Jill Perryman
Encyclopedia
Jill Perryman AM MBE is an Australia
n stage actress and singer, born in Melbourne
. Her parents and her sister (Diana Perryman) were all prominent in Australian theatre. At the age of 19, she joined J.C. Williamson Theatres Ltd as a member of the chorus and in 1953 was understudying leading roles in stage musicals, including Evie Hayes
in the Australian production of Call Me Madam
.
Perryman was strong in voice and personality and a long series of understudy and small roles eventually led her, through the recommendation of John McCallum
, who was then joint managing director of J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd, to take the lead in the key Australian production of Funny Girl, a performance that won her an Erik Award for Best Actress and led to major roles in other productions. These included I Do! I Do!
in 1969; The Two of Us
in 1971. No, No, Nanette
in 1972 won her another Erik Award for Best Actress for her role as Lucille Early, then in 1973 she starred in A Little Night Music
. In 1976 she played Gladys Zilch in Leading Lady
, a musical production created especially for her. She also toured during 1977 in Side By Side By Sondheim
. She played Miss Hannigan in Annie
in 1978.
She married Western Australia
n dancer-choreographer Kevan Johnston and their son is media personality Tod Johnston
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n stage actress and singer, born 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...
. Her parents and her sister (Diana Perryman) were all prominent in Australian theatre. At the age of 19, she joined J.C. Williamson Theatres Ltd as a member of the chorus and in 1953 was understudying leading roles in stage musicals, including Evie Hayes
Evie Hayes
Vina Evelyn Hayes , better known as Evie Hayes, was an American-born actor best known for her stage success in Australia. Born in Seattle, she appeared on stage from an early age and worked steadily in vaudeville, radio and nightclubs. She was leading lady for Will Mahoney, to whom she was later...
in the Australian production of Call Me Madam
Call Me Madam
Call Me Madam is a musical with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse and music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.A satire on politics and foreign affairs that spoofs America's penchant for lending billions of dollars to needy countries, it centers on Sally Adams, a well-meaning but ill-informed...
.
Perryman was strong in voice and personality and a long series of understudy and small roles eventually led her, through the recommendation of John McCallum
John McCallum
John McCallum, PC, MP is a Liberal Canadian politician, economist and university professor. Following the 2006 Federal Election, he became the Liberal Finance Critic in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet...
, who was then joint managing director of J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd, to take the lead in the key Australian production of Funny Girl, a performance that won her an Erik Award for Best Actress and led to major roles in other productions. These included I Do! I Do!
I Do! I Do!
I Do! I Do! is a musical with a book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt which is based on the Jan de Hartog play The Fourposter. The two-character story spans fifty years, from 1895 to 1945, as it focuses on the ups and downs experienced by Agnes and Michael Snow throughout their...
in 1969; The Two of Us
The Two of Us (play)
The Two of Us is a 1970 play by British playwright Michael Frayn. It consists of four one-act plays for two actors and is Frayn's first published play.It was first performed at the Garrick Theatre by Richard Briers and Lynn Redgrave....
in 1971. No, No, Nanette
No, No, Nanette
No, No, Nanette is a musical comedy with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach, music by Vincent Youmans, and a book by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel, based on Mandel's 1919 Broadway play My Lady Friends...
in 1972 won her another Erik Award for Best Actress for her role as Lucille Early, then in 1973 she starred in A Little Night Music
A Little Night Music
A Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a literal English translation of the German name for Mozart's Serenade...
. In 1976 she played Gladys Zilch in Leading Lady
Leading lady
Leading lady is an informal term for the actress who plays a secondary lead or supporting role, usually a love interest, to the leading actor in a film or play. It is not usually applied to the leading actress in the performance if her character is the protagonist.A leading lady can also be an...
, a musical production created especially for her. She also toured during 1977 in Side By Side By Sondheim
Side By Side By Sondheim
Side by Side by Sondheim is a musical revue featuring the songs of Broadway and film composer Stephen Sondheim. Its title is derived from the song "Side by Side by Side" from Company.-History:...
. She played Miss Hannigan in Annie
Annie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
in 1978.
She married Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
n dancer-choreographer Kevan Johnston and their son is media personality Tod Johnston
Tod Johnston
Tod Johnston is an entertainer from Perth, Western Australia.He was born in Sydney, the son of stage actress Jill Perryman and choreographer Kevan Johnston....
.