Belinda Wollaston
Encyclopedia
Belinda Wollaston is an acclaimed Australian musical theatre
actor.
Wollaston is a graduate of the NIDA
Singer, Actor, Dancer and Young Actors Studio; and the prestigious Talent Development Project. She has performed extensively in Cabaret, and major musical theatre productions in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
Wollaston made her debut in Songs From My Hairbrush: The Bedroom Mirror And Me, to sellout audiences at Kabarett Junction (a Sydney Cabaret venue). It is regarded as the show that began the trend of younger performers (as opposed to older performers) performing full length cabaret shows.
2003 proved to be a defining year in Wollastons career, with her commercial musical theatre debut in the smash hit musical Mamma Mia!
, often touted as the world's most successful and entertaining musical. Belinda spent two years performing in the Australian touring production of the show, which took in Melbourne
, Brisbane, Sydney
, Perth, Adelaide, New Zealand, Singapore
and Hong Kong
.
In August 2005 she made her Sydney Theatre Company debut in the musical Summer Rain
, gaining considerable audience acclaim for her performance.
In 2006 Belinda starred in a production of Putting It Together
at the Seymour Centre in Sydney.
Most recently Belinda starred Kate McGowen in the Australian production of the Broadway musical, Titanic
alongside her longtime friend and fellow musical theatre
actor Hayden Tee
.
Wollaston is currently starring in the return Brisbane season of 'Respect' alongside Rhonda Burchmore
.
and Stephen Schwartz
. Wollaston also performed at a number of events including 'Broadway Cares', and at Cabaret venues in New York
.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
actor.
Wollaston is a graduate of the NIDA
National Institute of Dramatic Art
The National Institute of Dramatic Art is an Australian national training institute for students of theatre, film, and television, based in the Sydney suburb of Kensington. It is supported by the federal Office for the Arts, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. NIDA is located adjacent...
Singer, Actor, Dancer and Young Actors Studio; and the prestigious Talent Development Project. She has performed extensively in Cabaret, and major musical theatre productions in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
Wollaston made her debut in Songs From My Hairbrush: The Bedroom Mirror And Me, to sellout audiences at Kabarett Junction (a Sydney Cabaret venue). It is regarded as the show that began the trend of younger performers (as opposed to older performers) performing full length cabaret shows.
2003 proved to be a defining year in Wollastons career, with her commercial musical theatre debut in the smash hit musical Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
, often touted as the world's most successful and entertaining musical. Belinda spent two years performing in the Australian touring production of the show, which took in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Brisbane, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Perth, Adelaide, New Zealand, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
In August 2005 she made her Sydney Theatre Company debut in the musical Summer Rain
Summer Rain
-Films and television:*Summer Rain , an Italian film directed by Mario Monicelli*Summer Rain , directed by Antonio Banderas-Music:*"Summer Rain" , a 2006 song by ATB...
, gaining considerable audience acclaim for her performance.
In 2006 Belinda starred in a production of Putting It Together
Putting It Together
Putting it Together is a musical revue showcasing the songs of Stephen Sondheim. Drawing its title from a song in Sunday in the Park with George, it was devised by Sondheim and Julia McKenzie...
at the Seymour Centre in Sydney.
Most recently Belinda starred Kate McGowen in the Australian production of the Broadway musical, Titanic
Titanic (musical)
Titanic is a musical with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and a book by Peter Stone that opened on Broadway in 1997. It won five Tony Awards including the award for Best Musical...
alongside her longtime friend and fellow musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
actor Hayden Tee
Hayden Tee
Hayden Tee is a New Zealand actor and singer. He has played varied roles in musical theatre as well as performing in a cabaret act. He is based in Australia, but has performed in New Zealand, the UK and United States.-Early life:...
.
Wollaston is currently starring in the return Brisbane season of 'Respect' alongside Rhonda Burchmore
Rhonda Burchmore
Rhonda Suzanne Burchmore is an Australian entertainer.Born in Sydney, Rhonda has been performing since the age of two, trained in singing, acting and dancing and was awarded a scholarship to the University of New England where she majored in Theatre Arts.She became internationally known for her...
.
Broadway
In early 2006 Wollaston travelled to New York where she worked with some of the theatre world's biggest names, including Stephen SondheimStephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
and Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz (composer)
Stephen Lawrence Schwartz is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell , Pippin and Wicked...
. Wollaston also performed at a number of events including 'Broadway Cares', and at Cabaret venues in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.