About Gerry Connolly
Gerry Connolly is an accomplished Australian comedian, actor, impressionist and musician, best known for his satirical caricatures of public figures.
Corporately and in one-off national events, Gerry Connolly is in demand as an after-dinner speaker and entertainer.
Over many years, he has enlivened audiences and dinner guests with his musical charms and venting his observations through concise and sometimes ridiculous performances via political luminaries such as Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, Margaret Thatcher, John Howard and highlighted the unique leadership styles of the likes of Pauline Hanson, Bronwyn Bishop, Tony Blair, President Abdurrahman Wahid, Bishop Desmond Tutu and Clive Palmer.
Media celebrity Lee Lin Chin is a crowd favourite, as is his most demanded character, Her Majesty The Queen, in whose guise he has launched nearly everything not nailed down.
For half the reign of the present Queen, he has represented Her Majesty in the Southern Hemisphere, and occasionally travels to her other realms when time allows. This turn began life at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in revue, and along with his rendition of former premier, Sir Joh Bjelke Petersen quickly became the basis of his one-man shows.
On stage, Connolly has appeared in Neil Armfield's production of The Marriage of Figaro (QTC), Cyrano de Bergerac (MTC), The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (MTC), Lady Windermere's Fan (MTC), Once in a Lifetime (STC) Little Murders (MTC) He stunned Brisbane audiences in 2014 appearing as Mrs Nelly Dean in shake & stir's stage adaption of Wuthering Heights.
In 2012, Gerry Connolly world premiered the House of Marcus Lycus song in Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (GFO) to the composer's delight. Other stage musicals include Urinetown (MTC), Summer Rain (STC), Tomfoolery (MTC) and Pirates of Penzance (Essgee), and more recently Anything Goes (Aus Opera/GFO). October 2016 will see him perform as The Queen in The Opera House the Opera.
In 2006 Connolly ran away with the circus: La Clique and La Soirée, and performed with this unique ensemble from Darwin to Adelaide, Auckland to London, Brisbane to Blackpool. He has had great success in local and international Festivals. 2012 saw his return to the Edinburgh Fringe with La Clique Royale in The Famous Spiegeltent, and collaborate with ACO in Richard Tognetti's Maribor Festival.
He has meddled in television since The Gerry Connolly Show in 1988 via Fast Forward to the ABC's Dead Gorgeous, and has popped up in TV roasts and special events, and graced many shows with his majestic presence.
He is loved for his satirical political turns, and has habitually appeared on commercial and ABC radio and TV current affairs programs: AM, PM, The World Today, A Current Affair, Today Tonight, Nationwide, The 7:30 Report and Four Corners as well as variety shows such as The Mike Walsh Show, Hey Hey, It's Saturday and Tonight Live with Steve Vizard.
In debates and panel chats, as well as radio and voiceovers, he brings a breadth of knowledge and experience and creates a spontaneous and unpredictable mood which in the hallmark of his individual style.
