Virginia Gay
{{Short description|Australian actress (born 1981)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name =
| image =
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1981|9|16}}
| birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales
| birth_name =
| citizenship =
| occupation = Actress, writer and director
| nationality = Australian
| years_active = 2001–present
| known_for = * All Saints
| spouse =
| children =
| relatives =
| website =
}}
Virginia Gay (born 16 September 1981) is an Australian actress, writer, and director, mostly known for her work on the Australian TV dramas Winners & Losers (as Frances James) and All Saints (as Gabrielle Jaeger).{{Cite news |last=Law |first=Benjamin |date=29 October 2022 |title=Virginia Gay |pages=38 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald - Good Weekend}}
Education
Born in Sydney,{{cite news|last1=Nunn|first1=Louise|title=Virginia Gay turns tragedy into Cabaret Festival dynamite|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/virginia-gay/story-fnil89fm-1226658441312|access-date=7 July 2015|work=The Advertiser|date=6 June 2013}} Gay attended Summer Hill Public School and Newtown High School of the Performing Arts in Sydney as a drama and music student.[http://www.newtown-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/newsletters/Sept06.pdf "Principal's Report"]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Newtown High School of the Performing Arts Parent Newsletter, Issue 7, September 2006 (358 KB) She studied English literature and performance studies at Sydney University and was a member of the Sydney University Dramatic Society from 2001 to 2003. She left Sydney University and enrolled at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), at Edith Cowan University, Perth, where she graduated in 2005 with an Advanced Diploma of Performing Arts. She won the Coles Myer Institute Vocational Student of the Year award and the prestigious Sangora Education Foundation Award for Vocational Education and Training.{{cite news|last1=Gay|first1=Virginia|title='It wasn't all kulcha': Virginia Gay remembers her years at the Sydney University Drama Society|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/theatre/it-wasnt-all-kulcha-virginia-gay-remembers-her-years-at-the-sydney-university-drama-society-20150520-gh5oea.html|access-date=7 July 2015|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=20 May 2015}}
Career
While still at WAAPA, Gay unsuccessfully auditioned for the role of Ricky on All Saints. However, she impressed the directors so much that after graduation in 2006, she was called in to audition for the role of Gabrielle Jaeger.{{cite news|title=Virginia Gay Plays Frances James|url=https://au.prime7.yahoo.com/a1/tv/winners-and-losers/a/-/a/9908641/virginia-gay/|access-date=7 July 2015|publisher=Prime7|date=18 June 2012}} She appeared in the final four seasons of the show, between 2006 and 2009.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}
In 2008, she appeared with Ian Moss (of Cold Chisel fame) as her professional partner on the reality series It Takes Two, and the pair came third.[http://www.australianstage.com.au/201206225535/reviews/brisbane/dirty-pretty-songs-|-virginia-gay.html "Dirty Pretty Songs" review] by Lauren Sherritt, Australian Stage, 22 June 2012[https://au.tv.yahoo.com/winners-and-losers/cast/virginia-gay/#page1 "Virginia Gay plays Frances James"], Winners & Losers, Yahoo!7 Gay and Moss made It Takes Two history, scoring a 10 from judge Ross Wilson in their first performance on the show.[http://www.tv.com/shows/it-takes-two/episodes/ It takes Two episode guide], tv.com
In October 2008, Gay was part of the cast in a concert performance of the musical Breast Wishes in support of breast cancer.[http://www.sydneytheatre.org.au/event.asp?pID=165 "Breast Wishes: Gala Concert Performance"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918075145/http://www.sydneytheatre.org.au/event.asp?pID=165 |date=18 September 2008 }}, Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay (October 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2009)
In February/March 2009, when Shane Jenek (Courtney Act) injured his leg in a skiing accident, Gay was asked to replace Jenek in the production Gentlemen Prefer Blokes for the Mardi Gras festival.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}
