Geraldine Turner

Geraldine Gail Turner (born 23 June 1950 in Brisbane, Australia) is an Australian actress and singer. She has been a leading performer in Australian musical theatre since the 1970s, and has also been active in plays, recordings, film and television.

Early life Turner was born and raised in Brisbane, attending St Margaret's Anglican Girls' School. Her career in performance began at an early age. As a child, Turner appeared in productions of Aladdin and The Sleeping Princess and as a performer on the local television variety program Cottee's Happy Hour. She trained in classical ballet for ten years and was a member of the Ballet Theatre of Queensland. She received a Diploma of Education after high school. She also studied classical singing at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music for 5 years. She began her career with the Queensland Theatre Company in the early 1970s.

Theatre In the early 1970s, Turner appeared with the Queensland Theatre Company in the musicals Lock Up Your Daughters, A Rum Do!, Oh, What a Lovely War! and the play She Stoops to Conquer.

She played Petra in the 1973 original Australian cast of A Little Night Music (J. C. Williamson's) and the lead role of Desiree Armfeldt in a 1990 Sydney Theatre Company revival. Other roles in Stephen Sondheim musicals include Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd (Melbourne Theatre Company), The Baker's Wife in Into the Woods and Joanne in Company (Sydney Theatre Company).

Other notable musical theatre roles include Nancy in Oliver!, Velma Kelly in the original Australian cast of Chicago (Sydney Theatre Company), Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes and Katisha in The Mikado (Essgee). She has performed in Australian musicals Summer Rain (Queensland Theatre Company), Jonah Jones (Sydney Theatre Company) and Ned Kelly (Adelaide Festival Centre Trust / Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust). Turner has also featured in various plays including Inheritance (Melbourne Theatre Company), Present Laughter and Don's Party (Sydney Theatre Company). In cabaret, she has performed in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Africa.

Recordings Turner features in Australian cast recordings of Chicago and Anything Goes. She has several solo albums including two compilations of Sondheim songs, Old Friends (also released as The Stephen Sondheim Songbook) and Geraldine Turner Sings the Stephen Sondheim Songbook Volume 2.

Film and television Her films roles include Vere in Careful, He Might Hear You (which won the AFI Award for Best Film in 1983), The Wog Boy and Summerfield. Turner has played a recurring role in the Australian television drama House Husbands.

Filmography

Film YearTitleRoleType 1975 The Box Lindy Jones Feature film 1976 Break of Day Sandy Feature film 1977 Summerfield Betty Tate Feature film 1978 The Clown and the Mind Reader Mind Reader Film short 1983 Careful, He Might Hear You Vere Feature film 2000 The Wog Boy Raelene Beagle-Thorpe Feature film 2015 Tempting Fate Extra Feature film, US

Television YearTitleRoleType 1975 The Box Regular role: Lindy Jones TV series 1975 Homicide Guest role: Lisa Andrews TV series, 1 episode 1976 King's Men Guest role TV series, 1 episode 1976 The Sentimental Bloke Doreen TV movie 1979 One Day Miller Regular role: Loretta TV series, 7 episodes 1979–1980 The Restless Years Recurring role: Sandy Miller TV series, 21 episodes 1983 A Country Practice Guest role: Mandy Marshall TV series, 2 episodes 1985 Natural Causes Lead role: Danni TV movie 1992 Six Pack Lead role: Lydia TV film series, episode 6: "That Man's Father" 1993 G.P. Guest role: Kath TV series, 1 episode 2006 All Saints Guest role: 'Shrieking' Sharona McDonald TV series, 1 episode 2006 Home and Away Recurring role: Kitty Landsdowne / Kitty Vale TV series, 13 episodes 2013–2014 House Husbands Recurring guest role: Wendy Horne TV series, 3 episodes

