MEL O'BRIEN
MUSICAL THEATRE / COMEDY / CREATIVE
Mel (she/her) is a classically-trained and versatile performer and creative based in Melbourne with a particular affinity for comedy, collaboration and the development of new work.
As a graduate of both NIDA (Musical Theatre) and The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music (Bachelor of Music - Voice), she has extensive experience across musical theatre, cabaret, opera, stage and screen and has recently been coined by the Herald Sun as “the future of Australian comedy" alongside creative partner Samantha Andrew with whomst shares an award-winning comedy career touring the country's biggest festivals to sold-out crowds and rave reviews. Together, the pair have two entirely original comedy cabaret works under their belt ('NO HAT, NO PLAY! THE CABARET and 'SHIT-WRECKED') with a third musical-comedy offering set to hit Melbourne stages in 2023.
Shit-Wrecked - Golden Gibbo Nominee, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, 2022
No Hat, No Play! The Cabaret - Best Cabaret, Adelaide Fringe Festival 2022
No Hat, No Play! The Cabaret - Best Writing Nominee, Green Room Awards 2022
Most recently, Mel starred in the critically acclaimed 'FANGIRLS' (Belvoir) at the Sydney Opera House as Lily and is also fresh off the heels of playing Muffin Rows in the Australian premiere of ‘VOLDEMORT AND THE TEENAGE HOGWARTS MUSICAL PARODY’ (Salty Theatre). Her other recent credits include the Green Room award-winning ‘THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS, QUEEN OF HEAVEN’ (Theatre Works/Midsumma), Jean Tong and Lou Wall's 'FLAT EARTHERS: THE MUSICAL' (Griffin Theatre),‘TINDER TALES' (Melbourne International Comedy Festival),‘GIRLS ARE HOT!’ (Midsumma), ‘MIRACLE CITY’ (Festival of Emerging Artists),‘STARSTRUCK' (RGM Productions), and 'THE MIKADO' (Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Victoria).
Whilst at university, Mel was also cast in three operas directed by Jane Davidson ('PASSION, LAMENT, GLORY', Monteverdi’s 'ORFEO' and Poulenc’s 'DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES').
Mel's passion for the development of new work has lead her to developing and originating roles in a number of new musicals/works including 'Flat Earthers', ‘Seen’, ‘Beau Wants to be a Billionaire’, 'Sweet Dreaming’, 'The Devil's Grip', 'The Lemon Wedding' and ‘The Ballad of Tilly No Beard'. Her “outlandish ideas, comic intuition and that voice” as well as her lived experience as a proud, queer, plus-sized artist have been and continue to be "treasured contributions to the grassroots musical theatre and comedy worlds."