From March 2011 on, Gay portrayed Frances James in the TV series Winners & Losers on the Seven Network.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/channel-7-hoping-for-a-winner-about-losers/story-e6frf7l6-1225926964515 |title=Channel 7 hoping for a winner about losers |first=Darren |last=Devlyn|work=Herald Sun|date=20 September 2010 |access-date=28 January 2014}}
From 2011 to 2016, Gay made several appearances as a guest panelist on the ABC's First Tuesday Book Club, hosted by Jennifer Byrne.{{Cite web |last=Byrne |first=Jennifer |title=The Book Club |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/tv/firsttuesday/video/podcast.htm?tab=2011 |access-date=6 November 2022}}
During August 2012, Gay performed her cabaret show Dirty Pretty Songs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in The Famous Spiegeltent.{{cite web|last=Bell|first=Jo|url=http://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/article/44794-virginia-gay-dirty-pretty-songs/|title=Virginia Gay – Dirty, Pretty Songs|publisher=Edinburghfestival.list.co.uk|date=2012-08-21|access-date=2014-01-28}}
In 2016, Gay played the title character in Hayes Theatre Co's production of Calamity Jane. It was directed by Richard Carroll, with musical director Nigel Ubrihien, choreographer Cameron Mitchell, and producer Michelle Guthrie. The show ran from August 3 to 7. This was Calamity Janes professional debut in Australia, although the play has a long production history via Australian amateur troupes.{{Cite web |last=Litson |first=Jo |date=6 June 2016 |title=Virginia Gay Cracks the Whip as Calamity Jane |url=https://jolitson.com/2016/06/06/virginia-gay-cracks-the-whip-as-calamity-jane/ |access-date=6 November 2022}} Virginia Gay reprised the title role in a full production of Calamity Jane which played at the Hayes Theatre from 8 March - 1 April 2017 and later at the Belvoir Theatre, Sydney. It then toured to many venues in south-eastern Australia, including Melbourne and Canberra in 2018.{{Cite web |last=Rugendyke |first=Louise |date=26 August 2018 |title='You'll kill yourself': Virginia Gay on the risks and rewards of Calamity Jane |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/musicals/youll-kill-yourself-virginia-gay-on-the-risks-and-rewards-of-calamity-jane-20180825-h14hld.html }}
In 2022, Virginia Gay wrote and performed in the play, Cyrano for the Melbourne Theatre Company. The play is a gender-flipped, modern re-imagining of Cyrano de Bergerac written in 1897 by Edmond Rostand.{{Cite web |last=Au-Nhien Nguyen |first=Giselle |date=14 October 2022 |title=Cyrano review - Virginia Gay shines in this bold, queer reimagining |website=TheGuardian.com |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/oct/14/cyrano-review-virginia-gay-shines-in-this-bold-queer-reimagining |access-date=6 November 2022}}
In 2022, Gay joined the filming for the SBS drama Safe Home{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2023-03-31 |title=Airdate: Safe Home {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2023/03/airdate-safe-home.html |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=TV Tonight |language=en-AU}} and was a part of the ABC drama Savage River as the character of Rachel Kennedy.{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2022-02-08 |title=Cameras roll on Savage River {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/02/cameras-roll-on-savage-river.html |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=TV Tonight |language=en-AU}}
In May 2023, it was announced that Gay would participate in the twentieth series of Dancing with the Stars and was paired with Ian Waite.{{cite web|last=Knox|first=David|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2023/05/dancing-with-the-stars-2023-cast-announced.html|title=Dancing With The Stars 2023 cast announced|date=12 May 2023|website=TV Tonight|publisher=TV Tonight|access-date=16 May 2023}} In the same year, she appeared on the fifth season of Thank God You're Here.{{cite web|last=Knox|first=David|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2023/08/thank-god-youre-here-aug-23.html|title=Thank God You're Here: Aug 23|date=20 August 2023|website=TV Tonight|publisher=TV Tonight|access-date=26 August 2023}} In June 2023 Gay was announced as the Artistic Director of the 2024 season of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.{{Cite web |title=Virginia Gay to take the reins as Artistic Director of Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2024 |url=https://cabaret.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/digital/virginia-gay-to-take-the-reins-as-artistic-director-of-adelaide-cabaret-festival-2024 |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=Adelaide Cabaret Festival |language=en-AU}} Gay was later announced to return as the 2025 Artistic Director of the Cabaret Festival.{{Cite web |title=Virginia Gay to helm Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2025 |url=https://limelight-arts.com.au/news/virginia-gay-to-helm-adelaide-cabaret-festival-in-2025/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Limelight |language=en-AU}}
