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John O'May

John O'May
Born1947
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
EducationPatapsco High School
Occupation(s)Actor, writer
Years active1972–current

John O'May is an American-born Australian actor, best known for his stage performances.

Early life

O'May was born at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, one of four children. He grew up with a love of reading and literature. At university he dabbled in theatre, learning acting, stagecraft and building sets. He became a teacher at Patapsco High School, where he himself had attended high school. He taught English literature for two and a half years. He eventually travelled overseas, and after visiting his sister in Australia and ended up staying.[1][2][3]

Career

In 1972, O'May auditioned for the role of Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind. He took singing lessons and found an agent. In 1973, he was offered an audition and role in Godspell, replacing John Waters as Judas. He created and performed in the revues Gershwin (with John Diedrich) in 1975 and The 20s and All That Jazz (with Diedrich and Caroline Gilmer) in 1977.[4]

O'May played Che Guevara in the original Australian cast of Evita which opened in Adelaide in April 1980.[5] In the 1980s he was a regular performer with the Melbourne Theatre Company, and played Bobby in Company for the Sydney Theatre Company in 1986 and Captain Corcoran in H.M.S. Pinafore for the Victoria State Opera in 1987.[6]

He directed and starred in the musical Seven Little Australians in 1988.[7]

O'May played Monsieur André in the original Australian cast of The Phantom of the Opera which opened at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne in December 1990. He later performed each of the two manager characters in various productions over the subsequent decades.[1]

Other notable roles include Marvin in Falsettos in 1994 for the Sydney Theatre Company, Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl in 1999, John Wilkes Booth in Assassins in 1995, and Fredrik Egerman in A Little Night Music in 1997, both for the Melbourne Theatre Company. For the latter, he received a Green Room Award for male artist in a leading role.[2] In 2014 he appeared as Doctor Tambourri in Sondheim's Passion.[2] In 2022, he portrayed the Mysterious Man and Cinderella’s Father in Into the Woods in North Melbourne, Australia.[8]

Film credits include supporting roles in the films Starstruck and Rebel and the television opera The Divorce (2015).[9] In 2000, O’May guest-starred in season 2, episode 11, "Sponsorship and Media Discontent", of the ABC mockumentary, The Games.

Acting credits

Film

Year Title Role Type
1974 Between Wars William Faulkner Feature film
1982 Starstruck Terry Feature film
1983 Skin Deep Roger Crane TV movie
1985 Rebel Benie Feature film
1988 Georgia Mr Leonard Feature film
1988 The Four Minute Mile Bill Easton TV movie
2001 Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story Louis B. Mayer TV movie
2011 A Heartbeat Away Desmond Fyfe Feature film
2020 The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee Earl of Spencer Feature film
2023 Late Night with the Devil Walker Bedford Feature film
2024 Better Man Terry Swinton Feature film

Television

Year Title Role Type
1978 The Sullivans Yank Sergeant TV series, 4 episodes
1983 Carson's Law John Kendall TV series, 14 episodes
1983 Kings Dick Manning TV series, 2 episodes
1985 The Flying Doctors Michael Miniseries, episode 3
1986 The Lancaster Miller Affair J.F. Russell Miniseries, 3 episodes
1988 The Flying Doctors Max Prescott TV series, season 3, episode 7: "Figures in a Landscape"
1990 The Paper Man Victor Dove Miniseries, 2 episodes
1992 Cluedo Buzz Bradshaw III TV series, season 2, episode 3: "With a Smile on His Dial"
1997 State Coroner Marcus Brophy TV series, season 1, 2 episodes
1998 Good Guys, Bad Guys Tyrone O'Keefe TV series, season 2, episode 11: "Doof"
2000 The Games George Birmingham TV mockumentary series, season 2, episode 11: "Sponsorship and Media Discontent"
2001 Crash Zone Phil Kurtz TV series, season 2, episode 12: "Skin Deep"
2007 City Homicide Peter Murdoch TV series, season 1, episode 13: "Rostered Day Off"
2015 The Divorce Jed Miniseries, 4 episodes

