By turns sassy, soulful, smart and sweet, Melissa straddles the worlds of jazz, cabaret and theatre. She performs internationally, performing and producing new stage works and singing with a variety of ensembles. Her passion is taking to the stage in front of a live audience, seamlessly weaving song, movement and story into an experience they will want to share and cherish. Over the past twenty years she has performed to audience and critical acclaim locally in Brisbane, nationally throughout Australia and internationally in the UK and France.
Her self-penned one-woman musical Ella, Marilyn, Marlene and Me was an official sell-out two consecutive years at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, garnering five star reviews from ThreeWeeks “absolutely brilliant… enthralling vocal talents wowed the audience” and four stars from The Scotsman “Melissa Western is on fire… it’s mainly about the eyes, the face and the voice.” In 2013, Melissa’s new original comedy-cabaret entitled Sweet, Sour and Saucy received critical and audience acclaim, Western being touted as a “force of nature” (Broadway Baby, 5 stars). The show went on to be nominated for three Matilda Awards in 2015: Best Musical/Cabaret, Best Female Actor in a Leading Role and Best Set Design as well as Western being named Favourite Leading Female Performance in the 2015 Del Arte Charts. Sweet, Sour & Saucy has toured Queensland, Western Australia and the UK.
She has appeared with the iconic Women in Voice (QPAC 2008, Qld tour 2012, JWCoCA 2017), and has created countless cabarets including Push It! Songs about getting pregnant, giving birth and having kids, Oh Lady Be Good: A tribute to the great chanteuses of the 20th century. Other festival and venue highlights include Australia Day Festival Southbank, Qld Premier’s Heroes Ceremony, official Australia Day ceremony Southbank, performing sold out seasons of Oh, Lady Be Good at The Jazz Bar in Edinburgh and Blind Tiger, London, critical acclaim and official “Sold Out” status for her show Baby Loves Singing, Dancing and YOU! at the Edinburgh Festival, being hand-picked as the feature performer for former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Australia Day reception, touring Queensland with former Premier Anna Bligh for her Christmas Concerts (2009, 2010 and 2011), UK tour (Lincolnshire/Nottingham shire), Lush Life and Ella, Marilyn, Marlene and Me – Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Jazz Bar – Edinburgh, Women in Voice – QPAC, The Vault – Edinburgh Fringe Festival, L’église – Avaux (France), Powerhouse Theatre – Brisbane Cabaret Festival, Brisbane Jazz Club, Speigeltent – Qld Music Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, Valley Jazz Festival, Mackay Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Fringe Festival, The Tivoli, Gold Coast Jazz and Blues Festival, The Basement – Gold Coast Arts Centre, La Boite Theatre, Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre.
She has recorded her own original CD Stepping Stone as well as releasing a live jazz CD, Live & Intimate and featuring on High Tide vol II (Brisbane Jazz Club), Tailspin: Brisbane Big Band tribute to Paul Gibens and Singin’ and Swingin’ with her Dad, Alan Western.
Melissa is a Churchill Fellow, was Valedictorian of her graduating Bachelor of Arts at UQ, holds a University Medal from the University of Queensland, first class Honours degree and was awarded her Masters of Philosophy in the field of Drama. In 2014 she was awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship to study improvised musical theatre in the UK. She has trained intensively in musical theatre at RADA (London) and NIDA, physical theatre with Zen Zen Zo, and has trained in dance for over fifteen years including: classes with Luis Pinto (Megajam), Jasmine Meakin (Hip-hop, Sexy Cool), Simone Pope (flamenco studio) and with teachers at the Broadway Dance Centre (New York).
From 2002-2009 Melissa was heavily involved with the Brisbane Jazz Club serving as the club’s youngest ever President. Under her stewardship the club thrived and now maintains its position as one of Australia’s premiere live jazz venues.
Melissa lives in Brisbane with her husband and performance partner Tnee and their two children Ella Abigail and Sasha Rose.
THEATRE / MUSICALS |
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| Barbara & Barry’s Sweet, Sour and Saucy | National Australian and UK touring. Over 50 venues including Judith Wright Centre for Contemporary Arts. |
2013-2017 |
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| Subtext: Love Between the Lines | Anywhere Theatre Festival |
2015 |
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| Avenue Q | Arts Theatre (Brisbane) |
2014 |
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| Ella, Marilyn, Marlene and Me | Edinburgh Fringe Festival and UK NRTS tour |
2007-2009 |
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| Wicked Bodies | La Boite Theatre/ Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre |
2004 |
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| The Madness of Sweeney | Mog Roith (Eugene Gilfedder) – Woodford Folk Festival |
2003 |
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| Taliesan | Mog Roith (Eugene Gilfedder) – Woodford Folk Festival |
2002 |
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| Ultimate Mongrel | Cement Box Theatre & La Boite Newboards Festival |
2001 |
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| Boneless Chicken Brecht | Cracka Theatre Troupe (tours of south-east Qld) |
1999 – 2001 |
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| Inheritance | Cracka Theatre Troupe (Brisbane Season) |
2000 |
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| Schoolies | Cracka Theatre Troupe (tours of south-east Qld) |
1998 |
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| An Entirely New Sensation | Cracka Theatre Troupe (tours of south-east Qld) |
1998 |
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MUSIC & CABARET |
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| A Night in Paris | Gold Coast Jazz & Blues Club (Gold Coast Arts Centre) |
2013 & 2014 |
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| Minx Moxie | Woodford Folk Festival |
2013 |
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| Push It! | Brisbane Cabaret Festival & Stockholme Syndrome |
2012 |
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| Women in Voice 18 (2012 tour) | Queensland Regional Tour |
2012 |
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| Oh, Lady Be Good | Edinburgh Fringe Festival & UK NRTS tour |
2011-2012 |
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| Songs from the Heart | Queensland State Library (Tea and Music) |
2011 |
