Rhonda Suzanne Burchmore OAM (born 15 May 1960) is an Australian entertainer.

Career

Burchmore appeared as Kate in the 1982 film, ''

The Pirate Movie ''The Pirate Movie'' is a 1982 Australian musical romantic comedy film directed by Ken Annakin, and starring Christopher Atkins and Kristy McNichol. Loosely based on Gilbert and Sullivan's 1879 comic opera ''The Pirates of Penzance'', the origi ...

''. Burchmore gave her first Australian theatre performance in the 1988 production of '' Sugar Babies'' opposite

Garry McDonald Garry George McDonald AO (born 30 October 1948) is an Australian actor, satirist and comedian. In a career spanning five decades he has had many theatre, television and film roles, and has been listed as a National Living Treasure. He is bes ...

and

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

performer Eddie Bracken. Later that year, she had a role in the West End production of ''Sugar Babies'' opposite

Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the ...

and

Ann Miller Ann Miller (born Johnnie Lucille Collier; April 12, 1923 – January 22, 2004) was an American retired actress and former dancer. She is best remembered for her work in the Classical Hollywood cinema musicals of the 1940s and 1950s. Her early ...

. Whilst in the U.K, Burchmore was cast in the revival of '' Stop the World – I Want to Get Off'' as well as a role in '' Hot Shoe Shuffle''. In 1997, Burchmore opened Melbourne's

Crown Casino Crown Melbourne (also referred to as Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex) is a casino and resort located on the south bank of the Yarra River, in Melbourne, Australia. Crown Casino is a unit of Crown Limited, and the first casino of th ...

starring in ''Red Hot & Rhonda''. Burchmore had a role of Nadine Hale in Tommy Tune's stage version of

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; yi, ישראל ביילין; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-American composer, songwriter and lyricist. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russ ...

's '' Easter Parade'', slated for Broadway but eventually the project stalled. Burchmore later appeared in another show,

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...

's ''

Into the Woods ''Into the Woods'' is a 1987 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. T ...

'' with the

Melbourne Theatre Company The Melbourne Theatre Company is a theatre company based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1953 as the Union Theatre Repertory Company at the Union Theatre at the University of Melbourne, it is the oldest professional theatre com ...

(MTC). Burchmore released her first album in 1998, the self-titled ''Rhonda Burchmore''. Further albums include ''Midnight Rendezvous'', ''Live at the Melbourne Concert Hall'', ''Pure Imagination'', and a recording of her stage show, ''Cry Me a River – The World of

Julie London Julie London (née Peck; September 26, 1926 – October 18, 2000) was an American singer and actress whose career spanned more than 40 years. A torch singer noted for her sultry, languid contralto vocals, London recorded over thirty album ...

''. In 1999, Burchmore played the lead role in

The Production Company The Production Company was an Australian not-for-profit theatre company that staged a series of usually three musicals at the Arts Centre Melbourne each year, until its closure in 2020. It was launched in 1999 by Jeanne Pratt AC with the goal o ...

's first show, '' Mame''. She also played the roles in '' The Boyfriend'' Jerry's Girls & La Cage Aux Folles for The Production Company, and later returned in a new production of ''Mame'' in 2008. Further roles followed, including Adelaide in an Australian revival of ''

Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on " The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also b ...

'', Tanya in the successful ''

Mamma Mia! Mama(s) or Mamma or Momma may refer to: Roles *Mother, a female parent *Mama-san, in Japan and East Asia, a woman in a position of authority *Mamas, a name for female associates of the Hells Angels Places * Mama, Russia, an urban-type settlemen ...

'', ''

Urinetown The Musical ''Urinetown: The Musical'' is a satirical comedy musical that premiered in 2001, with music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Hollmann and Greg Kotis, and book by Kotis. It satirizes the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bure ...

'', ''

Tom Foolery ''Tomfoolery'' (or ''Tom Foolery'') is a musical revue based on the songs of American satirist Tom Lehrer. Devised and produced by Cameron Mackintosh, it premiered in London at the Criterion Theatre, directed by Gillian Lynne, on 5 June 1980, ...

