Rhonda Burchmore

Rhonda Suzanne Burchmore (born 15 May 1960) is an Australian entertainer, most notable as an actress, recording artist and singer in musical theatre, she has appeared in numerous television shows and briefly in film.

Career Burchmore appeared as Kate in the 1982 film, The Pirate Movie. Burchmore gave her first Australian theatre performance in the 1988 production of Sugar Babies opposite Garry McDonald and Broadway performer Eddie Bracken. Later that year, she had a role in the West End production of Sugar Babies opposite Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller. Whilst in the U.K, Burchmore was cast in the revival of Stop the World – I Want to Get Off as well as a role in Hot Shoe Shuffle.

In 1997, Burchmore opened Melbourne's Crown Casino starring in Red Hot & Rhonda.

Burchmore had a role of Nadine Hale in Tommy Tune's stage version of Irving Berlin's Easter Parade, slated for Broadway but eventually the project stalled. Burchmore later appeared in another show, Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods with the Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC).

Burchmore released her first album in 1998, the self-titled Rhonda Burchmore. Further albums include Midnight Rendezvous, Live at the Melbourne Concert Hall, Pure Imagination, and a recording of her stage show, Cry Me a River – The World of Julie London.

In 1999, Burchmore played the lead role in The Production Company's first show, Mame. She also played the roles in The Boyfriend Jerry's Girls & La Cage Aux Folles for The Production Company, and later returned in a new production of Mame in 2008.

Further roles followed, including Adelaide in an Australian revival of Guys and Dolls, Tanya in the successful Mamma Mia!, Urinetown The Musical, Tom Foolery, Respect: A Musical Journey of Women, and her own productions; Rhonda Burchmore Sings 'n Swings, My Funny Valentines and Fever.

In 2013, she performed in Trevor Ashley's musical comedy Little Orphan trAshley with Gary Sweet.

Other Australian stage credits include The Drowsy Chaperone in 2010 with Geoffrey Rush for the MTC, Song and Dance, They're Playing Our Song – as one of the alter egos, and Diana in Lend Me a Tenor. With the Victorian Opera Burchmore performed as Queen of the Fairies in Iolanthe, as Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with Joan Carden, in Ruddigore and An Evening with Sondheim.

Burchmore's television credits include regular appearances on Carols by Candlelight, in the variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday, the quiz show Spicks and Specks and also guest roles in the sitcom Kath & Kim and on the TV series Love Child.

In 2019, it was announced Burchmore had been cast in the role of Grandma Viv in new Seven Network sitcom, Fam Time.

In 2020, Burchmore entered the Jungle to compete in the sixth season of the Australian version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and was placed third.

Personal life Burchmore was born in Sydney, and attended Beverly Hills Girls High School. She gained a scholarship to the University of New England where she majored in Theatre Arts. Burchmore and her husband, Nick, a psychiatrist, have a daughter. In 2010 she published her autobiography, Legs 11: The Rhonda Burchmore Story, named after the bingo-based popular epithet for her long-legged physique.

Discography Albums + List of albums, with selected details Title Details Rhonda Burchmore Released: 1998 Format: CD Label: Shock (SHOCK 0026) Midnight Rendezvous Released: 2001 Format: CD Label: Shock (RB001) Live at the Melbourne Concert Hall Released: 2003 Format: CD Label: Shock (RB002) Together Alone Released: 2006 Format: CD Label: Sound Vault(SV0520) Pure Imagination Released: 2008 Format: CD Label: Shock (RB003) Cry Me a River – The World of Julie London Released: 2013 Format: CD, digital Label: ABC Music (374 3283) A Red Hot Swinging Christmas Scheduled: November 2022 Format: CD, digital Label: ABC Music (ABCM0005)

Charting singles +List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions Album AUS "Hold Me Now" 1993 55

Honours In the January 2014 Australia Day Honours List Burchmore was awarded a medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) "For service to the performing arts, and to the community."

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. Rhonda Burchmore won one award in that time. (wins only) 1999 Rhonda Burchmore Female Vocal Variety Performer of the Year

Filmography Title Year Role The Pirate Movie 1982 Kate Melvin, Son of Alvin 1984 Phillipa Stanton The Flying Doctors (TV series) 1986 Carol The Silence of the Hams (TV movie) 1992 Woman in Black - Bubbles Remembering Nigel 2009 Rhonda Burchmore The Wedding Party 2010 Cheryl Love Child (TV series) 2014 Dawn Finally Me 2023 Molly Able

Theatre Sourced from the AusStage database: Rhonda Burchmore Theatre Title Year They're Playing Our Song 1980/1981 The Ritz Company 1983 Song and Dance 1983 Baby 1986 Sugar Babies 1987 Lend Me A Tenor 1987-1991 The Marriage of Fabio 1991 Iolanthe 1991 Petrov: The Musical 1992 Hot Shoe Shuffle 1992/1993/1994 Annie Get Your Gun 1992 An Evening with Fred and Ginger 1993 Ruddigore 1995 Aladdin 1996 Hey, Heys It's Cindearlla 1996 Red Hot and Rhonda 1997 A One Night Stand with the stars of Australian Musical Theatre 1997 Into the Woods 1998 Mame 1999 Guys and Dolls Concert 1999 Mamma Mia! 2001 Guys and Dolls 2002 Rhonda Burchmore Sings and Swings 2003 Sydney Symphony 2005 Urinetown, The Musical 2006 Tomfoolery 2006 Respect: A Musical Journey of Woman 2007 Everybody Loves Rhonda 2008 A Musical Send Off 2008 Gala Concert 2008 An All-Star Tribute to Peter Allen 2008 Rhonda Burchmore 2009 The BoyFriend 2009 Eurobeat 2009 The Drowsy Chaperone 2010 Calendar Girls 2010 Hats Off! 2010 Oz Made Musicals 2010 2010 Cry Me a River: The World of Julie London 2012 Jerry's Girls 2015 Rhonda Burchmore on Broadway 2016 Hairspray 2023 Sister Act the Musical 2024/25 Follies 2025 Anastasia 2026