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Tara Morice

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Tara Morice
Morice in 2012
Born (1964-06-23) 23 June 1964 (age 60)[1]
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Occupation(s)Actress, singer, dancer
Years active1980–present

Tara Morice (born 23 June 1964) is an Australian actress, singer and dancer.

Background

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Born in Hobart, Tasmania, Morice also lived in Sydney, Alice Springs and Adelaide as a child. She is a fifth-generation Australian and is of English, Irish, Scottish, Latvian, French and Jewish ancestry.[2] She appeared in a short film for the Tasmanian Film Corporation in 1980, The ABC of Unions.[3] She made her stage debut at Australia's oldest theatre, the Theatre Royal in Hobart in The Diary of Anne Frank, aged 16. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Australian History and English from the Australian National University and graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1987.

Career

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She has worked extensively on stage in Australia, including productions for the Sydney Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare Company, Griffin Theatre Company, Belvoir Theatre Company, State Theatre of South Australia, Queensland Theatre Company, Malthouse and the Ensemble.

Tara played Fran in Strictly Ballroom when it premiered as a stage play in 1988, and she was a member of Baz Luhrmann's Six Years Old Company.[4]

For her work in musical theatre, she has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Fat Swan 2012 Helpmann Awards and a Victorian Green Room Award for The Venetian Twins.

Her first film appearance was as Fran in the 1992 film Strictly Ballroom (directed by Baz Luhrmann), for which she was nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Actress in a Leading Role[5] and an Australian Film Institute award. Morice also appeared on the film's soundtrack, singing a duet of Time After Time with Mark Williams.

Morice has also appeared in the feature films Metal Skin, Hotel Sorrento, Hildegarde, Moulin Rouge!, Candy, Razzle Dazzle: A Journey Into Dance, Oranges and Sunshine, Dance Academy: The Movie and Peter Rabbit 2. Her many short films include the Oscar nominated Miracle Fish.

Her television work includes roles in Answered by Fire, After the Deluge, Salem's Lot and McLeod's Daughters. Morice had a starring role in the series of three Dogwoman telemovies with Magda Szubanski in 2000. She also plays Miss Raine in Series 1, 2 and 3 of Dance Academy for ABC/ZDF.

She wrote and directed the documentary My Biggest Fan, about her correspondence and friendship with an American great-grandmother, Mildred Levine, who wrote to her after seeing Strictly Ballroom. The film premiered at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, and was broadcast on the SBS network in Australia in 2008.[6]

Morice has a daughter, Ondine Morice Pearce, who was the stills photographer (at age 11) on My Biggest Fan.[7]

She re-recorded Time After Time for Baz Luhrmann's album Something for Everybody and sang on the Strictly Ballroom, Razzle Dazzle: A Journey Into Dance and My Biggest Fan soundtracks.

Tara played Shell in the premiere of the Australian musical The Deb at the Rebel Theatre in Sydney 2022 and in The Deb directed by Rebel Wilson, its World Premiere slated for closing night at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.

In 2024 Morice was named in the cast for Stan Australia feature film Nugget is Dead.[8] Morice was also named in the extended cast for ABC series Return to Paradise.[9]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 Strictly Ballroom Fran Feature film
1994 Metal Skin Savina Feature film
1995 Hotel Sorrento Pippa Moynihan Feature film
1997 Square One Margot Feature film
2000 Dogwoman: Dead Dog Walking Pauline O'Halloran TV film
Dogwoman: A Grrrl's Best Friend Pauline O'Halloran TV film
2001 Dogwoman: The Legend of Dogwoman Pauline O'Halloran TV film
Moulin Rouge! Prostitute Feature film
My Husband, My Killer Margaret Inkster TV film
Hildegarde Kim Powell
2003 After the Deluge Dianne TV film
2004 Loot Karen Doakes TV film
2005 Second Chance Edwinda TV film
2006 Candy Aunt Katherine Feature film
2007 Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance Marianne Mockumentary film
September Jennifer Hamilton Feature film
2008 Close Distance Rivka Short film
2009 Miracle Fish Mum Short film
2010 Oranges and Sunshine Pauline Feature film
2013 101 Cupcakes Agnes Harvey Short film
2014 Smithston Mrs. Smithston Short film
2017 Dance Academy: The Movie Lucinda Raine Feature film
2021 Peter Rabbit 2 Officiant Feature film
The Butter Scene Short film
2022 The Home Team Glenrose Rose Short film
2023 Carmen Marie Feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1991 Police Rescue Jenny TV series, episode: "Mates"
1997 Big Sky Linda TV series, episode: "Blind Spot"
1998 Water Rats Anne Milner TV series, episode: "Diminished Responsibility"
A Difficult Woman Susan Taylor TV miniseries
1999 Wildside Rachel Duncan TV series, episode: "2.11"
2000 Something in the Air Candy Rogers TV series
2000-03 Grass Roots Julie Dunkley TV series
2004 Salem's Lot Joyce Petrie TV miniseries
2005 Blue Heelers Melanie Anderson TV series
McLeod's Daughters Michelle Hall-Smith TV series, episodes: "Out of Time", "Betwixt and Between"
2006 Answered by Fire Helen Waldman TV miniseries
2010 Home and Away Joanna Scott TV series
2010-13 Dance Academy Miss Raine TV series
2013 The Elegant Gentleman's Guide to Knife Fighting Special Guest TV series, episodes: "1.4", "1.5"
Whitlam: The Power and the Passion Margaret Whitlam (Voice) TV miniseries, episode: "Part 2"
2015 Winter Judith Johansson TV series
2016 Rake Pauline TV series, 1 episode
2023 Ten Pound Poms Ward Sister Mulligan TV series, 2 episodes
While the Men are Away Enid TV series, 4 episodes
2024 Return to Paradise (2024 TV series) Helen Haddon TV series, 1 episode

Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
1981 The Diary of Anne Frank Anne Frank Theatre Royal, Hobart
1985 The Cherry Orchard NIDA Theatre
1986 Thark NIDA Theatre
1986 The Winter’s Tale Emilia / Dorcas NIDA Parade Theatre
1987 Under a Weeping Sky NIDA Parade Theatre
1987 The Big Shiny Frock Show NIDA Parade Theatre
1987 A Journey Through Peer Gynt NIDA Parade Theatre, Canberra Theatre
1988 1841 Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA for Adelaide Festival, Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
1988 Haircut Wharf Studio Theatre, Sydney with Sydney Theatre Company
1988 Strictly Ballroom Fran Wharf Studio Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company
1988 Angels Wharf Studio Theatre, Sydney with Sydney Theatre Company
1989 After Dinner Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company
1990 The Venetian Twins Columbina Suncorp Theatre, Brisbane & University of Sydney with Queensland Theatre Company, Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company


Nominated for a Green Room Award for Female Actor in a Featured Role (Music Theatre)

1990 The Development Site Sydney Theatre Company
1990 Rome Tremble - Crumbs from a Feast of Callas Maria Callas Wharf Theatre, Sydney with Sydney Theatre Company
1991 Mongrels Lydia Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
1992 Richard III Lady Anne Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, Theatre Royal, Sydney, Newcastle Civic Theatre, Melbourne Athenaeum, Canberra Theatre, Theatre Royal, Hobart with Bell Shakespeare
1992 The Merchant of Venice Portia Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, Newcastle Civic Theatre, Theatre Royal, Sydney, Melbourne Athenaeum, Canberra Theatre, Theatre Royal, Hobart with Bell Shakespeare
1992 Hamlet Voltemand / 2nd Player Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, Newcastle Civic Theatre, Theatre Royal, Sydney, Melbourne Athenaeum, Canberra Theatre with Bell Shakespeare
1995 The Moonwalkers Gina Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company
1997 Mortimer's Miscellany Sydney Festival
1996 Wolf Lullaby Angela Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company
1998 Love for Love Mrs Foresight Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
1999 Secret Bridesmaids' Business Angela Malthouse Theatre with Company

Playbox Theatre Company, Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company

2000 Sweet Road Jo SBW Independent Theatre, Sydney with Ensemble Theatre
2001 The Laramie Project Zackie Salmon / Reggie Flutey / Trish Stegar, Kelli Simpkins / Sherry Aenonson / Kerry Drake

& others || Belvoir Street Theatre

2001 Morning Sacrifice Gwyn Wharf Theatre, with Sydney Theatre Company
2002 Spinning into Butter Dean Sarah Daniels Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
2002 Love Letters Melissa Gardner NIDA Parade Theatre
2009 Abigail's Party Angela Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
2010 Animals Out of Paper Illana Andrews Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
2011 Fat Swan Mother Arts Centre Melbourne, Seymour Centre
Nominated for a Helpmann Award for Best Supporting Actress
2011 An Officer and a Gentleman Esther Sydney Lyric Theatre with Gordon Frost Organisation
2014 Once in Royal David's City Teacher / Crowd / Chorus Belvoir Street Theatre
2016 Good People Margaret Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
2018 The Harp in the South Miss Sheily / Sister Beatrix / Alf / Flo / Shirley / Mrs X / Mrs Kilroy Sydney Theatre Company
2018 Good Cook. Friendly. Clean. Sandra Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company
2018 A Cheery Soul Mrs Lilie / Second Girl / Soprano Voice Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
2020 Dance Nation Sofia Scott Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA for Adelaide Festival, Belvoir Street Theatre
2021 Claudel Madame Claudel Tinderbox Productions
2021 The Museum of Modern Love: Open Rehearsal and Reading Lydia Seymour Centre, Sydney
2022 The Museum of Modern Love Lydia Seymour Centre, Sydney for Sydney Festival
2022 The Deb Shell The Rebel Theatre, Sydney
2022 The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Rachel

/ Mrs Markham / Aunt || Roslyn Packer Theatre

[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Tara Morice". IMDb. Retrieved 30 October 2007.
  2. ^ Strictly Ballroom Star Enjoys Whirl of New Celebrity, https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1993-03-07-9301140003-story,amp.html
  3. ^ "Spotlight: Tara Morice". Racism, No Way. Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008.
  4. ^ "Strictly Ballroom". AusStage.
  5. ^ "BAFTA Awards 1992". BAFTA Awards Database. British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
  6. ^ Enker, Debi (6 November 2008). "When Tara found her biggest fan". The Age.
  7. ^ Thompson, Erica (4 November 2008). "Strictly Ballroom's Tara Morice forges bond with fan, 75". The Courier-Mail.
  8. ^ Knox, David (20 May 2024). "Production begins on Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  9. ^ Knox, David (12 August 2024). "Airdate: Return to Paradise (Aussie Death in Paradise spin-off) | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  10. ^ "AusStage".
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