Penguin Award for Best Single Performance by an Actress in a Serial.[9][circular reference]

McKenzie successfully auditioned for the role of Lady Macbeth for the Queensland Theatre Company. For this company she appeared in 20 productions, including performing Ruth Carson in Night and Day, Madame Ranevskaya in The Cherry Orchard and Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet. For the Queensland Theatre Company she also played many characters in plays by playwright David Williamson including Jane Fredericks in Top Silk, Barbara Milson in A Conversation and Vicki Calabresi in the premiere production of Money and Friends directed by Aubrey Mellor, which toured nationally in 1992. McKenzie turned down several theatre roles to pursue a Master Degree in Fine Arts, which she completed in 1996.

As a theatre actor McKenzie has appeared in leading and ensemble roles for theatre companies across Australia. These include Belvoir St Theatre, Griffin Theatre Company, La Boite Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company, Nimrod Theatre Company, Playbox Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company, The Stables, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Sydney Theatre Company, Q Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the TN! Theatre Company.

For TV, McKenzie played recurring role Mystic Marg in the TV Series Mortified. Other TV appearances include Roo Morgan in Prisoner, Esme in Carson’s Law, Ms Cunningham in The Wayne Manifesto, Patsy Goldfisch in The Flying Doctors, Grace in A Country Practice, Mary Schippan in The Schippan Mystery and Del in Fires. Feature film performances include Gail in With Love From The Person Next To Me, Carrie in We of the Never Never, Carol in Storage, Roz in Jucy and Warden Zelda in Redheads with Claudia Karvan and Catherine McClements.

As a playwright McKenzie’s plays include Scattered Lives, Martha’s War on War, i dot luv dot u☺ and WAY, which was praised in Stage Whispers for its theatricality: "Sally McKenzie grips the audience’s attention for a complex seventy-five minutes with an astonishing sustained theatre performance. If you love theatre, see this”.[10]

As a screenwriter and director works include documentary Acting Class of 1977 AKA actingclassof1977.com, which looks at actor training in Australia in the late 1970s.[11] The film features Steve Bisley, Mel Gibson and Debra Lawrance and first viewed on the ABC in June 2008.[12] McKenzie won the highest writing accolade awarded in Australia for performance writing, an Australian Writers' Guild AWGIE Award for Best Documentary Public Broadcast in 2014.[13]

In 2019 McKenzie was awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts Fellowship Medal for her research and subsequent paper Developing Australian Playwrights and their Plays. For this paper she interviewed writers who write for both screen and stage living in the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom. Writers and theatre-makers McKenzie interviewed included Bekah Brunstetter, Liz Flahive, Tony Kushner, Christopher Hampton, David Henry Hwang, Terry Johnson, Mike Leigh, Robert Lepage, David Lindsay-Abaire, Kenneth Lonergan, Hannah Moscovitch, Adam Rapp, Theresa Rebeck, Judith Thompson and Enda Walsh.[14]

For her Churchill Report, McKenzie also interviewed a range of representatives from educational institutions that teach performance writing as well as representatives from companies that develop plays. These included interviews with representatives from Atlantic Theater Company, Columbia University, Donmar Warehouse, Factory Theatre, The Juilliard School, National Theatre School of Canada, New Dramatists, New York University Tisch School of the Arts, New York Theatre Workshop, Paines Plough, Playwrights Horizons Theater School, Royal Court Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, and Stratford Festival.

Filmography

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Film

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Title Year Role Type
Cathy's Child 1979 Young Nun Feature film
We of the Never Never 1982 Carrie Feature film
Undercover 1983 Shop Assistant Feature film
The Schippan Mystery 1984 Mary Schippan TV film
Tripe 1985 Aunt Esme Short film
Sharkey’s Party 1986 Penny Short film
With Love to the Person Next to Me 1987 Gail Feature film
The Lonely Ones 1988 Mother Short film
Redheads 1994 Warden Zelda Feature film
Mermaids 2003 Georgia TV film
Sniffer 2003 Aunt Magda Short film
The Diamond Cutter 2003 Zelma (voice) TV film
actingclassof1977.com 2008 Herself TV film
Storage 2009 Carol Feature film
Jucy 2010 Ros Feature film
The Day After Today 2014 Angela Short film

