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Stage by Stage
Elisabeth Kumm

Elisabeth Kumm

Elisabeth is a founding member of the Victoria Theatres Trust. Her series Pets of the Public was a regular feature of On Stage from 1999 to 2005, looking at “forgotten” nineteenth century performers. She continues to contribute articles for the THA website, and from 2018 has been editor of the THA Newsletter. As a theatrical historian and biographer she assisted Viola Tait with her book on pantomime – Dames, Principal Boys…and All That (published by Macmillan in 2001) and also worked with her on her memoirs I Have a Song to Sing (published by THA in 2018). Elisabeth has also undertaken research for the Riley/Hailes Scrapbook and JCW Scene Books projects. Most recently she has been working on the Falk Studios album project including acting as editor of The Falk Studios book (published by THA in 2021). 

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

SHIRLEY, W.R. (fl. 1900s)

English vocalist (tenor).

Brought to Australia in 1902 by George Musgrove to play leading role in The Runaway Girl.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 255.

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

SHILLING, Ivy (1892-1972)

Australian actress, dancer & vocalist. Née Ivy May Schilling. Born 1891, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

On stage in Australia and England.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 172.

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

SHERWIN, Walter (c.1828-1881)

English operatic vocalist (tenor). Né John Shickle. Married Fannie Carandini (vocalist). Died 21 September 1881, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

On stage in Australia from 1856 performing leading roles in opera and touring the British colonies with the Carandini troupe.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 232.

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

SHERIDAN, John F. (1848-1908)

American actor. Born 7 October 1843, Rhode Island, USA. Married (1) Alecia Jourdain (male impersonator), (2) May Livingstone (actress), (3) Gracie Whiteford (actress). Died 25 December 1908, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

On stage in England, India, USA, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Popular comedian best remembered for playing the Widow O’Brien in Fun on the Bristol.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 65.

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

SHEPPARDE, Hattie (1846-1874)

Australian actress. Née Harriet Langmaid (Langmede). Born 3 August 1846, Launceston, TAS, Australia. Daughter of Amos Langmaid and Harriet Hill. Married Henry Hallam (vocalist), 1873, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Died 21 September 1874, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

On stage in Australia from 1860s. Promising comedy actress who played leading roles in TW Robertson and WS Gilbert, but died from peritonitis after childbirth.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 194.

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

SHAW, George Bernard (1856-1950)

Irish playwright & journalist. Born 26 July 1856, Dublin, Ireland. Brother of Lucy Carr Shaw (vocalist). Married Charlotte Frances Payne-Townshend, 1898. Theatre critic for the World, 1890-1894, and theatre critic for the Saturday Review, 1895-1898.

Important playwright and thinker whose plays were largely performed in Australia by repertory companies.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, pages 39, 187.

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

SIDDONS, Mrs Scott (c.1840-1896)

English actress. Née Mary Frances Siddons. Born c.1840, Calcutta, India. Daughter of William Young Siddons (Captain in British Military service and possibly eldest son of famed English actress Sarah Siddons). Married Lt Scott-Chanter (naval officer), 1862, Winchester, England. Died 19 November 1896, Paris, France.

On stage in England, USA, Australia and New Zealand from 1866. Toured Australia 1878-1879 playing mainly Shakespeare heroines Juliet and Rosalind.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 122.

Wednesday, 14 June 2017

RUMFORD, Kennerley (1870-1957)

English operatic vocalist (baritone). Né Robert Henry Kennerley Rumford. Born 2 September 1870, London, England. Son of Joseph Kennerley Rumford. Married (1) Clara Butt (vocalist), 26 June 1900, (2) Dorothy Jane Elwin, 1941. Died 9 March 1957, North Stoke, Oxfordshire, England.

On stage in England and Australia. With Clara Butt, toured Australia in 1914 for J&N Tait.

Riley/Hailes Scrapbook, page 245.

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