Sally McKenzie

Sally McKenzie
Sally McKenzie in 2017
Born (1955-02-08) 8 February 1955
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
EducationNational Institute of Dramatic Art, Queensland University of Technology, Flinders University
Occupations
  • Actress
  • director
  • dramatist/playwright
  • screenwriter
Years active1976–present
Children2

Sally McKenzie (born Sarah[1] 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.[2] She was awarded a Master of Fine Arts from the Queensland University of Technology in 1996.[3]

Early life and education

Sally May McKenzie was born on 8 February 1955[4] 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[5] who established 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 before moving to Sydney to study acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).[6]

Career

McKenzie graduated from NIDA in 1977.[7] In 1978 McKenzie performed under the direction of Peter Schumann with the Bread & Puppet Theater at the Adelaide Festival and understudied all the female roles for the Queensland Theatre Company (QTC) touring production of King Lear in which Warren Mitchell played Lear and Geoffrey Rush played the Fool.[8] In 1979 she was part of the Early Childhood Drama Project[9] the professional arm at La Boite Theatre Company where she performed in numerous productions including The Hills Family Show.[10]

In 1980 McKenzie was a member of the TN! Theatre Company inaugural ensemble performing Jenny Diver in The Threepenny Opera under the baton of Georg Tintner.[11] In 1981 she played Lavinia Mannon in Mourning Becomes Electra for QTC[12] a role she reprised for the Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) directed by Michael Blakemore.[13]

Several productions with MTC followed including the title role in The Good Person of Szechwan by Bertolt Brecht[14] and the role of Beatrice-Joanna in The Changeling under the direction of John Sumner.[15] She performed in the Australian premiere of Top Girls by Caryl Churchill with the Nimrod Theatre Company in Sydney.[16] During this time under the direction of Bud Tingwell, McKenzie played 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.[6]

In 1985 McKenzie played the role of Lady Macbeth for the QTC.[17] She appeared in 20 productions for this company including several premiere productions of plays by David Williamson under the direction of Aubrey Mellor. McKenzie returned to study in 1995 and was awarded a Master of Fine Arts in 1996.[6]

As a playwright McKenzie's plays include Scattered Lives, Martha's War on War, i dot luv dot u☺ and WAY.[18] A review of WAY in Stage Whispers said: "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".[19]

As a screenwriter and director works include documentary Actingclassof1977.com which looks at actor training in Australia in the late 1970s.[20] The film features Steve Bisley, Mel Gibson and Debra Lawrance and first aired on the ABC in June 2008.[21] McKenzie won an Australian Writers' Guild AWGIE Award for Best Documentary Public Broadcast in 2014.[22]

In 2018 McKenzie was awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts Fellowship Medal for her research and subsequent paper 'Developing Australian Playwrights and their Plays'.[23] For this paper she interviewed writers for both screen and stage living in the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom. The interviewees included Tony Kushner, Christopher Hampton, David Henry Hwang, Mike Leigh, Robert Lepage, David Lindsay-Abaire, Hannah Moscovitch, Judith Thompson and Enda Walsh.[24]

Filmography

Film

Title Year Role Type
Cathy's Child[25] 1979 Young Nun Feature film
We of the Never Never[26] 1982 Carrie Feature film
Undercover[27] 1983 Shop Assistant Feature film
The Schippan Mystery[28] 1984 Mary Schippan TV film
Tripe[29] 1985 Aunt Esme Short film
Sharkey's Party 1986 Penny Short film
With Love to the Person Next to Me[30] 1987 Gail Feature film
The Lonely Ones 1988 Mother Short film
Redheads[31] 1994 Warden Zelda Feature film
Mermaids[32] 2003 Georgia TV film
Sniffer[33] 2003 Aunt Magda Short film
The Diamond Cutter[34] 2003 Zelma (voice) TV film
Actingclassof1977.com[21] 2008 Herself TV film
Storage[35] 2009 Carol Feature film
Jucy[36] 2010 Ros Feature film
The Day After Today[37] 2014 Angela Short film
Mopoke Lake Enigma TBA Lorna Feature film

