Featured Member - June 2003

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Val is our first featured member who is Australian! She became a member of Melville even before she moved to Perth, having written to the ITA to find out which would be the closest theatre to Willetton, the suburb where she and her family were planning to move. Before arriving in Perth however, Val was no stranger to the theatre or acting. She was merely setting the scene to continue here lifetime love for the theatre.

For eleven years from age seven, Val studied elocution in Sydney. She received her Associate Teaching Diploma in Speech and Drama with Trinity College in London (ATCL) in 1986 and she studied singing with Richard Thew, achieving 6th Grade singing with honours with Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB).
Having grown up with parents who discouraged a career in the theatre (Get a proper job first!) Val never attended her Australian Opera Company audition, a decision she very occasionally regrets. The next best alternative was what has developed into a very extensive career in amateur theatre. She first became involved in this area at sixteen, when she auditioned for the chorus of Lane Cove Musical Society, securing a place in the chorus as a second soprano, (even though she sang higher than the sopranos), because she could read music and hold a part. The director of Lane Cove at the time was Leo Boscher, a retired professional director, and Val considers that she learnt her discipline for theatre under his inspired leadership.
After 4 years with Lane Cove she auditioned with Willoughby Musical Society and secured the lead in "The Merry Widow." Here she developed a love of theatre and a dedication to the art which remains with her to this day. Willoughby became her home club in Sydney for the next 7 years, where she took leads, supporting leads and "back row of the chorus" parts. She was also at this time what we call a "gypsy" today - she worked with a number of Sydney clubs including Strathfield Light Opera Company, the Regals and Sutherland Musical Society.

Family became her focus when they moved to Brisbane and the best she could do was win her heat of "Stairway to the Stars" singing the ABBA song, "Thank You for the Music."

A further family move to Newman brought a far more interesting challenge. Here along with Les Hart and another MTC member Di Ryman she was a member of the team that co-founded Newman Amateur Theatrical Society (NATS). Newman also threw Val into the management side of theatre. Over the years in Newman she was president, secretary, treasurer, committee member, newsletter editor, director, actor, scene painter, prop maker, you name it she did it! You might think she would have learned her lesson but on her arrival in Perth the whole cycle started again and, for Melville, she has been president, secretary, committee member, newsletter editor, director, actor, scene painter, prop maker ...... etc, etc etc. In recognition of her many roles, Val is also one of our Life Members.

Val's thorough grounding and knowledge in all aspects of theatre have served her well for the last 10 years as she fulfils her role as a Finley Award adjudicator for the Independent theatre Association (ITA) in Perth.

Val's proudest time at MTC was 2001 when we performed an entire year of Australian plays, a decision which won the Company a Finley Award.

Thank you Val, for being a valued member of our Company.

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