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| Ella meets Marilyn | Butterfly Club (Melbourne) and Brisbane Jazz Club |
2010 |
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| Close to You | Brisbane Cabaret Festival (Judith Wright Centre) |
2010 |
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| Of War and Love | Queensland State Library (Tea and Music) |
2010 |
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| The A-Z of Cabaret | Brisbane Cabaret Festival (Queensland tour) |
2009 |
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| Lush Life | Edinburgh Fringe Festival and UK NRTS tour |
2008 |
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| Women in Voice 17 | Playhouse Theatre, QPAC |
2008 |
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| Melissa and the Cunning Accompanist | Adelaide Fringe Festival; Sydney; Melbourne |
2008 |
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| Mischievous Minx | Brisbane Cabaret Festival (Powerhouse Theatre) |
2006 |
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RECORDINGS |
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| Tailspin: tribute to Paul Gibens (feature artist) | Brisbane Big Band |
2013 |
| High Tide vol II (feature artist) | Brisbane Jazz Club |
2012 |
| Paris (feature artist) | Gerard Civet (documentary) |
2011 |
| Stepping Stone (original artist) | 6-track CD funded by Arts Qld |
2010 |
| Live & Intimate (jazz artist) | 10-track live jazz CD |
2008 |
CHILDREN’S MUSIC / MUSICAL THEATRE |
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| Lissa & Nee Nee’s Adventure Time | Powerkids Festival (Brisbane Powerhouse) |
2014 |
| Lissa & Nee Nee: Christmas is a Feeling | Brisbane City Councillors Community Centre tour |
2013 |
| Lissa & Nee Nee’s Riverside Adventure | Powerkids Festival (Brisbane Powerhouse) & Edinburgh Festival Fringe & Art with Altitude Festival & Southbank Australia Day Festival |
2013-2014 |
| Lissa & Nee Nee: Baby Loves Music & Movement | QPAC Out of the Box Festival |
2012 |
| Baby Loves Singing, Dancing & You | Edinburgh Fringe Festival |
2011 |
| The Dinosaur Show | Tell Tales Entertainment (Sydney-Brisbane-Melbourne) |
2004-2009 |
| Captain Flash & the Fantastic Flying Machine | Tell Tales Entertainment (Sydney-Brisbane-Melbourne) |
2005-2006 |
| Santa of the Never Never | Tell Tales Entertainment (Sydney-Brisbane-Melbourne) |
2004-2006 |
TRAINING / AWARDS |
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| Melissa is a Churchill Fellow, was Valedictorian of her graduating Bachelor of Arts at UQ, holds a University Medal from the University of Queensland, first class Honours degree and was awarded her Masters of Philosophy in the field of Drama. She has trained intensively in musical theatre at RADA (London) and NIDA, physical theatre with Zen Zen Zo, and has trained in dance for over fifteen years including: classes with Luis Pinto (Megajam), Jasmine Meakin (Hip-hop, Sexy Cool), Simone Pope (flamenco) and with teachers at the Broadway Dance Centre (New York). In 2012 she completed acting masterclasses at La Boite and IAHQ. | ||
TEACHING |
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| Presentation Skills, Stagecraft & Self Directed Studies | JMI – Jazz Music Institute |
2011-2014 |
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| Masterclass facilitator – promotion & presentation | JUMP |National Mentoring Program for Young and Emerging Artists (Supported by the Australia Council of Australia, managed nationally by YAQ) |
2011 |
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| Progam mentor | Talkin Jazz Youth Engagement Program |
2006-2011 |
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| Guest mentor – promotion & presentation | Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre |
1998-2004 |
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| Drama tutor | University of Queensland, EMSAH (English, Media Studies and Social History), Arts Faculty |
1999-2002 |
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| Secondary school workshop teacher | Cracka Theatre Troupe |
1998-2002 |
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ACADEMIC |
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| M.Phil. Masters of Philosophy (Drama) | University of Queensland |
published 2006 |
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| Honours (1st Class) Drama | University of Queensland |
1998 |
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| Bachelor of Arts (Double Major in Drama) | University of Queensland |
1997 |
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AWARDS |
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| University Medal | University of Queensland |
1999 |
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| Alrene Sykes Memorial Prize | University of Queensland |
1998 |
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| Valedictorian of Arts | University of Queensland |
1997 |
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POSITIONS |
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| Inaugural Artistic Director | Brisbane Jazz Club |
2008 |
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| President | Brisbane Jazz Club |
2004- 2007 |
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| Vice President | Brisbane Jazz Club |
2002- 2004 |
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| Board Member | Zen Zen Zo |
Current |
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ARTS MANAGEMENT / PRODUCING |
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| Curator / Department Head – Visual Arts | Woodford Folk Festival |
2011-2014 |
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| Producer | Saviours of the Lost Arts: Craft workshop series and Craft Fair: Brisbane City Council |
2010-2011 |
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| Manager and Key Mentor Talkin’ Jazz Youth Program | Brisbane City Council / Brisbane Jazz Club |
2006-2011 |
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| Coordinator / Consultant / Performer | The Queensland Premier’s Christmas Concerts (The Hon Anna Bligh) |
2009 and 2010 |
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| Creative Director | Tell Tales Entertainment Qld (children’s theatre) |
2006-2009 |
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| Senior Program Manager | VIII World Shakespeare Congress (UQ) |
2005-2007 |
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| Manager | ANZSA Conference (Australia New Zealand Shakespeare Association). |
1998 |
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FUNDING |
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| APA scholarship (1998), Creative Sparks Development Grant (2006), Career Development Grant (Arts Qld 2007), Music Development Grant (Arts Qld 2009). | ||||||||