Television

Title Year Role Type
Cop Shop[38][39] 1983 Lynn TV series, 2 hour special
Carson's Law[40][41] 1983-84 Emily Forrest TV series
Special Squad[42] 1984 Rosetta TV series
Mother and Son[43] 1985 Sergeant Watts TV series
Prisoner[44][45] 1986 Roo Morgan TV series
Rafferty's Rules[46] 1987 Constable Prior TV series
A Country Practice[47][48] 1988 Phyllis Greenway TV series
The Leaving of Liverpool[49] 1993 Official Woman TV series
The Flying Doctors 1995 Patsy Goldfisch TV series
Fire[50] 1995 Fai Alicis TV series
The Wayne Manifesto[51] 1996-97 Ms Cunningham TV series
Fat Cow Motel[52] 2003 Eleanor Rigby TV miniseries
Mortified[53] 2006-07 Mystic Marj TV series
Reef Doctors[54] 2013 Gracie TV series
Harrow[55] 2019 Beverly McIntyre TV series
Fires[56] 2021 Dell TV series
Apple Cider Vinegar[57][58] 2025 Amy TV series

Theatre

[59]

YearPlayWriter(s)RoleNotes
1976[60] As You Like It William Shakespeare Rosalind Performed at NIDA with Steve Bisley
1976[61] Miss Hook of Holland Austen Hurgon, Paul Rubens Chorus Performed at NIDA Director Aubrey Mellor
1977[62]Mother and SonLouis EssonMrs. LindPerformed at NIDA With Mel Gibson
1977[63]The HostageBrendan BehanKate/MegPerformed at NIDA Shared role with Judy Davis
1977[64]Once in a LifetimeGeorge S. Kaufman, Moss HartVariousPerformed at NIDA Director Richard Wherrett
1978Bread & Puppet TheaterGroup DevisedEnsembleAdelaide Festival Director Peter Schumann
1978[65]Razzle, DazzleGroup DevisedVariousThe Actors' Company. Director Steve Agnew
1979[66]VisionsLouis NowraMadame LynchLa Boite Theatre Company Director John Milson
1979[67]The Hills Family ShowAustralian Performing GroupAlexandra HillsLa Boite Theatre Company Director Richard Fotheringham
1979They Shoot Horses, Don't They?Horace McCoyGloria BeattyLa Boite Theatre Company Director David Bell
1980[11]The Threepenny OperaBertolt Brecht, Kurt WeillJenny DiverTN! Theatre Company Director John Milson
1980[68]The Importance of Being EarnestOscar WildeGwendolen FairfaxTN! Theatre Company Director John Milson
1980[69]Summit ConferenceRobert David MacDonaldEva BraunTN! Theatre Company Director John Milson
1980[12]Mourning Becomes ElectraEugene O'NeillLavinia MannonQueensland Theatre Company Director Robin Lovejoy
1980[70]Happy EndBertolt Brecht, Kurt WeillLillian HolidayQ Theatre. Director Doreen Warburton
1981[13]Mourning Becomes Electra Part OneEugene O'NeillLavinia MannonMelbourne Theatre Company Director Michael Blakemore
1981[71]Mourning Becomes Electra Part TwoEugene O'NeillLavinia MannonMelbourne Theatre Company Director Michael Blakemore
1981[14]The Good Person of SzechwanBertolt BrechtShen TeMelbourne Theatre Company Director Bruce Myles
1981[72]The London CuckoldsEdward RavenscroftPeggyMelbourne Theatre Company Director Simon Chilvers
1981[73]AmadeusPeter ShafferConstanze WeberMelbourne Theatre Company Director John Sumner
1981[74]A Cuckoo in the NestBen TraversMarguerite HickettMelbourne Theatre Company Director Simon Chilvers
1982[15]The ChangelingThomas Middleton, William RowleyBeatrice-JoannaMelbourne Theatre Company Director John Sumner
1982[75]VocationsAlma De GroenVickiMelbourne Theatre Company Director Graeme Blundell
1983[76]The Fields of Heaven Dorothy HewettLucia SilvieriSydney Theatre Company Director Rodney Fisher
1983[16]Top GirlsCaryl ChurchillDulle Gret/AngieNimrod Theatre Company Director Chris Johnson
1984[77]A Toast to MelbaJack HibberdEnsembleNimrod Theatre Company Director John Milson
1985[17]MacbethWilliam ShakespeareLady MacbethQueensland Theatre Company Director Gregory Gesch
1987[78] Hamlet William Shakespeare Gertrude Phillip St Theatre Director Beverly Blankenship
1987[79]GlorySteve J. SpearsGloryGriffin Theatre Company Director Ray Goodlass
