Roxanne McDonald (born c. 1960) is an Indigenous Australian actress based in Queensland.

Early life

McDonald is an Aboriginal Australian woman, descended from the Mandandanji (Roma area), Wangan (Clermont area) and Darumbal (Rockhampton) peoples of Central Queensland. She was born around 1960,[1][2] She also has Scottish heritage on both her maternal and paternal side. She grew up in a big family, with lots of close contact with extended family.[1]

Her early years were spent around Roma, until the family moved to Brisbane when she was seven years old.[3]

Career

Theatre

McDonald had no knowledge of theatre or acting until she was 24 years old, and had no formal training as an actor.[4] While working in an administrative role, she noticed a flyer which was looking for actors to perform in a play which featured the poetry of Oodgeroo Noonuccal, and decided to audition.[3] She has said that her acting work is informed by her Indigenous culture, including the history of Indigenous Australians as well as her own family history.[4]

McDonald's first performance on stage was in 1984, with the Shoestring Theatre Company in a professional/amateur production of the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Her next role was in Queensland Museum's production You Came To My Country and you didn't turn black in 1990,[2] by which time she was 30 and passionate about the theatre.[4]

In May 2021 she took the role of an 1840s Aboriginal Tasmanian in Dylan van den Berg's play Milk.[4] In July of that year, she performed alongside Barbara Lowing in Rovers, a play which "celebrate(s) Australia's trailblazing women", written especially for the two actors by Katherine Lyall-Watson.[5] Her performances span more than 50 mainstage plays, which have included productions by Kooemba Jdarra (Queensland's first Indigenous theatre company[3]), Griffin Theatre, Belvoir Street Theatre, La Boite Theatre Company, and Queensland Theatre.[2]

In July 2022, McDonald reprised her role as Aunty Faith in the Australian musical The Sunshine Club with Queensland Theatre at the Playhouse Theatre at QPAC, with one reviewer describing her performance as "the heart and soul of the show".[6][7][8]

McDonald is set to co-direct Don't Ask What the Bird Look Like, by Hannah Belanszky, at Queensland Theatre in September–October 2023.[9]

Film and TV

On the screen, McDonald has starred in the films and Australia Day, and on television in the series Harrow, Grace Beside Me, and 8MMM Aboriginal Radio, and the telemovie Mabo.[2]

Other activities

McDonald had a brief break from her acting career when she became a guard at a Brisbane children's hospital.[3]

As of 2021, McDonald was working with Wik people in Aurukun, Cape York, Queensland on a theatre project which was developed out of the Wik Kath Min Good Stories project from 2018, passing on her skills to the community to create their own theatre.[4]

Recognition and awards

In 2021, French artist Marco Eychenne (aka Photocrash), created a photographic/mixed media portrait of McDonald.[10]

She has won several awards, including:

  • 2000: Special commendation Matilda Award[2]
  • 2012: ACPA Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Career Achievement Award[2]
  • 2021: Alan Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award 2020, from the Actors' & Entertainers' Benevolent Fund[2]

Personal life

McDonald loves to visit Stradbroke Island, where she has relatives.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 McDonald, Roxanne (8 October 2021). "On the Couch with Roxanne McDonald". Australian Arts Review (Interview). Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pinne, Peter (27 July 2021). "Roxanne McDonald receives Lifetime Achievement Award". Stage Whispers. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 McDonald, Roxanne (25 November 2021). "Roxanne McDonald's deadly life on stage" (Audio + text). ABC Radio National (Interview). Interviewed by Kanowski, Sarah. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 McDonald, Roxanne (18 May 2021). "Getting to know: Roxanne Mcdonald". Street Talk (Interview). Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  5. ↑ "Rovers – Roxanne McDonald On A Show Celebrating Trailblazing Women". scenestr - Pop Culture & Entertainment. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  6. ↑ "Shining bright again". Blue Curtains Brisbane. 17 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  7. ↑ Walker, Meredith (18 July 2022). "The Sunshine Club (Queensland Theatre) – theatre review". The Blurb. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  8. ↑ "Dancing through tough times". The Senior. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  9. ↑ "Don't Ask What The Bird Look Like". Queensland Theatre. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  10. ↑ Renneisen, Lisa (2 September 2021). "2021 Brisbane Portrait Prize Finalist". Brisbane Portrait Prize. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
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