Jenny Davis
Co-Writer - A Fortunate Life and The Lighthouse Girl Saga. Writer - SYDNEY II: Lost & Found and 21 Hearts: The Vivian Bullwinkel Story
Jenny Davis
Co-Writer - A Fortunate Life and The Lighthouse Girl Saga. Writer - SYDNEY II: Lost & Found and 21 Hearts: The Vivian Bullwinkel Story
Awards: Order of Australia Medal, 2017 WA Champion Senior of the Year, Centenary Medal, Equity Guild Award, WA Women’s Hall of Fame
Education: Central School of Speech and Drama, London
During her 40 year theatrical career in Australia, Jenny has appeared in many leading roles for all the major theatre companies in Perth and on tour around Australia, to New Zealand and Brazil. Her most recent performances were as novelist Patricia Highsmith in SWITZERLAND, Madame Pernelle in TARTUFFE and Lady Bracknell in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, all for Black Swan State Theatre Company, and as Sarah Morley in SARAH OF ENDERSLEA FARM for THEATRE 180.
Other stage appearances include:
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, MONEY AND FRIENDS, MAJOR BARBARA, TOP GIRLS, A MONTH OF SUNDAYS, MIDDLE AGED SPREAD, A LIE OF THE MIND, FUNNY PECULIAR (Playhouse Theatre), BOMBSHELLS, BENCH, FACE TO FACE, SHOEHORN SONATA (Perth Theatre Co), BOLD GIRLS, MRS KLEIN, A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM, THE CHERRY ORCHARD, PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD, MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA, FEN, MIRANDOLINA, THE MISANTHROPE, TOM AND VIV, HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES, FEMALE PARTS, BEYOND THERAPY, VANITIES, BODIES, BENEFACTORS, (Hole in the Wall Theatre Co), PRIVATE LIVES, THE TWO OF US, ONE FOR THE ROAD, DECKCHAIRS, SINGULAR WOMEN
She has appeared in many ABC Radio National dramas and was a writer for ABC Radio National schools’ drama programs for 10 years.
As a freelance director, Jenny has worked for Perth Theatre Co, The Effie Crump Theatre, Stables Theatre (Sydney), Riverina Theatre (Wagga Wagga), Handzon Theatre, Bunbury Entertainment Centre, Curtin University, Don Russell Theatre, Hole in the Wall Theatre, Class Act and more, directing new and established works, comedy, drama and musicals.
Jenny was artistic director of the WA Youth Theatre for 10 years and noted for her large-scale productions of the classics, involving very large casts. She has also worked as a guest director and workshop leader in many West Australian high schools and lectured in voice at WAAPA and Curtin University.
In 1993 Jenny founded Agelink Theatre Inc, a reminiscence theatre company that creates shows based on oral histories and West Australian history, promoting intergenerational activity and celebrating our seniors. Jenny has both written and directed, as well as produced, many shows for the company. In 2018 Agelink Theatre Inc became THEATRE 180 Inc, with the aim of broadening activities to do more regional touring of main stage productions and also work with schools and drama education.
Her production of QUARTET toured nationally, and her play & production, DEAR HEART (based on her own aunt’s WWII letters and diaries), has also toured Australia and to the UK and was commissioned as a book by Allen and Unwin and as an audio book by Bolinda publishing. In 2014 her play & production, CIS AND BARBICHE, also based on WWII letters and diaries, and toured by invitation to the York Theatre Royal, UK. The latest of Jenny’s many historical plays was about Goergiana Molloy, THE RIVER BLACKWOOD GLIDING BY.
Jenny’s latest work as playwright for THEATRE 180 is on the cinestage productions successfully touring WA for 3 years – SYDNEY II: LOST AND FOUND, A FORTUNATE LIFE (with co-writer Stuart Halusz) and THE LIGHTHOUSE GIRL SAGA (with co-writer Hellie Turner)
Four of Jenny‘s historical plays about WA for THEATRE 180 originally for the stage, were broadcast in 2019 on Capital Radio: UNCOVERING MAY GIBBS, AND NOW THE GOVERNOR’S WIFE, SARAH OF ENDERSLEA FARM and RED FLOWERING GUMS
Jenny also creates interactive projects for school students and seniors, particularly those with dementia.