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Zahra Newman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Newman in 2021

Zahra Newman is an Australian actress.[1]

Early life and education

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Newman was born in Port Antonio Jamaica and spent her formative years in Kingston before migrating to Australia at the age of 14 with her mother. Her interest in the performing arts was nurtured through her involvement with Father HoLung and Friends, the Caribbean-style music and theatre arts group associated with Missionaries of the Poor. Later, in Brisbane Australia, performance opportunities with Harvest Rain Theatre Company served to cement her passion for and commitment to the stage. She graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2008.[2]

Career

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She appeared as Nabalungi in the original Australian cast of The Book of Mormon.[3]

Newman has performed extensively with leading theatre companies in Melbourne and Sydney. Her theatre credits include Miss Julie, The Effect, The Mountaintop, The Cherry Orchard, Clybourne Park, The Drowsy Chaperone, Richard III and Rockabye for Melbourne Theatre Company; Rosalind in As You Like It for Bell Shakespeare; The Blind Giant is Dancing, Ivanov and Private Lives for Belvoir; Love and Information for Malthouse Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company; The Government Inspector for Belvoir and Malthouse Theatre; and Random for the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Theatre Company and Brisbane Powerhouse.[4] She also appeared in the original Australian cast of the musical An Officer and A Gentleman.[5]

Her television and film credits include Wentworth, Rush, Childhood’s End and Neighbours.[6]

Awards and nominations

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In 2014, Newman was nominated for Helpmann Awards for both Best Female Actor in Play for The Mountaintop and Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for The Government Inspector.[7] She received a Green Room Award for Female Actor for Random in 2012.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
2010 Rush Kara Davidson 2 episodes
2015 Childhood's End Bridget Rodricks Episode: "The Overlords"
2016 Comedy Showroom Fran Wright Episode: "Bleak"
2017 Wentworth Iman Farah 5 episodes
Sisters Felicity 4 episodes
2019 Diary of an Uber Driver Beck 6 episodes [8]
2020 Rosehaven Amy 2 episodes
2020–2021 Neighbours Audrey Hamilton Recurring character
2021 Spreadsheet Helena 8 episodes [9]
2022 Pieces of Her (TV series) Sgt Wilson 2 episodes
2023 Erotic Stories Lelia 1 episode (Imperfect Paw Paw)

Film appearances

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
2023 Our Haunt Abby Short
2022 Thirteen Lives Olivia Taft
2021 Long Story Short Leanne Feature film [10]
2015 Truth Dana Roberson
2012 Hold Lily Short film

Stage

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In 2024, Newman would play all 23 characters in Sydney Theatre Co's Dracula.[11] Newman would also played music legend Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill .[12] In 2023, Newman appeared alongside Bert La Bonté in Fences.[13]

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2024 Dracula Various Sydney Theatre Co [14]
The Hate Race Maxine Sydney Theatre Co [15][16]
2023 Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill Billie Holiday Melbourne [12]
Fences Rose Maxon Sydney Theatre Co [13]
2022 A Raisin in the Sun Ruth Younger Sydney Theatre Co
2021 Girl From North Country Marianne Lane [17]
2019-20 Wakes in Fright John Grant Sydney Theatre Co / Malthouse [18]
2019 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Maggie Sydney Theatre Co [19]
2018 random Various Belvoir St [20]
2016 The Mill on the Floss Maggie [21]
2016 Miss Julie Kristin Sydney Theatre Co
2012 An Officer and a Gentleman Seegar

References

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  1. ^ Bitto, Emily (6–12 July 2019). "Actress Zahra Newman takes on Wake in Fright". The Saturday Paper (250 ed.). Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  2. ^ Blake, Elissa (6 March 2015). "Zahra Newman finds freedom in As You Like It". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  3. ^ "The Book of Mormon (finally!) reveals Australian cast". dailyreview.com.au. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  4. ^ Weber, K.E. (28 July 2011). "Random - Theatrepeople". www.theatrepeople.com.au. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  5. ^ "AusStage - Zahra Newman". www.ausstage.edu.au. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  6. ^ Writer, Staff. "Get To Know Neighbours' Newest Arrival, Audrey Hamilton". 10play.com.au. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Razzle dazzle leads Helpmann nominations". Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  8. ^ Knox, David (15 July 2019). "Airdate: Diary of an Uber Driver | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  9. ^ Knox, David (12 July 2021). "Spreadsheet begins production in Melbourne | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  10. ^ Kornits, Dov (26 August 2019). "Josh Lawson commences Sydney shoot on Long Story Short". FilmInk. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  11. ^ Johnson, Travis (19 July 2024). "Kip Williams Taps into the immortal Dracula". timeout.com. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  12. ^ a b Bloom, Heather (30 October 2023). "Lady Day at Emersons Bar and Grill - Australian Stage Online". australianstage.com.au. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  13. ^ a b Review, Arts (25 March 2023). "August Wilson's Fences to have Australian premiere at Sydney Theatre Company". Australian Arts Review. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  14. ^ Story, Hannah (14 July 2024). "Why this new adaptation of Dracula starring one woman in 23 roles is about the 'monster within'". ABC News. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  15. ^ O'Brien, Kerrie (16 February 2024). "This one-person stage show is an unflinching look at '70s schoolyard racism in Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  16. ^ Nguyen, Giselle Au-Nhien (29 February 2024). "The Hate Race review – Zahra Newman is brilliant in Maxine Beneba Clarke's one-woman show". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  17. ^ Bergman, Gabi (31 January 2022). "GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY: Proving that music transcends all else". AussieTheatre.com. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  18. ^ Elphick, Nicole (1 February 2020). "Zahra Newman 'breaks' the Australian classic Wake in Fright". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  19. ^ Lilson, Jo. "★★★☆☆ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Sydney Theatre Company)". Limelight. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  20. ^ Nyugen, Justine (30 October 2018). "★★★★☆ random (Belvoir St Theatre)". Limelight. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  21. ^ Woodhead, Cameron (31 July 2016). "The Mill on the Floss review: Superb performances flow through Eliot adaptation". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
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