ELIZABETH DAWSON-SMITH
Photography by Alexis Desaulniers-Lea
Photography by Alexis Desaulniers-Lea
Photography by Alexis Desaulniers-Lea
DIRECTION
My direction is articulate, and often physically rigorous,
lending itself to character work, burlesque, vaudeville, circus, caricature, clowning, dance and physical theatre.
I work closely with artists to create clear narrative, form and refined style in their work. I recognize an artists’ strengths and push those whilst developing new skills they might not recognize; empowering them to cross genres and become multi-faceted performers.
I love to find the pattern in a performance, and turn it on it's head, giving my work it's unique flair.
Awards
Adelaide Fringe 'Best Cabaret' Weekly Award 'Absolute Riot' (2021)
Adelaide Fringe 'Best Dance' Weekly Award 'Catch Jazida' (2020)
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)
Winner of 'Best Film' for short flm, 'Two Breathe', Queen Street Film Festival (2011)
Directing credits
THEATRE PRODUCTIONS
Galah - Bluestone Church (2023)
CarmenGetta Carmenatcha - MICF (2023)
Borges - Melbourne Fringe (2023)
Too Much - Midsumma Festival (2021)
Absolute Riot - Adelaide Fringe (2021), Fringe Common Rooms (2022), Woodford Folk Festival (2022)
Catch Jazida - Adelaide Fringe (2020/21), Perth Fringe (2020), Canberra State Theatre (2019/20)
Sequins in the Stinkhouse - Rainbow Serpent Festival (2019), Desert Festival (2019)
Miss Friby: High Society and Other Fuckups - Rainbow Serpent Festival (2019), Desert Festival (2019)
Miss Friby : A Late Night Revue - Desert Festival (2018), Bellow Winter Music Festival (2019), Splendour in the Grass (2019), The Palais Hepburn (2019)
The Late Night Cabaret - Maleny Music Festival (2018/19)
The Promotion - Rainbow Serpent Festival (2018-19)
Island Vibes Cabaret - Island Vibes Festival (2018-19)
Ferocious Fandango Island - Rainbow Serpent Festival (2017)
Confessions of an Aerobics Instructor - Butterfly Club (2016)
Cocktails for Showgirls - The Village Festival (2016)
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), Phoenix Bar – monthly residency (2014)
Two Pound Parlour - Revolt Productions (2013), Revolt Productions (2014), Rainbow Serpent Festival (2014)
How to Woo a Bogan – The Village Festival (2015)
Miss Friby's Charming Vignettes - Apollo Bay Music Festival (2014), Rainbow Serpent Festival (2013), Byron Bay Community Centre (2013), Woodford Folk Festival (2012), Castlemaine Theatre (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)
Kill Bill Burlesque Show - The Annual Tarantino Ball (2015)
Opening Ceremony – Forro Do Tempo Brazil (2006-9)
FILM
MELBOURNE LOOK 2020
CHOCOLATE BOX 2020
LOVED UP IN LOCKDOWN 2020
MESSAGES FROM A MERMAID IN FOOTSCRAY 2020
TANGO 2014
TWO BREATHE 2012
Circus
Bubble Show for Adults Only - Adelaide Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, Perth Fringe 2019-23
Worlds Greatest Freakshow - Australian Tour (2023)
Ryn Hooligan - Hoop/Acro/Fire (2023)
Aleksandra The Great - Glass Eating/Human Blockhead (2022)
Junklandia - Australian Tour 2022
Sequins in the Stinkhouse/The Promotion - Rainbow Serpent Festival (2018-19)
Casa Danka - Contortion Act (2017)
Anndaala The Hooper – Hoop Act (2017)
Zelia Rose – Winning act for 'Miss Burlesque Australia' (2014)
Hayley Murphy (Bam Bam Circus) – Outside Eye 'Hoop Dog' (2013)
Jesse McKinnon (Roustabout Entertainment) - Fire Show for Werribee Open Range 'Zoo Twilights' program(2014)
Aleisha Manion & Jonathon Morgan – Double's trapeze act for 'Gasworks Circus Showdown' (2015)
Fora Do Tempo Festival – 'Opening Ceremony' Brazil (2006-9)
Two Pound Parlour - 'Siamese' (2014)
ACT DEVELOPMENT & OUTSIDE EYE
Issie Hart - Opera & Magic 2021
Cece Shabam – 'Shiela Says' Web Series (2017-current)
Bettie Bombshell - Winning Act MBA 2019
Dolores Dacquiri – Burlesque Act (2017)
The Wham Bams - Burlesque (2018)
Joana Simmons – 'Spiritual Gangster (Butterfly Club, 2019), 'Confessions of an Aerobics Instructor'(Butterfly Club, 2016), 'Tinserella' Melbourne Fringe (2015)
Egson Ham (Daniel Ham) – winning acts for 'Mr Boylesque Australia' (2015)
Zelia Rose - Blanc De Blanc (2018), Australian Burlesque Festival (2016) & winning acts for Miss Burlesque Australia (2014)
OTHER EXCITING STUFF
The Town Festival (Culture Jam) – Narrative Director (2018-19)
Elite Masquerade Ball (Culture Jam) - Narrative Director (2018/19)
Femmes on Fire/Femme Femme Femme - Music Director (2018)