1988[80]The Sentimental BlokeC. J. Dennis, Graeme BlundellRoseQueensland Theatre Company Director Gregory Gesch
1988[81] Les Liaisons DangereusesPierre Choderlos de Laclos, Christopher HamptonÉmilieQueensland Theatre Company Director Alan Edwards
1988[82]Night and DayTom StoppardRuth CarsonQueensland Theatre Company Director Gregory Gesch
1988[83]Beach Blanket TempestDenis Watkins, Chris HarriottRegineTN! Theatre Company Director Sean Mee
1989[84]The Man from MukinupinDorothy HewettClemmy HummerQueensland Theatre Company Director Aubrey Mellor
1990[85]SherWoodstockVariousMother HoodSatirical music theatre. Director Sean Mee
1990[86]Top SilkDavid WilliamsonJane FredericksQueensland Theatre Company Director Aubrey Mellor
1990[87]The Ring CycleRichard Wagner, David BellFrikaQueensland Performing Arts Centre Director David Bell
1991[88]Phantoad of the OperaVariousGingerSatirical music theatre. Director Sean Mee
1991[89]Seven Little AustraliansEthel Turner, David ReevesMartha/Miss JollyQueensland Theatre Company Director Alan Edwards
1991[90]Burn ThisLanford WilsonAnnaLa Boite Theatre Company Director Jennifer Flowers
1991[91]Money and FriendsDavid WilliamsonVicki CalabresiQueensland Theatre Company Director Aubrey Mellor
1992[92]Money and FriendsDavid WilliamsonVicki CalabresiSydney Theatre Company
1992[93]Money and FriendsDavid WilliamsonVicki CalabresiMelbourne Theatre Company
1992[94]Money and FriendsDavid WilliamsonVicki CalabresiState Theatre Company of South Australia
1992[95]FuenteovejunaLope de VegaEnsembleMelbourne International Arts Festival Director Aubrey Mellor
1993[96]Romeo and JulietWilliam ShakespeareLady CapuletQueensland Theatre Company Director Aubrey Mellor
1993[97]Diving for PearlsKatherine ThomsonMargQueensland Theatre Company Director David Berthold
1994[98]Dancing at LughnasaBrian FrielMaggieQueensland Theatre Company Director Jennifer Flowers
1994[99]The Servant of Two MastersCarlo GoldoniEnsembleQueensland Performing Arts Centre Director Steven Gration
1994[100]Happy Birthday TimSally McKenzieMumQueensland Performing Arts Centre Director Sean Mee
1997[101]After the BallDavid WilliamsonMaureenQueensland Theatre Company Director Robyn Nevin
1997[102]After the BallDavid WilliamsonMaureenTheatre Royal, Hobart, Arts Centre Melbourne
2000[103]Top DogsUrs WidmerPenelope McDonaldQueensland Theatre Company Director Jennifer Flowers
2002[104]SaltPeta MurrayMegLa Boite Theatre Company Director Michael Futcher
2003[105]A ConversationDavid WilliamsonBarbara MilsonQueensland Theatre Company Director Jean-Marc Russ
2004[106]The Cherry OrchardAnton ChekhovLyubov RanevskayaQueensland Theatre Company Director Michael Gow
2004[107]AmigosDavid WilliamsonHilaryLa Boite Theatre Company Director Sean Mee
2005[108]The Memory of WaterShelagh StephensonViQueensland Theatre Company Director Leticia Cáceres
2007[109]Red CapJanis Balodis, Iain GrandageEnsembleLa Boite Theatre Company Director Sean Mee
2007[110]The Wishing WellHelen Howard, Michael FutcherEnsembleLa Boite Theatre Company Director Michael Futcher
2009[111]The School of ArtsBille BrownGwen FrawleyQueensland Theatre Company Playhouse Theatre, Brisbane. Director Michael Gow
2009[112]The School of ArtsBille BrownGwen FrawleyPilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton
2012[113]A HoaxRick ViedeRonnieLa Boite Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre Company Director Lee Lewis
2022[114]BettyJules AllenRoseTheatre Works Director Iain Sinclair
2023[115]WaySally McKenzieLily, Lynne, Maysie, ZahraLa Mama Theatre (Melbourne) Director Sean Mee
2024[116] Way Sally McKenzie Lily, Lynne, Maysie, Zahra fortyfivedownstairs Director Sean Mee