Personal life
In June 2008, Gay was the victim of a violent assault by two men in the suburb of Marrickville in Sydney. The men then went on to murder chef Daniel Owen.[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/tv-star-bashed-in-deadly-rampage/story-e6frf7l6-1111116684483 "All Saints star Virginia Gay bashed in deadly rampage"], The Sun-Herald (20 June 2008)[https://web.archive.org/web/20080620101259/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/19/2279905.htm "All Saints star attacked"], ABC News (19 June 2008)
Charity work
In May 2009, Gay was the national ambassador for Cystic Fibrosis Australia's annual awareness and fundraising campaign 65 Roses Day.{{cite web|url=http://melbourne.jollypeople.com/65-roses-day-UWT/5512/|title=Virginia Gay 65 Roses Day Cystic Fibrosis Ambassador|publisher=Melbourne.jollypeople.com|date=2009-04-20|access-date=2014-01-28}} Gay also attends the Good Friday Appeal held in Melbourne every year to support the Royal Children's Hospital.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2005
|Once Upon a Time |Gabriella |Short |
| 2006
|Violet |Woman in toilet |Short |
| 2008
|Alison Atkinson |Short |
| 2015
|Palindromes |Narrator (voice) |Short |
| rowspan="2" |2017
|Mrs McCutcheon |Mrs. Clutterbuck |Short |
| Naked Strangers
|DJ Benny J (voice) | |
| 2018
|Paper Cut |000 Operator (voice) |Short |
| 2019
|Ma | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes !Ref |
|---|
| rowspan="2" |2006
|Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King |Fan #1 |Episode: "The Road Virus Heads North" | |
| {{sortname|The|Team|nolink=1}}
|Virginia (voice) |TV series | |
| 2006–2009
|Gabrielle Jaeger |Main role (series 9–12) | |
| 2011
|Some Say Love |Various |Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 2011–2016
|Regular role | |
| 2019
|Truck driver |Episode: "Last Supper" | |
| rowspan="3" |2022
|Trish |6 episodes | |
| Savage River
|Rachel Kennedy |ABC TV: 6 episode crime drama |
| The Crew's Ship
|Maggie | | |
| rowspan="3" |2023
|Various |7 episodes | |
| Mother and Son
|Liz |3 episodes | |
| Safe Home
|Eve |4 episodes |
| 2024
|Rumi |2 episodes |{{cite web |last1=Slatter |first1=Sean |title=Celeste Barber, Virginia Gay, Justin Rosniak added to ‘Colin From Accounts’ for S2 |url=https://if.com.au/celeste-barber-virginia-gay-justin-rosniak-added-to-colin-from-accounts-for-s2/ |website=IF Magazine |access-date=12 September 2024 |date=29 April 2024}} |
= Self appearances =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes ! |
| rowspan="2" |2023
|Self |7 episodes |
| Thank God You're Here
|Self |Season 5 Episode 3 |
| 2022
|Self |1 episode |
| 2009
|Herself |Series 7 Episode 34 | |
Theatre
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role !Venue !Notes |
| 2012
|On the Production of Monsters |Shari | |
| 2012
|Dirty Pretty Songs |Herself |The Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Festival |Also Adelaide Cabaret Festival and other venues. |
| 2013
|Songs to Self-Destruct To |Herself | |
| 2013
|The Beast |Sue | |
| 2016
|Liz Imbrie |Hayes Theatre Company | |
| 2016
|Calamity Jane |Hayes Theatre and Belvoir Theatre |In 2018 toured to Melbourne, Canberra and other venues in Australia. |
| 2016
|Ruth |Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall |With Squabblogic and Sydney Philharmonic Choir |
| 2017
|Vivid White |Güüs | |
| 2022
|written by Virginia Gay after Edmond Rostand |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Award !Category !Work !Result |
| 2017
|Sydney Theatre Awards |Best female performer in a musical |Calamity Jane |Won |
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|2332962|Virginia Gay}}
- [https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/archive/5193400/virginia-gay/ Virginia Gay], Yahoo!7
- {{YouTube|wEUIS69oDO4|"Come Said the Boy"}} (by Mondo Rock) on Good News Week, November 2009
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gay, Virginia}}
Category:Actresses from Sydney
Category:Australian television actresses
Category:Australian stage actresses
Category:People educated at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts
Category:Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts alumni