Television

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Title Year Role Type
Cop Shop 1983 Lynn TV series, 2 hour special
Carson's Law 1983-84 Emily Forrest TV series
Special Squad 1984 Rosetta TV series
Mother and Son 1985 Sergeant Watts TV series
Prisoner 1986 Roo Morgan TV series
Rafferty's Rules 1987 Constable Prior TV series
A Country Practice 1988 Phyllis Greenway TV series
The Leaving of Liverpool 1993 Official Woman TV series
The Flying Doctors 1995 Patsy Goldfisch TV series
Fire 1995 Fai Alicis TV series
The Wayne Manifesto 1996-97 Ms. Cunningham TV series
Fat Cow Motel 2003 Eleanor Rigby TV miniseries
Mortified 2006-07 Mystic Marj TV series
Reef Doctors 2013 Gracie TV series
Harrow 2019 Beverly McIntyre TV series
Fires 2021 Dell TV series

Theatre

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[15]

Year Play Writer(s) Role Notes
1977 Mother and Son Louis Esson Mrs. Lind Performed at NIDA With Mel Gibson
1977 The Hostage Brendan Behan Kate/Meg Performed at NIDA Shared role with Judy Davis
1977 Once in a Lifetime George S. Kaufman, Moss Hart Various Performed at NIDA Director Richard Wherrett
1978 Bread & Puppet Theater Group Devised Ensemble Adelaide Festival Director Peter Schumann
1978 Razzle, Dazzle Group Devised Various The Actors’ Company. Director Steve Agnew
1979 Visions Louis Nowra Madame Lynch La Boite Theatre Company Director John Milson
1979 The Hills Family Show Australian Performing Group Alexandra Hills La Boite Theatre Company Director Richard Fotheringham
1979 They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Horace McCoy Gloria Beatty La Boite Theatre Company Director David Bell
1980 The Threepenny Opera Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill Jenny Diver TN! Theatre Company Director John Milson
1980 The Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde Gwendolen Fairfax TN! Theatre Company Director John Milson
1980 Summit Conference Robert David MacDonald Eva Braun TN! Theatre Company Director John Milson
1980 Mourning Becomes Electra Eugene O’Neill Lavinia Mannon Queensland Theatre Company Director Robin Lovejoy
1980 Happy End Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill Lillian Holiday Q Theatre. Director Doreen Warburton
1981 Mourning Becomes Electra Part One Eugene O’Neill Lavinia Mannon Melbourne Theatre Company Director Michael Blakemore
1981 Mourning Becomes Electra Part Two Eugene O’Neill Lavinia Mannon Melbourne Theatre Company Director Michael Blakemore
1981 The Good Person of Szechwan Bertolt Brecht Shen Te Melbourne Theatre Company Director Bruce Myles
1981 The London Cuckolds Edward Ravenscroft Peggy Melbourne Theatre Company Director Simon Chilvers
1981 Amadeus Peter Shaffer Constanze Weber Melbourne Theatre Company Director John Sumner
1981 A Cuckoo in the Nest Ben Travers Marguerite Hickett Melbourne Theatre Company Director Simon Chilvers
1982 The Changeling Thomas Middleton, William Rowley Beatrice-Joanna Melbourne Theatre Company Director John Sumner
1982 Vocations Alma De Groen Vicki Melbourne Theatre Company Director Graeme Blundell
1983 The Fields of Heaven Dorothy Hewett Lucia Silvieri Sydney Theatre Company Director Rodney Fisher
1983 Top Girls Caryl Churchill Dulle Gret/Angie Nimrod Theatre Company Director Chris Johnson
1984 A Toast to Melba Jack Hibberd Ensemble Nimrod Theatre Company Director John Milson
1985 Macbeth William Shakespeare Lady Macbeth Queensland Theatre Company Director Gregory Gesch
1987 Glory Steve J. Spears Glory Griffin Theatre Company Director Ray Goodlass
1988 The Sentimental Bloke C. J. Dennis, Graeme Blundell Rose Queensland Theatre Company Director Gregory Gesch
1988 Les Liaisons Dangereuses Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, Christopher Hampton Émilie Queensland Theatre Company Director Alan Edwards
1988 Night and Day Tom Stoppard Ruth Carson Queensland Theatre Company Director Gregory Gesch
1988 Beach Blanket Tempest Denis Watkins, Chris Harriott Regine TN! Theatre Company Director Sean Mee
1989 The Man from Mukinupin Dorothy Hewett Clemmy Hummer Queensland Theatre Company Director Aubrey Mellor