Showreel
Brian Henderson Roast
The Queen The Big Three-Oh
Bert Newton 70th Birthday
Sir Joh Brisbane 2016
Showreel: Gerry Connolly
Brian Henderson Roast
Showreel: Gerry Connolly
(The Queen) - The Big Three-Oh
Showreel: Gerry Connolly
Bert Newton 70th Birthday
Showreel: Gerry Connolly
Sir Joh Brisbane 2016
Television
| DATE | ROLE/ PRODUCTION | DIRECTOR |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | SPICKS & SPECKS 100th Episode | HRH Elizabeth 11 ABC TV |
| 2006 | IN SIBERIA TONIGHT | (HRH Elizabeth II) GNW – SBS TV |
| 2004 | KATH & KIM ( Meryl Streep) | Dir. Ted Emery, ABC TV Comedy |
| 2003 | MOLLY MELDRUM TOASTED & ROASTED | (Prince Charles), Nine Network |
| 2003 | AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S WEEKLY – 70TH ANNIVERSAY | HRH Elizabeth II - live cross from London) |
| 2003 | BRIAN HENDERSON – CELEBRITY ROAST | special appearance, Nine Network |
| 2001 | THE FOOTY SHOW | HRH Elizabeth II, Nine Network |
| 1999 | DOGS HEAD BAY | Dir: Simon Phillips, ABC TV |
| 1998 | THE GAMES | Dir: Bruce Permezel, Beyond Prods, ABCTV |
| 1997 | GOOD NEWS WEEK | (Guest panellist) ABC TV Comedy |
| 1996 | COMIC RELIEF | (HRH Elizabeth II) Nine Network |
| 1993 | JOH’S JURY | (Sir Joh Bjelke Petersen) ABC TV Mini-Series |
| 1990 | FAST FORWARD | Various roles, Seven Network |
| 1988 | THE GERRY CONNOLLY SHOW | Various Characters, ABC TV |
Testimonials
| The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Jubilee Ball 2004 “Everyone was laughing even before you had sat down to read the message. The crowd of 600 thought it was an absolute hoot. Your performance has been talked about by staff with great enthusiasm and many have requested to view the DVD again.” - Jan Rohrsheim Manager, Public Relations |
| A Night of Infectious Laughter 1998 “On behalf of the Victorian AIDS Council and the Organising Committee, thank you for making this year’s A Night of Infectious Laughter a very successful event. Your dedication, creative input and energy made our 10th birthday party a night to remember.” - Tony Harding Event Coordinator on behalf of the Organising Committee |
| Australian Republican Movement Dinner at Sheraton on the Park 1995 “After this year’s performance your speech has become legion and I am at a bit of a loss to know how we achieve the same impact next year. Gerry, you now have a very large and committed group of fans in the ARM. Your generosity of spirit and time in support of our cause is greatly appreciated.” - Malcolm Turnbull Chairman |
Theatre
| DATE | ROLE/ PRODUCTION | DIRECTOR |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | CAPETOWN JIVE FUNNY FESTIVAL | HRH Elizabeth 11, Capetown |
| 2017 | THE COMING BACK OUT BALL | HRH Elizabeth 11, Melbourne Town Hall |
| 2016 | LA CLIQUE ENCORE | HRH Elizabeth 11, Edinburgh Spiegeltent |
| 2015 | ANYTHING GOES | (The Captain) Australian Opera/GFO Dir: Dean Bryant |
| 2014 | WUTHERING HEIGHTS | (Mrs Nelly Dean) shake & stir Dir: Nick Skubij |
| 2012 | A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM | (Marcus Lycus) GFO Dir: Simon Phillips |
| 2006 | TOMFOOLERY | Dir. Simon Phillips, Melbourne Theatre Company |
| 2005 | SUMMER RAIN | Dir. Robyn Nevin, Sydney Theatre Co. |
| 2005 | CYRANO DE BERGERAC | Dir: Simon Phillips, MTC |
| 2004 | URINETOWN | Dir Simon Phillips, MTC – Australian Premiere season |
| 2004 | AN EVENING WITH GERRY CONNOLLY | Capers Cabaret, Melbourne |
| 2003 | THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE | (The Major-General), Essgee, Melbourne |
| 2002 | THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE | (The Major-General), Essgee, Syd, Adel,Perth |
| 2001 | THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE | (The Major-General), Essgee, Brisbane season |
| 1999 | THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI | (Mahoney/Pianist) Dir: Simon Phillips, MTC |
| 1998 | THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO | (Bartholo) Dir: Neil Armfield, QTC |
| 1995 | LADY WINDERMERE’S FAN | (Cecil) Dir: Roger Hodgman, MTC |
| 1988 | LITTLE MURDERS | (Various characters) Dir: Simon Phillips, MTC |
Training
| DESCRIPTION |
|---|
| Bachelor of Music, Queensland Conservatorium of Music |