Awards

Year Work Award Result
1983 Cop Shop Penguin Award Best Single Performance by an Actress in a Serial[6] Won
2014 A Woman's Journey into Sex Australian Writers' Guild AWGIE Award Best Documentary Public Broadcast[22] Won

References

  1. ↑ State of New South Wales birth certificate number 4339/1955
  2. ↑ Oddy, Julian. "Sally McKenzie". Doollee.com: Database of playwrights and theatre plays. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  3. ↑ "Sally McKenzie Qld 2017". Winston Churchill Trust. 18 February 2025.
  4. ↑ "Sally McKenzie". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  5. ↑ "Biographical cuttings on Morna Jones". National Library of Australia. 22 February 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Sally McKenzie's Brief Bio". The Coalface. 23 February 2025.
  7. ↑ "All alumni". NIDA. 22 February 2025.
  8. ↑ "King Lear". AusStage: The Australian Live Performance Database. 17 February 2025.
  9. ↑ "The Early Childhood Drama Project (ECDP) 1975 to 1982". La Boite Theatre. 10 May 2015.
  10. ↑ "The Hills Family Show". La Boite Theatre.
  11. 1 2 "The Threepenny Opera". AusStage. 17 February 2025.
  12. 1 2 "Mourning Becomes Electra QTC". AusStage. 17 February 2025.
  13. 1 2 "Mourning Becomes Electra MTC". AusStage. 17 February 2025.
  14. 1 2 "The Good Person of Setzuan". AusStage. 17 February 2025.
  15. 1 2 "The Changeling". AusStage. 17 February 2025.
  16. 1 2 "Top Girls". AusStage. 17 February 2025.
  17. 1 2 "Macbeth". AusStage. 17 February 2025.
  18. ↑ "Sally McKenzie". AusLit. 18 February 2025.
  19. ↑ "Way". Stage Whispers. 18 February 2025.
  20. ↑ Murray, Elicia; Maddox, Garry (15 May 2008). "Mel opens up, but ever so fleetingly". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
  21. 1 2 "The Acting Class of 1977". IMDb Internet Movie Database. 28 December 2018.
  22. 1 2 "47th Annual AWGIE Awards Winners Announced". Australian Writers' Guild. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  23. ↑ "Churchill Fellows Findings in 2019". 17 December 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  24. ↑ "To research screenwriting tenets within playwriting contexts and institutions with playwriting courses". Winston Churchill Trust. 18 February 2025.
  25. ↑ "Cathy's Child (1979) Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  26. ↑ "We of the Never Never (1982) Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  27. ↑ "Undercover (1983) Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  28. ↑ "The Schippan Mystery". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  29. ↑ "Tripe". IMDb. 22 February 2021.
  30. ↑ "With Love to the Person Next to Me". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  31. ↑ "Redheads (1992) Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  32. ↑ "Mermaids". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  33. ↑ "Sniffer". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  34. ↑ "The Diamond Cutter". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  35. ↑ "Storage". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  36. ↑ "Jucy". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  37. ↑ "The Day After Today". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  38. ↑ "Cop Shop Episode #1.499". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  39. ↑ "Cop Shop Episode #1.500". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  40. ↑ "The Lunatic". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  41. ↑ "The Sisters". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  42. ↑ "Farewell to a Comrade". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  43. ↑ "The Neighbours". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  44. ↑ "Episode #8.78". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  45. ↑ "The Blackmoor Riot". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  46. ↑ "Pilot". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  47. ↑ "Love Hurts: Part 1". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  48. ↑ "Love Hurts: Part 2". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  49. ↑ "The Leaving of Liverpool (1993 TV Movie) Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  50. ↑ "Evening Star". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  51. ↑ "Amy Pastrami Day". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  52. ↑ "Fat Cow Motel 13 episodes". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  53. ↑ "Mortified 26 episodes". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  54. ↑ "Episode #1.5". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  55. ↑ "Locus Poenitentiae". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  56. ↑ "Episode #1.5". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  57. ↑ "Toxic". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  58. ↑ "Clean Sheets". IMDb. 22 February 2025.
