ELIZABETH DAWSON-SMITH
With a First Class Honours accreditation in nineteenth century burlesque traditions (2014), Elizabeth's flair for subversive entertainment has made it's mark on the vaudeville, cabaret and burlesque circuit, with two Green Room Award nominations for 'Best Ensemble' (2015) and 'Innovation in Cabaret' (2012), 'Best Cabaret' & 'Best Dance' weekly awards at Adelaide Fringe Festival (2020/21), a Fields Award nomination for her 'Contribution to Australian Vaudeville' (2015) and act direction for the winning entries of Miss Burlesque Australia 2014 (Zelia Rose) and Mr Boylesque Australia 2015 (Egson Ham).
Elizabeth's dance work has been featured alongside Adelaide Fringe 'Best Music' (2012) recipients, Rapskallion (AUS) 2008-2014, Underscore Orchestra (USA) 2014, Slamboree (UK) 2015 & Woohoo Revue (AUS) 2014-16.
Through her production company, Miss Friby, Elizabeth's work was featured at the 'Immersed Dance Industry Gala' 2013/14, invited to present alongside top international clowns at 'So You Think You Can Clown' (Comedy Festival Hub 2012) and was a featured finalist on Channel Nine's 'Australia's Got Talent' (2013). Miss Friby has also featured at major Australian festivals, Woodford Folk Festival (2021/2014), Splendour in the Grass (2014-19), Falls Festival (2013-16) and Rainbow Serpent Festival (2010-16), as well as high end theatre venues such as the National Gallery of Victoria (2012), The National Theatre and the World Famous Spiegeltent (2009).
Currently Elizabeth works as both a performer/show maker and freelance producer for a range of clients developing work with/for fellow artists and working behind the scenes of major arts festivals and creative projects including The World's Greatest Freakshow (2022), The Town Festival (2018), Leaps & Bounds Festival (2018), Dropbear Films (2018), The Village Festival (2017) and The Melbourne Showboat (2017-20).
BIOGRAPHY
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Adelaide Fringe 2021 'Best Cabaret' Weekly Award Recipient
Adelaide Fringe 2020 'Best Dance' Weekly Award - 'Catch Jazida'
Green Room Award nomination 'Best Ensemble' (2016) & 'Innovation in Cabaret' (2012)
Finalist Field Award nominee for 'Contribution to Australian Vaudeville' (2015)
Act coach for winning entry 'Miss Burlesque Australia 2014' (Zelia Rose)
Act coach for winning entry 'Mr Boylesque Australia 2015' (Egson Ham)
Finalist on Australia's Got Talent (2013)
National delegate for the China Exchange Convention (2012)
Winner of 'Best Film' for short flm, 'Two Breathe', Queen Street Film Festival (2011)
PRODUCTION CREDITS
& CLIENT LIST
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
THEATRE, cabaret & circus DIRECTION
Galah
Bluestone Church Artspace Residency (2023)
CarmenGetta in Carmenatcha
Melbourne International Comedy Festival (2023)
Waiting for Borges
Melbourne Fringe Festival (2023)
Bubble Show for Adults Only
Adelaide Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Perth Fringe (2020-23)
Miss Friby's Mile High Variety Hour
Ballarat Cabaret Festival (2022)
Worlds Greatest Freakshow
Australian Tour - QLD, NSW, VIC (2022)
Junklandia
Australian National Tour (2022)
Too Much
Melbourne Fringe Festival (2021)
Absolute Riot
Woodford Folk Festival (2022), Fringe Common Rooms (2022), Adelaide Fringe Festival (2021) - 'Best Cabaret' weekly recipient
High Society and Other F*ckups
Alice Springs Desert Festival (2019), Palais Hepburn (2019), 24 Moons (2019), Rainbow Serpent Festival (2019)
Miss Friby: A Late Night Revue
Alice Springs Desert Festival (2018), Rainbow Serpent Festival (2018)
The Promotion
Rainbow Serpent Festival (2018)
Island Vibes Variety Show
Island Vibes Festival (2017)
Miss Friby - All Alone ...AT Last
Bigwest Festival (2015)
Top Spot
Ruby's Music Room (2015)
Miss Friby's Box
Fall Festival (TAS, NSW, VIC 2013-16), Woodford Folk Festival (2014), Splendour in the Grass (2014/15/17), Phoenix Bar – monthly residency (2014)
Two Pound Parlour
Revolt Productions (2013), Revolt Productions (2014), Rainbow Serpent Festival (2014)
Miss Friby's Charming Vignettes
Apollo Bay Music Festival (2014), Rainbow Serpent Festival (2013), Byron Bay Community Centre (2013), Woodford Folk Festival (2012/14), Castlemaine Teatre (2012), National Gallery of Victoria (2012), Red Bennies (2011) Aphrodite's Bordello - Melbourne Fringe Festival (2012)
Table
