BIOGRAPHY

Canberra-born actor/singer/writer Queenie van de Zandt began acting at an early age and before turning eighteen had completed ten years of study in speech and drama by correspondence with the Trinity College of London. While still at school, she began her professional career performing in the group-devised show The Essential Lloyd Webber at the School of Arts Café in Queanbeyan. Before moving to Sydney, Queenie van de Zandt worked professionally in Canberra for five years. During that time her performances included Tom Snout and Mustardseed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Canberra Theatre Company); Lizzie in the cabaret 3’s Company, which she co-wrote with Mark Fuller and Peter J. Casey; the Minister for Community Growth in Hot Property; and Erma in Anything Goes (Canberra Theatre Trust).

Moving to Sydney in 1992, Queenie van de Zandt’s theatre credits include: playing Astrid, and at times Jeannie and Sheila, in the Sydney season and National tour of Hair; The Tilbury seasons and NSW tour of 3’s Company; Villain of Flowers (NIDA Co.); The Tilbury season and National tour of Love Lemmings; the Sydney Theatre Company’s Threepenny Opera; Glen St Theatre’s production of Jingle Belrose (retitled Up The Shops), which she co-wrote with Tony Taylor and Craig Ilott; Bits Theatre Company’s production of Furious, for which she shared the MEAA ACT Green Room Award for best performance in a play; Richard Wherritt’s production of Cabaret; Les Misérables (Asian and South African Tour); and 18 months as an original cast member of The Boy From Oz. Her television credits during that time include Denton, Good Morning Australia, The Midday Show, The Mick Molloy Show and The 7.30 Report.

Queenie van de Zandt is also a songwriter and in 1996 recorded her first solo album, Amazon Woman, which she independently released. In 1999 she performed her original material at the National Folk Festival. Her subsequent cabaret Amazon Woman and Other Stories has been performed at Kabarett Junction, Sydney, The Brisbane Cabaret Festival, The Basement, Sydney, as part of their Cabaret at The Basement series and will soon be seen at Chapel off Chapel, Melbourne and in Canberra.

Most recent credits include: Tessa/Gail in the world premier of After January (La Boite); Nancy in Barmaids (Street Theatre, Canberra); The Governor's Wife in Harvest Rain's Caucasian Chalk Circle; Angela in La Boite/QPAT's production of Secret Bridesmaids' Business; The Vagina Monologues, (green theatre co., Brisbane); Scooby Doo - The Movie; singing on Mornings with Kerri-Anne; Mrs Sowerberry in Oliver! (Cameron Mackintosh/IMG) for which Queenie was nominated for a 2003 Helpmann Award – Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical, alongside Nadine Garner, Judi Connelli and Geraldine Turner; and Deirdre in the world premier of the award winning play The Road to the She-Devil’s Salon (Queensland Theatre Company). After playing Sonja/Valerie in Speaking in Tongues for the Street Theatre in Canberra, Queenie will go to Melbourne to star alongside Paul Mecurio and Michael Veitch as Vicki Nichols in The Full Monty – the Musical.

Queenie travels nationally and internationally with her work and divides her time between acting, writing, performing her original music and teaching workshops in auditioning for musical theatre and song performance.

“Crucial to the play’s success…Queenie van de Zandt as…Deirdre”
The Australian

“Not only can van de Zandt sing the songs, she can sell them too.”
Sydney Morning Herald

"As an event, the evening belonged to van de Zandt. A full-length play with a cast of only two needs to have an authority of performance, and van de Zandt was convincing, warm, energetic, confident, and good fun. She clearly enjoys working with the audience, can sing poorly with gusto (we already know she can sing well from her other work…) and can relax on stage in storytelling mode."
Muse Magazine

“Queenie van de Zandt effectively steals the show”
Live Entertainment

“van de Zandt is utterly hilarious…”
The Blurb

“In addition to being a talented actor, Queenie’s voice is very flexible, powerful and true, handling blues and comedy with ease.”
2SER