Television (as self) YearTitleRoleType 1959 Cottee's Happy Hour Dancer TV series 1973 Jill Herself TV special 1976 Quest Herself TV series, 1 episode 1978 Cappriccio Guest TV series, 1 episode 1978; 1980; 1981; 1983; 1984; 1985 The Mike Walsh Show Guest / guest singer TV series, 6 episodes 1981–1983 Parkinson in Australia Guest TV series, 3 episodes 1986 The Two Ronnies in Australia Guest singer (singing "I'm Just a Housewife") TV series, 1 episode 1987 Have a Go Guest judge TV series, 3 episodes 1988–1993 The Midday Show Guest singer TV series 1989 The Bert Newton Show Guest singer TV series, 2 episodes 1989 In Melbourne Today Guest TV series, 1 episode 1991 In Sydney Today Guest TV series, 1 episode 1994; 1995 At Home Guest TV series, 2 episodes 1995–2005 Good Morning Australia Guest singer TV series 1995 Ernie and Denise Guest TV series, 1 episode 1996 Roy and HG Guest TV series, 1 episode 1997 Monday to Friday Guest TV series, 1 episode 1998; 2000 Denise Guest TV series, 1 episodes 1999 Beauty and the Beast Guest TV series, 2 episodes 1999 Laws Guest TV series, 1 episode 2000; 2012 The Morning Show Guest TV series, 1 episode 2000 2000 Australian Film Institute Awards Winner TV special 2004 Mornings Guest TV series, 1 episode 2005 Spicks and Specks Guest TV series, 1 episode 2006 Studio A with Simon Burke Guest TV series, 1 episode 2007 Susie Guest TV series, 1 episode 2008 9am with David & Kim Guest TV series, 1 episode 2012 The Circle Guest TV series, 1 episode 2015 The Daily Edition Guest TV series, 1 episode 2022 Today Extra Guest TV series, 1 episode 2022 Studio 10 Guest TV series, 1 episode 2024 News Breakfast Guest (with Gerry Connolly) TV series, 1 episode

