Virginia Gay

Virginia Gay
Born (1981-09-16) 16 September 1981
Sydney, Australia
Occupation Actress

Virginia Gay (born 16 September 1981) is an Australian actress most known for her work on the Australian TV dramas Winners & Losers (as Frances James), and All Saints (as Gabrielle Jaeger).

Education

Born in Sydney,[1] Gay attended Summer Hill Public School and Newtown High School of the Performing Arts in Sydney as a drama and music student.[2] She studied English Literature and Performance Studies at Sydney University and was a member of the Sydney University Dramatic Society from 2001 to 2003. She left university and enrolled at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).[3]

Career

Still at WAAPA, Gay originally auditioned for the character of Ricky on All Saints but was unsuccessful. But she impressed the directors so much that after graduation in 2006, she was called in to audition for the role of Gabrielle Jaeger.[4] She appeared in the final four seasons of the show, appearing from 2006 until 2009.

In 2008, she appeared with Ian Moss (of Cold Chisel fame) as her professional partner on the reality series It Takes Two; they came third in the series.[5][6] Gay and Moss made It Takes Two history, scoring a 10 from judge Ross Wilson in their first performance on the show.[7]

In October 2008, Gay was a part of the cast in a concert performance of the musical Breast Wishes in support of Breast Cancer.[8]

In February/March 2009, Gay was asked to replace Shane Jenek (Courtney Act) in the production Gentlemen Prefer Blokes for the Mardi Gras festival, as Jenek injured his leg in a ski accident.

Since March 2011, Gay has portrayed Frances James in the TV series Winners & Losers on the Seven Network.[9]

During August 2012 Gay performed her Cabaret show Dirty Pretty Songs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in The Famous Spiegeltent.[10]

In 2016 Virginia Gay became a regular guest panelist on "The Book Club ABC" hosted by Jennifer Byrne. She was most noted for her passionate love of "Gaudy Night" by Dorothy L Sayers which she championed, along with Australian author Toni Jordan, as one of the greatest love stories of all time. This opinion was not shared by regular panelist, Marieke Hardy, who felt the book was boring and involved people going "ape shit" over spilled ink. No animosity was held in real life.

Also in 2016 Virginia Gay performed in "Calamity Jane" as the titular character in "Hayes Theatre Co's" production in Potts Point Sydney. Lyrics were by Paul Frances Webster. Music by Sammy Fain. Adapted by Ronald Hanmer and Phil Park from the stage play by Charles K.Freeman after the Warner Bros. Film written by James O’Hanlon. It was directed by Richard Carroll with musical director Nigel Ubrihien and producer Michelle Guthrie. The choreographer was Cameron Mitchell. The show ran from August 3-7. It was well received by audiences.

Personal life

In June 2008, Gay was the victim of a violent assault by two men in the suburb of Marrickville in Sydney. The men then went on to murder chef Daniel Owen.[11][12]

Charity work

In May 2009, Gay was the national ambassador for Cystic Fibrosis Australia's annual awareness and fundraising campaign 65 Roses Day.[13] Gay also attends the Good Friday Appeal held in Melbourne every year to support the Royal Children's Hospital.

References

  1. ↑ Nunn, Louise (6 June 2013). "Virginia Gay turns tragedy into Cabaret Festival dynamite". The Advertiser. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Principal's Report", Newtown High School of the Performing Arts Parent Newsletter, Issue 7, September 2006 (358 KB)
  3. ↑ Gay, Virginia (20 May 2015). "'It wasn't all kulcha': Virginia Gay remembers her years at the Sydney University Drama Society". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Virginia Gay Plays Frances James". Prime7. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Dirty Pretty Songs" review by Lauren Sherritt, Australian Stage, 22 June 2012
  6. ↑ "Virginia Gay plays Frances James", Winners & Losers, Yahoo!7
  7. ↑ It takes Two episode guide, tv.com
  8. ↑ "Breast Wishes: Gala Concert Performance", Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay (October 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2009)
  9. ↑ Devlyn, Darren (20 September 2010). "Channel 7 hoping for a winner about losers". Herald Sun. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  10. ↑ Bell, Jo (2012-08-21). "Virginia Gay – Dirty, Pretty Songs". Edinburghfestival.list.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  11. ↑ "All Saints star Virginia Gay bashed in deadly rampage", The Sun-Herald (20 June 2008)
  12. ↑ "All Saints star attacked", ABC News (19 June 2008)
  13. ↑ "Virginia Gay 65 Roses Day Cystic Fibrosis Ambassador". Melbourne.jollypeople.com. 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
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