Dead House Walking (2011), The Village Festival (2012)
Milk
Royal Melbourne Show (2010), Rainbow Serpent Festival (2010), National Dance Week (Brazil 2008/9), National Teatre Week (2009),
Cara's Da Rua
National Dance Week (Brazil 2008/9), National Teatre Week (2009)
CURATED ENTERTAINMENT CLIENTS
Karralyka Performing Arts Centra (2023)
Crown Palladium (2013 - 2022)
The Town Festival (2018-19)
Dragon Dreaming Festival (2015-16)
The Annual Tarantino Ball (2015)
Cairn's Casino (2014)
Electro Swing Club (2013-17)
Melbourne Comedy Festival Hub (2013)
The Village Festival (2012 - 2017)
Rainbow Serpent Festival (2011 - 2017)
EVENT PRODUCTION & PROGRAMMING
In addition to all Miss Friby seasoned works (see above):
World's Greatest Freakshow
National Tour Programmer (2022)
Lady Cutler Melbourne Showboat
Cruise Programmer/Producer (2017-20)
Eclectica Dance Troupe
Stage & Production Manager (2022-23)
The Town Festival
Narrative Direction & Casting (2018/19)
Rainbow Serpent Festival
Saturday Night Cabaret Producer (2018/19)
Leaps & Bounds Music Festival
Producer of Female Music Events (2017/18)
The Village Festival
Sunhouse Theatre Programming (2017)
Electro Swing Club
Programmer - Circus & House Casting (2015-17)
Dead House Walking
Producer/Programmer Melbourne (2011)
Fora Do Tempo Festival
Producer/Programmer 'Opening Ceremony' Brazil (2006-9) Danca no Laboratorio – Producer/Programmer Brazil (2008)
All MISS FRIBY works are self produced (see above)
MUSIC COLLABorationS
Miss Friby & The Femmes (2022-23), Eli Dan (2023), A Household Name (2022-23), David Kaye (2022), Julia Werner (FRA 2023), Woohoo Revue (2016), Candy Royalle (2016), Bonnie Love (2015-23), Rapskallion (2010-2015), Kill Ya Darlings (2012-14), The Desert Thieves (2014), Underscore Orchestra (USA 2014)
COACHING/OUTSIDE EYE & CHOREOGRAPHY CLIENTS
Run Hooligan Hoop / Doubles Acro / Fire (2023)
Issie Hart Opera Illusion Act (2022)
Aleksandra The Great Sideshow (2022)
Jazida 'Exotica Erotica' Script Devising (2021)
Cece Shabam Web series script development (2017/18)
Andaala The Hooper Hoop Act (2017)
Casa D'anka Contortion Choreography (2017)
Dolores Daquiri Choreography - Burlesque Festival Tour
Zelia Rose Numerous acts - 'Miss Burlesque' (2014), 'Ruby Blue' & 'Blanc De Blanc'
Egson Ham (Daniel Ham) -'Mr Boylesque Australia' (2015)
Joana Simmons 'Tinserella' Melbourne Fringe (2015)
Aleisha Manion & Jonathon Morgan Double's trapeze act for 'Gasworks Circus Showdown' (2015)
Jessie Mckibbon Fire Show 'Zoo Twilights Program' (2014)
Hayley Murphy (Bam Bam Circus) Outside Eye 'Hoop Dog' (2013)
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR/TEACHER
Spin Circus Festival (2018 - 23), Scratch Queer Arts (2022), Desert Festival (2018-20), Congress on Undress (2017), BB's House of Burlesque (2017), Creative Bootcamp (2017), Rainbow Serpent Festival (2016 - 18), Platinum Health and Pilates (2015), Crunch Fitness (2015), Apollo Bay Music Festival (2014), Soul Brasil (2015), Boston Consulting Group (2013), Victoria University (2013), Bushwa and Hooey (2010-11), Kommisar Kabaret (2010), Footscray Community Arts Centre (2009)
'Elizabeth has incredible instincts for face to face audience engagement - people love her shows. She can play an audience very well - and is able to direct her artists accordingly'
- Marcia Ferguson, Artistic Director, Bigwest Festival 2015
PUBLISHED REVIEWS
'the Friby brand of dance is humorous, energetic, and underpinned by a real appreciation for an eclectic range of dance styles.'
- The Age, 'Two Pound Parlour' 2013
'A wickedly funny and creative hour of entertainment'
- Beat Magazine, 'Top Spot' 2015
'Effortlessly melds an impressive array of genres to create a mesmerising and enjoyable audience experience'
- Artshub, 'All Alone - At Last!' 2015
'An array of entertaining acts that result in a very enjoyable night'
- Theatrepress, 'Top Spot' 2015
'Unexpected and brilliant'
-Dance Informa, 'Spaghetti Slobs' 2012
'I have presented Elizabeth's work multiple times since 2012. Over the years I have been impressed with her company's professionalism and the quality of works available within the Miss Friby repertoire'
- Ian Pidd, Artistic Director, The Village, Falls Festival
'When I hire Elizabeth to work on my performances, I expect to achieve highly polished routines, with a focus on character work and clean dancing.'
- Egson Ham, Mr Boylesque Australia 2015