Theatre

As actor

Year Title Role Type
1973 Godspell Judas Princess Theatre, Launceston, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre with J. C. Williamson
1977 Money the Root of All... Victorian regional tour with Arena Theatre Company
1978 No, No, Nanette Billy Playhouse Theatre, Perth with National Theatre Inc
1979 Sexual Perversity in Chicago Adam Shapiro Playbox Theatre, Melbourne with Hoopla Theatre Foundation
1979 The Ripper Show Mr Barclay Playbox Theatre, Melbourne with Hoopla Theatre Foundation
1980–1981 Evita Che Guevara Festival Theatre, Adelaide, Perth Entertainment Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney
1981 Royal Charity Performance Singer Festival Theatre, Adelaide
1982 Moving Target Upstage Theatre Restaurant, Sydney
1983; 1984 Insignificance Adelaide Festival Centre, Sydney Opera House
1983 Beyond Therapy Bruce Playbox Theatre, Melbourne
1984 Extremities Raul Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
1984 Pax Americana The President Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1984 The Curse of the Werewolf Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1985 The Glass Menagerie Jim Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1985 Too Young for Ghosts Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1985 Blue Window Griever St Martins Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company
1986 Company Bobby Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
1986 Heartbreak House Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1986 The Servant of Two Masters Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1986 The Shadow of a Gunman Donal Davoren Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1987 H.M.S. Pinafore Captain Corcoran Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, State Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat with Victoria State Opera
1987 La Belle Helene Paris State Theatre, Melbourne with Victoria State Opera
1988–1989 Seven Little Australians Captain Woolcott Theatre Royal, Hobart, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Adelaide Festival Centre, University of Sydney
1989 The Normal Heart Ned Weeks Wharf Theatre, Sydney with Sydney Theatre Company
1989 Harold in Italy Harold Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
1990 Daylight Saving Joshua Makepeace Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1990 Love Letters Andrew Makepeace III Playhouse, Melbourne with Victorian Arts Centre
1990 Woman in Mind Andy Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1990 Moby Dick Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne for Melbourne International Arts Festival
1990; 1993 The Phantom of the Opera Monsieur André Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal, Sydney
1991 A Night of Infectious Laughter Melbourne Athenaeum
1992 Showboat Mietta's, Melbourne
1992 Into the Woods Baker State Theatre, Melbourne
1992 Six Degrees of Separation Sydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
1994 Falsettos Marvin Sydney Opera House, Monash University, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Canberra Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company
1994 Mack and Mabel - In Concert State Theatre, Melbourne, State Theatre, Sydney
1994 Always Victorian Arts Centre with Melbourne Theatre Company
1994 Cyrano Ragueneau Lyric Theatre, Brisbane
1995 Assassins John Wilkes Booth Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
1995 Candide Singer Lyric Theatre, Brisbane
1996 Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat
1997; 1998 A Little Night Music Fredrik Egerman Playhouse, Melbourne, Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal, Sydney with Melbourne Theatre Company
1997; 1998 A One Night Stand with the Stars of Australian Musical Theatre Melbourne Athenaeum, Melbourne Concert Hall
1997 Crazy for You Bela Zangler State Theatre, Melbourne
1999 The Merry Widow Count Danilo Danilovich State Theatre, Melbourne, Festival Theatre, Adelaide, Lyric Theatre, Sydney
1999 Funny Girl Nick Arnstein Melbourne Concert Hall with The Production Company
1999 Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens Melbourne Athenaeum
2000 Ship of Fools Destiny Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne
2000 Being Alive Capers Cabaret, Melbourne
2001; 2002 Three Vile Men Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne, Space Theatre, Adelaide
2001 The Tempest Alonso Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
2002–2004 Mamma Mia! Harry Bright Lyric Theatre, Sydney, Burswood Theatre, Perth, Festival Theatre, Adelaide, Civic Theatre, Auckland, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Esplanade Theatre, Singapore, Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne
2005 Kiss Me, Kate General Harrison Howell / Harry Trevor State Theatre, Melbourne with The Production Company
2006 This Is The Moment! Sydney Opera House, Hamer Hall, Melbourne
2006–2009 The Phantom of the Opera Monsieur Firmin / Monsieur Andre Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Esplanade Theatre, Singapore, Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, Lyric Theatre, Sydney, The Civic, Auckland, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Taipei Arena
2008 The Light in the Piazza Signor Naccarelli Lyric Theatre, Sydney
2008 The Music of the Night Statement Lounge, Sydney
2011 Anything Goes Elijah Whitney State Theatre, Melbourne with The Production Company
2011 Grey Gardens Major Bouvier / Norman Vincent Peale State Theatre, Melbourne with The Production Company
2012 La Cage Aux Folles Georges National Theatre, Melbourne with Quirky Productions
2012 South Pacific Captain Bracket Sydney Opera House with Opera Australia
2013 Brel Singer Space Theatre, Adelaide for Adelaide Cabaret Festival
2014 The Last Confession Cardinal Felici His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal Sydney
2014 Passion Doctor Tambourri Arts Centre Melbourne
2017 Cabaret Herr Schultz Hayes Theatre Co, Sydney, Melbourne Athenaeum
2018 A Little Night Music Frederick Egerman Geelong Performing Arts Centre, National Theatre, Melbourne, Whitehorse Centre, Melbourne
2019 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Grandpa Joe Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne
2019 Ragtime Henry Ford State Theatre, Melbourne
2019 Into the Woods Mysterious Man / Cinderella's Father Arts House Meat Market, Melbourne
2023 Bloom Roland Arts Centre Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company