Theatre YearTitleRoleType 1970 A Rum Do! Sadie SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1971 Oh, What a Lovely War! SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1971 She Stoops to Conquer SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1971 The Wind in the Sassafras Trees SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1971 The Legend of King O'Malley Australian tour 1972 Lock Up Your Daughters SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1972–73 No, No, Nanette Betty Brown Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Regent Theatre, Sydney 1973–74 A Little Night Music Petra Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne with J. C. Williamson’s 1976 Cole Marian Street Theatre, Sydney 1976 A Toast to Melba Nellie Melba SGIO Theatre, Brisbane 1977 Ashes Anne Harding Nimrod Theatre Company, Sydney 1977 Ned Kelly Ma Kelly Festival Theatre, Adelaide, Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney with Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust 1978 Pandora's Cross Primavera Paris Theatre, Sydney 1980 The Sunny South Clarice Chester Sydney Opera House 1980 I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road Alice Space Theatre, Adelaide, Sydney Opera House 1980 Geraldine Turner Sings Singer / solo show Nimrod Street Theatre, Sydney, SGIO Theatre, Brisbane for Warana Festival 1980 The Elephant Man Pinhead / Mrs Kendall Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne for MTC 1981 An Evening Musical Arranger Sydney Opera House, Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane, Canberra Theatre, Festival Theatre, Adelaide, Princess Theatre, Melbourne 1981; 1983 Chicago Velma Kelly Sydney Opera House, Theatre Royal, Sydney with STC, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Festival Theatre, Adelaide, Lee Theatre, Hong Kong 1982 Moving Target Upstage Theatre Restaurant, Sydney 1983 Boldest and Best Programme 2 Dancer Sydney Opera House 1983 Present Laughter Theatre Royal, Sydney with STC 1984 Oliver! Nancy Festival Theatre, Adelaide 1985 Jonah Jones Wharf Theatre with STC with STC & Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA 1986 Company Joanne Sydney Opera House with STC 1986–87 H.M.S. Pinafore Mrs Cripps Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, State Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat 1987 Sweeney Todd Mrs Lovett Playhouse, Melbourne, Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Riverstage, Brisbane with MTC 1987 La Belle Helene Helene State Theatre, Melbourne 1988 Noel and Gertie Wharf Theatre, Sydney 1988 A Stephen Sondheim Evening Theatre Royal, Sydney 1989 Don's Party Sydney Opera House with STC 1989 Anything Goes Reno Sweeney State Theatre, Sydney 1990 A Little Night Music Desiree Armfeldt Sydney Opera House with STC 1992 Geraldine Turner Singer / solo show Cremorne Orpheum, Queanbeyan School of Arts Cafe 1993 Into the Woods The Baker's Wife Sydney Opera House 1993 The Electrifying Miss Geraldine Turner Singer / solo show Queanbeyan School of Arts Cafe 1993 A Rare Jewel Newcastle Civic Theatre 1993 A Brand New Show Singer / solo show Marian Street Theatre, Sydney 1994 Kismet in Concert Lalume Victorian Arts Centre 1995 This Moment Singer / solo show Tilbury Hotel, Sydney 1995–96 The Sweetest Sounds Singer / solo show Cremorne Theatre, Brisbane, Tilbury Hotel, Sydney 1995 The Mikado Katisha Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, State Theatre, Sydney, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Canberra Theatre with Essgee 1996 Tilbury Hotel 10th Anniversary Gala Tilbury Hotel, Sydney 1996 Gala Re-Opening of the Regent Theatre Regent Theatre, Melbourne 1996 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Theatre Royal, Hobart, Playhouse, Adelaide, Glen Street Theatre, Newcastle Civic Theatre with STCSA & MTC 1997 Summer Rain Ruby Suncorp Theatre, Brisbane with QTC 1997 Cabaret Fraulein Schneider University of Sydney 1998 Grease - The Arena Spectacular Miss Lynch Australian tour 1998 Geraldine Turner Singer / solo show Capers Cabaret, Melbourne 2000 Simply Weill Singer Sydney Opera House 2000 Call Me Madam Sally Adams State Theatre, Melbourne 2000 It Was Worth It Singer / solo show Capers Cabaret, Melbourne, Cafe 9, Sydney 2001 The Forest Raisa Pavlovna Playhouse, Brisbane with QTC 2002 2nd Helpmann Awards 2002 The Star, Sydney 2002 The Witches of Eastwick Felicia Gabriel Princess Theatre, Melbourne 2003 Inheritance Maureen Delaney Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC, Sydney Opera House with STC 2003 These People Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 2004 A Little Night Music Fredrika Armfeldt James Hay Theatre, Christchurch, Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland 2004 Australia's Leading Ladies Singer Concert Hall, Brisbane 2005 Rosie Rose Shaw Independent Theatre, Sydney 2005 Somewhere Q Theatre, Penrith 2006 Mavis Bramston Reloaded Brisbane City Hall, Twin Towns, Gold Coast 2007 An Audience with Stephen Sondheim Singer Theatre Royal, Sydney 2007 Up Close and Musical Singer Theatre Royal, Sydney 2007 Ever After Ever Singer Theatre Royal, Sydney 2009 Steel Magnolias Seymour Centre, Sydney, QUT, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide 2009 Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris The Street Theatre, Acton 2011 Wicked Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, Festival Theatre, Adelaide 2011 Side by Side by Sondheim Geelong Arts Centre 2011 MP Ava Turner The Street Theatre, Acton 2014 Ruthless! The Musical Lita Encore Seymour Centre, Sydney 2014 White Rabbit, Red Rabbit The Street Theatre, Acton 2015 Turner's Turn Solo show Hayes Theatre Co, Brisbane Powerhouse, Alex Theatre, St Kilda, Acton Street Theatre 2015 The Chain Bridge Eva Actom Street Theatre 2016–17 Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris Director Sutherland Memorial School of Arts, Riverside Theatres Parramatta 2017; 2019 Two Weddings, One Bride Aurore Sydney Opera House, Playhouse, Melbourne, Riverside Theatres Parramatta 2018 Cosi Fan Tutte Stage Director Opera Pavilion, Olinda 2018 A Tale of Two Divas Stage Director Burrinja, Upwey, Healesville Memorial Hall 2020 Table for Six, Please! Online - Australia: 2022 Moments in the Woods: Songs & Stories of Sondheim The Famous Spiegeltent at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2022–23 The Mousetrap Mrs Boyle Theatre Royal, Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre

Personal life She was married briefly at age 21.

Her second husband is conductor Brian Castles-Onion.

She was the federal President of Actors Equity (MEAA) in Australia. She stood in the 2008 local government election for the Wingecarribee Shire Council in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, and has advocated for the role of the arts in the community.

Turner published an autobiography in 2022, Turner's Turn.

Awards and nominations Year Nominated work Award Category Result 1994 Oliver! Green Room Awards Best Female Actor in a Leading Role (Music Theatre) 1988 Geraldine Turner Mo Awards Female Musical Theatre Performer of the Year 1988 Geraldine Turner Order of Australia Medal for Services to the Performing Arts 1989 Anything Goes Green Room Award Best Female Actor in a Leading Role (Music Theatre)