Caroline O'Connor

Caroline Ann O'Connor (born 2 September 1962) is a British-born Australian actress and singer. For her theatre work she has won three Helpmann Awards: Best Female Actor in a Play for Edith Piaf in Piaf in 2001; in the same category for Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow in 2006; and Best Female Actor in a Musical for Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes in 2015. O’Cononor has performed extensively throughout Australia, Broadway and on the London West End.

Early life and education Caroline Ann O'Connor was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England, to Irish parents. After her family migrated to Australia she was brought up and educated in Sydney, where she took Irish dance lessons with Joy Ransley and Valerie McGrath.

O'Connor had joined a touring dance troupe by August 1974, which travelled to Ireland, Paris, London, and the United States west coast. She worked for one year at the Australian Opera Ballet, and became an Australian citizen in 2007.

Career O'Connor made her musical theatre debut in an Australian tour of Oklahoma! in 1982, she later reminisced, "I was about 20 and I got into the show [and] I thought, 'This is where I'm meant to be.' I feel so fortunate." In the following May she took the role of Consuelo in West Side Story at Sydney's Her Majesty's Theatre. The original production was filmed for a broadcast by ABC Television. Bombshells toured to the Edinburgh Festival (where she won the Fringe First Award), London's West End at the Arts Theatre (for which she received a second Laurence Olivier Award nomination), and at the World Stage Festival in Toronto, Ontario.

O'Connor starred as Judy Garland in the 2005 world premiere of Peter Quilter's play, End of the Rainbow, at the Sydney Opera House. and reprised her Helpmann Award winning role at the Theatre Royal Sydney in 2006.

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total_width = 220 image_style = border:none; image1 = Caroline_O'Connor_at_Night_of_1000_Voices.jpg alt1 = Night of 100 Voices.1 caption1 = The Night of 1000 Voices 2007 concert 6 May 2007 at the Royal Albert Hall, starring O'Connor. The number was reprised in Williams' arrangement for her shows at the Garrick Theatre 2010 season of The Showgirl Within, and for the opening in 2012 of Hamer Hall, Melbourne.

O'Connor starred in the premiere production of the musical The Hatpin, which opened in Sydney on 27 February 2008. In June of that year she played the title role, specifically written for her, in the premiere of David Williamson's play, Scarlett O'Hara at the Crimson Parrot, at the Melbourne Theatre Company.

In March 2009 O'Connor reprised her role as Kelly in the 2009 Australian production of Chicago where she starred alongside Craig McLachlan and Gina Riley. In May 2010 she appeared as Mrs Cooper in the TV series, Lowdown. Also in that year she performed at the BBC Proms celebration of Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday at the Royal Albert Hall. In May 2011 she starred as Mrs Lovett in the Théâtre du Châtelet production of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Paris, with David Charles Abell as musical director. Sondheim has said that O'Connor was "the best Mrs Lovett I have ever heard."

Later in fall of 2011, O'Connor starred in a revival of Sondheim's Follies at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. In 2012, she sang the role of Sara Jane Moore in Sondheim's Assassins at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre.

In 2012 O'Connor originated the role of Miss Shields in a limited run of A Christmas Story: The Musical. It ran for 51 performances in late 2012, and received a nomination for the 2013 Best Musical Tony Award, for its track "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out", featuring O'Connor, which was broadcast live on CBS during the 67th Tony Awards show on 9 June 2013.

As a recording artist O'Connor has released four solo CDs, What I Did for Love (1998), A Tribute to Piaf (2001), From Stage to Screen (2001) and A Tribute to Garland (2005). She has contributed to numerous cast recordings and compilations.

From April 2017 through to March 2018, O'Connor played Countess Lily in the musical, Anastasia, at the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway, New York. From May to June 2018 she starred in a London production of The Rink and in mid-August she portrayed Garland in The Production Company's The Boy from Oz in Melbourne.

In September 2018, O'Connor took the part of The Old Lady in a production of the operetta Candide, directed by Mitchell Butel and staged at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Sydney Youth Orchestra, and stars from Opera Australia.

O'Connor began 2019 by starting in the critically-acclaimed and sold-out Darlinghurst Theatre Company production of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (directed by Shaun Rennie). She followed this with a staged concert of the rarely performed musical Applause at Hayes Theatre, playing the leading role of Margo Channing.

In May 2024, O'Connor reprised her 2018 role as The Old Lady in Candide in a co-production by the State Theatre Company South Australia (STCSA) and State Opera South Australia, performed for three nights in Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, under the direction of Mitchell Butel, who was now STCSA artistic director.

In 2024 from 7 November through to 2 March, O'Connor played the role of Dolly Levy in the Paris version of Hello Dolly, directed by Stephen Mear at the Lido 2 Paris. Originally scheduled to finish in January, Hello Dolly was extended two months after receiving glowing reviews.

In September 2025, O'Connor returned to New York for a tribute show, "Caroline O'Connor, My Musical Life" at The Green Room 42, accompanied by Daniel Edmonds.

In October 2026, O'Connor will join Don Black's From The Heart revue at the Garrick Theatre.

Personal life Caroline O'Connor is married to Barrie Shaw, a musician and in 2017 they celebrated their 21st anniversary. In 2018, they sold their Bondi Junction property and moved to a riverside property in Noosa. In 2022, they also sold their UK home in Surrey.

Performances Stage

Film

Discography Albums Title Album details What I Did for Love Released: 1998 Formats: CD Label: Jay Records (CDJAY 1314) A Tribute to Piaf Released: 2000 Formats: CD Label: Artists Unlimited (CD001) From Stage to Screen Released: 2001 Formats: CD Label: Jay Records (CDJAY 1305) A Tribute to Garland Released: 2005 Formats: CD, digital Label: Artists Unlimited

Awards In 2020, O'Connor became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the performing arts, particularly to musical theatre.

Green Room Award 1994 Green Room Award for Female Artist in a Featured Role (Music Theatre) − West Side Story 1998 Green Room Award for Female Artist in a Leading Role (Music Theatre) − Chicago 2000 Green Room Award for Female Artist in a Leading Role (Music Theatre) − Piaf

Helpmann Awards The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia since 2001. Note: 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2001 Caroline O'Connor – Piaf Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Play 2002 Caroline O'Connor – Bombshell Best Female Actor in a Play 2003 Caroline O'Connor – Man of La Mancha Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Musical 2006 Caroline O'Connor – End of the Rainbow Best Female Actor in a Musical 2014 Caroline O'Connor – Gypsy: A Musical Fable Best Female Actor in a Musical 2015 Caroline O'Connor – Anything Goes Best Female Actor in a Musical

Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Caroline O'Connor won five awards in that time. (wins only) 1994 Caroline O'Connor Supporting Musical Theatrical Performer of the Year 1996 Caroline O'Connor Supporting Musical Theatrical Performer of the Year 1998 Caroline O'Connor Female Musical Theatre Performer of the Year 1999 Caroline O'Connor Female Musical Theatre Performer of the Year 2000 Caroline O'Connor Female Musical Theatre Performer of the Year