  59. ↑ "AusStage – Sally McKenzie". Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  60. ↑ "As You Like It". AusStage. 20 April 2025.
  61. ↑ "Miss Hook of Holland". AusStage. 20 April 2025.
  62. ↑ "Mother and Son". AusStage. 19 February 2025.
  63. ↑ "The Hostage". AusStage. 19 February 2025.
  64. ↑ "Once in a Lifetime". AusStage. 19 February 2025.
  65. ↑ "Razzle, Dazzle, The Silver Screen Blues". AusStage. 19 February 2025.
  66. ↑ "Visions". AusStage. 19 February 2025.
  67. ↑ ""Hills Family Show"". AusStage.
  68. ↑ "The Importance of Being Earnest". AusStage. 19 February 2025.
  69. ↑ "Summit Conference". AusStage. 19 February 2025.
  70. ↑ "Happy End". AusStage. 19 February 2025.
  71. ↑ "Mourning Becomes Electra Part Two". AusStage. 19 February 2025.
  72. ↑ "The London Cuckolds". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  73. ↑ "Amadeus". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  74. ↑ "A Cuckoo in the Nest". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  75. ↑ "Vocations". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  76. ↑ "The Fields of Heaven". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  77. ↑ "A Toast to Melba". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  78. ↑ "Hamlet". AusStage. 20 April 2025.
  79. ↑ "Glory". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  80. ↑ "The Sentimental Bloke". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  81. ↑ "Les Liaisons Dangereuses". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  82. ↑ "Night and Day". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  83. ↑ "Beach Blanket Tempest". AusState. 20 February 2025.
  84. ↑ "The Man from Mukinupin". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  85. ↑ "SherWoodstock". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  86. ↑ "Top Silk". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  87. ↑ "The Ring Cycle". AusState. 20 February 2025.
  88. ↑ "Phantoad of the Opera". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  89. ↑ "Seven Little Australians". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  90. ↑ "Burn This". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  91. ↑ "Money and Friends QTC". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  92. ↑ "Money and Friends STC". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  93. ↑ "Money and Friends MTC". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  94. ↑ "Money and Friends STCSA". AusStage. 20 February 2025.
  95. ↑ "Fuente Ovejuna". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  96. ↑ "Romeo and Juliet". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  97. ↑ "Diving for Pearls". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  98. ↑ "Dancing at Lughnasa". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  99. ↑ "The Servant of Two Masters". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  100. ↑ "Happy Birthday Tim". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  101. ↑ "After the Ball". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  102. ↑ "After the Ball". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  103. ↑ "Top Dogs". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  104. ↑ "Salt". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  105. ↑ "A Conversation". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  106. ↑ "The Cherry Orchard". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  107. ↑ "Amigos". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  108. ↑ "The Memory of Water". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  109. ↑ "Red Cap". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  110. ↑ "The Wishing Well". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  111. ↑ "The School of Arts". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  112. ↑ "The School of Arts". AusStage. 2021.
  113. ↑ "A Hoax". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  114. ↑ "Betty". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  115. ↑ "Way". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
  116. ↑ "Way". AusStage. 21 February 2025.
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