Caroline O'Connor Revealed as an Honoree For The Australian Theatre Festival NYC 2023 Gala

Co-Artistic Directors & Executive Producers Mark Barford, Connor Delves & Jillian Geurts has announced Caroline O'Connor as an honoree for the Australian Theatre Festival NYC 2023 Gala.

To be held at The Players Club, a prestigious theatrical club on Gramercy Park, the Gala will take place on Sunday September 10, 2023, and is supported by The Australian Consulate-General New York.

Now in its fourth year, the festival celebrates Australian stories & artists in New York City.

The Gala will honor 3 Australians who have contributed to the artistic and expat community here in New York and will feature performances by NY-based Australian artists. It will be an evening to celebrate Australian achievements in the U.S and contribute to both building community and furthering the bonds between our two countries.

Tickets for the 2023 Gala go on sale Friday July 14 at www.australiantheatrefestival.com

Caroline O'Connor has the kind of career most performers dream of. From Australia to the theatres of New York's Broadway and London's West End, and the world's preeminent concert stages, she remains one of the most respected, admired and sought after triple threats internationally.

In 2020 she was awarded an AM (Order of Australia) for her extraordinary service to Theatre.

Caroline began her professional career as a ballet dancer with the Australian Opera after studying at the esteemed Royal Ballet School in London.

In Australia, Caroline's credits are firmly stamped in theatrical history. In addition to the recognition she received for her roles as Velma Kelly in Chicago (Mo Award, Green Room Award, Australian Dance Award), Anita in West Side Story (Mo Award, Green Room Award) and Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, Caroline also garnered accolades for her peerless interpreting of Edith Piaf in Piaf (Helpmann Award, Green Room Award), Judy Garland in the world premiere of End of the Rainbow (Helpmann Award, Sydney Stage Award) and Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes (Helpmann Award). She played Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (State Theatre, Melbourne) and created the roles of Polly/ Mary Douvan in Dream Lover. She starred in MTC's production of Kiss Of The Spiderwoman and Rose in Gypsy (State Theatre, Melbourne) and Dolly Parton's 9 to 5.

Bombshells was commissioned by Simon Phillips (Melbourne Theatre Company) and written for Caroline by award winning playwright, Joanna Murray-Smith. It played in Australia before touring to sell-out performances at the Edinburgh Festival (Fringe First Award) in America and Canada and the Arts Theatre in London (Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play) and was filmed for the ABC.

Renowned Australian playwright David Williamson penned the play Scarlett O'Hara at the Crimson Parrot for Caroline.

Caroline came to world attention as tango dancing Nini Legs in the Air in Baz Luhrmann's film Moulin Rouge. She played Ethel Merman in the Cole Porter biopic De-Lovely, starred in the Australian film Surviving Georgia and as Sheila Cruz in the ABC's Carlotta.

On Broadway : Velma Kelly in Chicago at the Schubert and Ambassador Theatres. She originated the role of (Miss) Shields in A Christmas Story: The Musical at the Lunt Fontanne Theatre and then Madison Square Garden. She performed the musical's showstopper You'll Shoot Your Eye Out, at The 67th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall. Caroline created the role of Lily Malevsky-Malevitch in the world premiere of Anastasia the Musical at the Broadhurst Theatre (Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Award Nominee)

US credits include : Sarah Jane Moore in Assassins (Milwaukee Rep), Phyllis in Follies (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Bombshells (Milwaukee Rep), The Hatpin (NYMF) and her solo concert The Girl from Oz at New York's landmark jazz club, Birdland.

West End: Mabel Normand in Jerry Herman's Mack and Mabel (Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical) Street Scene and On the Town for the English National Opera. Romance Romance, Life of the Party, Budgie, Matador, Talent, Hot Stuff, Me and My Girl and Cabaret. Other UK theatre credits include Gypsy, Chicago, West Side Story, Hold Tight it's 60s Night, Showboat, Baby, Salt of the Earth, Damn Yankees, A Chorus Line, Into The Woods and The Rink , Southwark Playhouse (Best Actress, Off West End Awards)

Caroline became the "toast of Paris" in La Monde when she played Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd at the Chatelet Theatre.

Caroline had the honour of headlining the BBC Proms' Hooray for Hollywood concert, Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday Concert and Kander and Ebb's Night of 1000 Voices Salute , all at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, London. Caroline's solo show The Showgirl Within was produced at London's Garrick Theatre.

Concert performances worldwide: From Broadway to La Scala, From Broadway with Love (Sydney City Recital Hall), Bernstein's New York with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (Sydney Opera House) A Tribute to the Musical (Palermo, Sicily), Hollywood Symphony (Lille, France), Charlie Chaplin's Smile (Amsterdam) American Songbook - Andrew Lippa and Friends at the Lincoln Center, NY.

Caroline has recorded four solo CDs, What I did for Love, Stage to Screen, A Tribute to Piaf and A Tribute to Garland. @carolineoconnorofficially