1990 SherWoodstock Various Mother Hood Satirical music theatre. Director Sean Mee
1990 Top Silk David Williamson Jane Fredericks Queensland Theatre Company Director Aubrey Mellor
1990 The Ring Cycle Richard Wagner, David Bell Frika Queensland Performing Arts Centre Director David Bell
1991 Phantoad of the Opera Various Ginger Satirical music theatre. Director Sean Mee
1991 Seven Little Australians Ethel Turner, David Reeves Martha/Miss Jolly Queensland Theatre Company Director Alan Edwards
1991 Burn This Lanford Wilson Anna La Boite Theatre Company Director Jennifer Flowers
1991 Money and Friends David Williamson Vicki Calabresi Queensland Theatre Company Director Aubrey Mellor
1992 Money and Friends David Williamson Vicki Calabresi Sydney Theatre Company
1992 Money and Friends David Williamson Vicki Calabresi Melbourne Theatre Company
1992 Money and Friends David Williamson Vicki Calabresi State Theatre Company of South Australia
1992 Fuenteovejuna Lope de Vega Ensemble Melbourne International Arts Festival Director Aubrey Mellor
1993 Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare Lady Capulet Queensland Theatre Company Director Aubrey Mellor
1993 Diving for Pearls Katherine Thomson Marg Queensland Theatre Company Director David Berthold
1994 Dancing at Lughnasa Brian Friel Maggie Queensland Theatre Company Director Jennifer Flowers
1994 The Servant of Two Masters Carlo Goldoni Ensemble Queensland Performing Arts Centre Director Steven Gration
1994 Happy Birthday Tim Sally McKenzie Mum Queensland Performing Arts Centre Director Sean Mee
1997 After the Ball David Williamson Maureen Queensland Theatre Company Director Robyn Nevin
1997 After the Ball David Williamson Maureen Theatre Royal, Hobart, Arts Centre Melbourne
2000 Top Dogs Urs Widmer Penelope McDonald Queensland Theatre Company Director Jennifer Flowers
2002 Salt Peta Murray Meg La Boite Theatre Company Director Michael Futcher
2003 A Conversation David Williamson Barbara Milson Queensland Theatre Company Director Jean-Marc Russ
2004 The Cherry Orchard Anton Chekhov Lyubov Ranevskaya Queensland Theatre Company Director Michael Gow
2004 Amigos David Williamson Hilary La Boite Theatre Company Director Sean Mee
2005 The Memory of Water Shelagh Stephenson Vi Queensland Theatre Company Director Leticia Cáceres
2007 Red Cap Janis Balodis, Iain Grandage Ensemble La Boite Theatre Company Director Sean Mee
2007 The Wishing Well Helen Howard, Michael Futcher Ensemble La Boite Theatre Company Director Michael Futcher
2009 The School of Arts Bille Brown Gwen Frawley Queensland Theatre Company Playhouse Theatre, Brisbane. Director Michael Gow
2009 The School of Arts Bille Brown Gwen Frawley Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton; Warwick Town Hall, Warwick
2012 A Hoax Rick Viede Ronnie La Boite Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre Company Director Lee Lewis
2022 Betty Jules Allen Rose Theatre Works Director Iain Sinclair
2023 Way Sally McKenzie Lily, Lynne, Maysie, Zahra La Mama Theatre (Melbourne) Director Sean Mee

References

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  1. ^ "doollee.com - the playwrights database of modern plays". www.doollee.com. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  2. ^ Lives, Scattered. "Scattered Lives". Scattered Lives.
  3. ^ "Biographical cuttings on Morna Jones, founder of the Little Patch Theatre, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals".
  4. ^ "Flinders Drama Centre Graduates".
  5. ^ "NIDA - All alumni".
  6. ^ "NIDA - All alumni".
  7. ^ "The Early Childhood Drama Project (ECDP) 197582".
  8. ^ "The Hills Family Show".
  9. ^ "Penguin Award".
  10. ^ "Stage Whispers, Way".
  11. ^ Murray, Elicia; Maddox, Garry (15 May 2008). "Mel opens up, but ever so fleetingly". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
  12. ^ Actingclassof1977.com, retrieved 28 December 2018
  13. ^ "47th Annual AWGIE Awards Winners Announced". 8 September 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  14. ^ "Churchill Trust – Sally McKenzie – QLD 2017".
  15. ^ "AusStage – Sally McKenzie". Retrieved 1 August 2023.
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