As writer/director

Year Title Role Type
1975; 1976 Gershwin Playwright Arena Theatre, Melbourne, Total Theatre, Melbourne with Total Theatre, Production
1977–1979 The Twenties and All That Jazz Playwright Arena Theatre, Melbourne, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Regal Theatre, Perth, Canberra Theatre, Theatre Royal Sydney, Victorian regional tour, Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane, Orange Civic Theatre, The Griffith Duncan Theatre, Callaghan, Playhouse, Adelaide
1977 The Australian Travelling Patent Medicine Show Director Arena Theatre Company, Melbourne
1977 The Season Reason Director Victorian regional tour with Arena Theatre Company
1977 The Persecution and Assassination of Higher School Certificate Poetry as Performed by the Inmates of the Arena Theatre Director Arena Theatre Company, Melbourne
1978 Patrick's Hat Trick Playwright Playbox Theatre, Melbourne with Hoopla Theatre Foundation
1978 Makin' Wicky Wacky Director The Last Laugh, Melbourne
1981 A Couple of Strangers Devisor Nimrod Theatre, Sydney
1982 Patrick's Hat Trick Playwright Monash University
1983 The Twenties and All That Jazz Playwright The Hole in the Wall Theatre, Perth
2000 Being Alive Devisor Capers Cabaret, Melbourne
1988–1989 Seven Little Australians Director Theatre Royal, Hobart, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Adelaide Festival Centre, University of Sydney
2008 The Light in the Piazza Director / Producer Lyric Theatre, Sydney

[10]

References

  1. ^ a b Harris, Sarah. "Profile: John O'May | Confessions of a working actor". Weekly Review. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Drouyn, Coral (n.d.). "Maintaining The Passion". stagewhispers.com.au (2014). Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  3. ^ https://issuu.com/anglesea_community_house/docs/newsangle_issue_146_final/s/12600621
  4. ^ "Do-it-yourself musical has had packed houses". The Canberra Times. Vol. 52, no. 14, 903. 11 October 1977. p. 13. Retrieved 23 September 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "'Wonder boy' Jim Sharman for 1982 Adelaide Festival". The Canberra Times. Vol. 55, no. 16, 220. 22 February 1980. p. 17. Retrieved 23 September 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "John O'May". ausstage.edu.au. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  7. ^ Radic, Leonard (24 June 1988). "The winning ways of little Australians". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  8. ^ Watch This: Into The Woods review
  9. ^ "The Divorce is a comedic opera, and unlike anything else on Australian TV" by Paul Kalina, The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 November 2015
  10. ^ https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/948