'', ''Respect: A Musical Journey of Women'', and her own productions; ''Rhonda Burchmore Sings 'n Swings, My Funny Valentines'' and ''Fever''. In 2013, she performed in Trevor Ashley's musical comedy ''Little Orphan trAshley'' with Gary Sweet. Other Australian stage credits include ''

The Drowsy Chaperone ''The Drowsy Chaperone'' is a Canadian musical with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, and a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar. The story concerns a middle-aged, asocial musical theater fan who, feeling "blue", decides to p ...

'' in 2010 with

Geoffrey Rush Geoffrey Roy Rush (born 6 July 1951) is an Australian actor. He is known for his eccentric leading man roles on stage and screen. He is among 24 people who have won the Triple Crown of Acting, having received an Academy Award, a Primetime Emm ...

for the MTC, ''

Song and Dance ''Song and Dance'' is a musical comprising two acts, one told entirely in " Song" and one entirely in "Dance", tied together by a unifying love story. The "Song" act is '' Tell Me on a Sunday'', with lyrics by Don Black and music by Andrew ...

'', '' They're Playing Our Song'' – as one of the alter egos, and Diana in '' Lend Me a Tenor''. With the

Victorian Opera Victorian Opera is an opera company based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The company was founded in 2005 by the Victorian Government as a replacement for the Victoria State Opera. It commenced operations in January 2006 with Richard Gill as ...

Burchmore performed as Queen of the Fairies in ''

Iolanthe ''Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri'' () is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, first performed in 1882. It is one of the Savoy operas and is the seventh of fourteen operatic collaborations by Gilbert ...

'', as Prince Orlofsky in '' Die Fledermaus'' with Joan Carden, in '' Ruddigore'' and ''An Evening with Sondheim''. Burchmore's television credits include regular appearances on '' Carols by Candlelight'', in the variety show ''

Hey Hey It's Saturday ''Hey Hey It's Saturday'' was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 28 years on the Nine Network from 9 October 1971 to 20 November 1999, with a recess in 1978. Its host throughout its entire ...

'', the quiz show '' Spicks and Specks'' and also guest roles in the sitcom ''

Kath & Kim ''Kath & Kim,'' (also written as ''Kath and Kim'') is an Australian sitcom created by Jane Turner and Gina Riley, who portray the title characters of Kath Day-Knight, a cheery, middle-aged suburban mother, and Kim, her self-indulgent daughte ...

'' and on the TV series '' Love Child''. In 2019, it was announced Burchmore had been cast in the role of Grandma Viv in new

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

sitcom, '' Fam Time''. In 2020, Burchmore entered the Jungle to compete in the sixth season of the Australian version of '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'' and was placed third.

Personal life

Burchmore was born in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...

, and attended

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...

Girls High School. She gained a scholarship to the

University of New England University of New England may refer to: * University of New England (Australia), in New South Wales, with about 18,000 students * University of New England (United States), in Biddeford, Maine, with about 3,000 students See also *New England Colle ...

where she majored in Theatre Arts. Burchmore and her husband, Nick, a psychiatrist, have one daughter, Lexie. In 2010 she published her autobiography, ''Legs 11: The Rhonda Burchmore Story'', named after the bingo-based popular epithet for her long-legged physique.

Discography

Albums

Charting singles

Honours

In the January 2014

Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip following days of exploration of Port ...

Honours List Crown Honours Lists are lists of honours conferred upon citizens of the Commonwealth realms. The awards are presented by or in the name of the reigning monarch, currently King Charles III, or his vice-regal representative. New Year Honours Ho ...

Burchmore was awarded a medal of the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Go ...

(OAM) "For service to the performing arts, and to the community."

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Rhonda Burchmore won one award in that time. (wins only) , - , 1999 , Rhonda Burchmore , Female Vocal Variety Performer of the Year , , -

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Burchmore, Rhonda 1960 births Living people University of New England (Australia) alumni Australian musical theatre actresses 20th-century Australian women singers Australian contraltos Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia Australian female dancers I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (Australian TV series) participants Actresses from Sydney Australian stage actresses