Tania lacy
Encyclopedia
Tania Jane Lacy is an Australia
n comedian. She currently lives in Melbourne
, Victoria
with her spouse Ole Sturm, whom she married in Los Angeles
in 2000. They have a son Per, who was born in December 2005.
Tania, originally from Toowoomba
, Queensland
spent many of her early years travelling with her family. Her father, then an officer in the army, was posted to Singapore (where Tania was actually born) twice and Tania spent a few years at Army schools.
class and very early on exhibited some degree of talent. It wasn't until the family had settled in Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs in the late 70's that Tania was able to attend ballet classes again. She pursued the art vigorously and at the age of 12 was accepted into the Victorian College of the Arts
School of Dance. Tania decided not to attend instead opting to complete her education at a normal high school whilst pursuing her dance training after school hours. She completed her HSC in 1983 and was again accepted into the VCA for a full-time tertiary education. During her second year Tania suffered a serious blow to her career plans when she sustained a severe knee injury in a dancing accident. After one year of rehabilitation Tania found that her ballet career was effectively over.
Tania then set out on a career as a choreographer. She choreographed many a fashion parades in and around Melbourne and many of today's top Australian designers such as Bettina Liano, Peter Alexander and Allanah Hill had Tania choreograph their parades.
It was during a taping for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
that Tania was spotted and asked to choreograph and appear in Kylie Minogue
's first clip Locomotion in 1987.
In 1989 the ABC axed The Factory. At the same time the series Countdown was reworked as Countdown Revolution which was produced by Molly Meldrum. In 1990 Tania was made a host of the show with comedian Mark Little
and the show finally began to find its feet. Later that year Mark and Tania were fired from the show when they staged a mock strike.
Tania went on to make appearances on Steve Vizard
's Tonight Live but eventually found a home at Channel 9
where she initially starred on a show called Saturday at Ricks. When that show ended Tania made many humorous appearance on shows like Midday
where she famously asked John Hewson
(leader of the Liberal party at the time) whether he had an extra 2%.
In 2006 & 2007, Tania starred in the internet/mobile web series created by ish media called "Girl Friday" where she plays, Miss. Mann.
From 29 to 31 October 2007, Lacy appeared as a sexy Barrister Catherine Michael on Neighbours.
and then toured it to Sydney and Brisbane. Later the show went to the Edinburgh Comedy Festival where Tania was nominated for a Best Newcomer Award and was shortlisted for the Perrier Award.
which she co-wrote. The film received much international acclaim, scoring the director, Robert Luketic
, a three-picture deal. She also wrote and starred in Pussy Got Your Tongue? which won her the Nicole Kidman Best Actress award at Tropfest
in 1997. Later that year she starred with Ben Mendlesohn in Tangerine Dream, winning the Best Actress Award at the Watch My Shorts Festival.
In 2000 Tania went to Los Angeles where she staged a one-woman show entitled Suburban Refugee - it did an extended run at Theatre Theater in Hollywood. It was during this time that Tania met her husband, motion graphics designer Ole Sturm who was currently engaged on Mission: Impossible II
. They got married in the Hollywood Hills in November 2000.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n comedian. She currently lives in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
with her spouse Ole Sturm, whom she married in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 2000. They have a son Per, who was born in December 2005.
Tania, originally from Toowoomba
Toowoomba, Queensland
Toowoomba is a city in Southern Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. With an estimated district population of 128,600, Toowoomba is Australia's second largest inland city and its largest non-capital inland city...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
spent many of her early years travelling with her family. Her father, then an officer in the army, was posted to Singapore (where Tania was actually born) twice and Tania spent a few years at Army schools.
Ballet and choreography
It was in Toowoomba that Tania attended her first balletBallet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
class and very early on exhibited some degree of talent. It wasn't until the family had settled in Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs in the late 70's that Tania was able to attend ballet classes again. She pursued the art vigorously and at the age of 12 was accepted into the Victorian College of the Arts
Victorian College of the Arts
The Faculty of the VCA and Music is a faculty of the University of Melbourne, in Victoria . VCAM is located near the Melbourne central business district, on two campuses, one - the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - on the Parkville campus of the University of Melbourne, and the other - the...
School of Dance. Tania decided not to attend instead opting to complete her education at a normal high school whilst pursuing her dance training after school hours. She completed her HSC in 1983 and was again accepted into the VCA for a full-time tertiary education. During her second year Tania suffered a serious blow to her career plans when she sustained a severe knee injury in a dancing accident. After one year of rehabilitation Tania found that her ballet career was effectively over.
Tania then set out on a career as a choreographer. She choreographed many a fashion parades in and around Melbourne and many of today's top Australian designers such as Bettina Liano, Peter Alexander and Allanah Hill had Tania choreograph their parades.
It was during a taping for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
that Tania was spotted and asked to choreograph and appear in Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
's first clip Locomotion in 1987.
Television
Later that same year whilst dancing on Countdown, Tania was spotted by Molly Meldrum who asked Tania to open the show - her performance led to a job on a new show, The Factory on which she appeared weekly as roving reporter. Under the guidance of producers Neill Wilson and James Lipscombe Tania began to develop her own characters and sketches some of which include Annette the Librarian, Carlos the Latin Lover, Pixie Snotley entertainment reporter and Belinda the yuppie. A very popular series of biscuit commercials featured all four of these characters.In 1989 the ABC axed The Factory. At the same time the series Countdown was reworked as Countdown Revolution which was produced by Molly Meldrum. In 1990 Tania was made a host of the show with comedian Mark Little
Mark Little (Australian actor)
Mark Little , is an Australian actor, television presenter and comedian, born in Brisbane, Queensland.-Career:Little appeared in a string of Australian films and TV series during the 1980s. He also performed his own comedy/performance in Melbourne's burgeoning comedy clubs throughout the eighties...
and the show finally began to find its feet. Later that year Mark and Tania were fired from the show when they staged a mock strike.
Tania went on to make appearances on Steve Vizard
Steve Vizard
Stephen William Vizard, born 6 March 1956 in Richmond, Victoria, is an Australian media personality, comedian, businessman and writer.-Early life:...
's Tonight Live but eventually found a home at Channel 9
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
where she initially starred on a show called Saturday at Ricks. When that show ended Tania made many humorous appearance on shows like Midday
Midday
Midday is a television show that aired on Australia's Nine Network from 1985-1998. The show aired, like its title suggests, at noon on every weekday and was a 90 minute variety programme with international and local guests. It featured interviews, musical performances and comedy spots...
where she famously asked John Hewson
John Hewson
John Robert Hewson AM is an Australian economist, company director and a former politician. He was federal leader of the Liberal Party of Australia from 1990 to 1994 and led the party to defeat at the 1993 federal election.-Early life:...
(leader of the Liberal party at the time) whether he had an extra 2%.
In 2006 & 2007, Tania starred in the internet/mobile web series created by ish media called "Girl Friday" where she plays, Miss. Mann.
From 29 to 31 October 2007, Lacy appeared as a sexy Barrister Catherine Michael on Neighbours.
The stage
After a period at Nine, Tania left to pursue her own projects. She staged a one-woman, sell-out show entitled All of Me which was premiered at the Melbourne International Comedy FestivalMelbourne International Comedy Festival
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the third-largest international comedy festival in the world and the largest cultural event in Australia. Established in 1987, it takes place annually in Melbourne over four weeks in April typically opening on or around April Fool's Day...
and then toured it to Sydney and Brisbane. Later the show went to the Edinburgh Comedy Festival where Tania was nominated for a Best Newcomer Award and was shortlisted for the Perrier Award.
Short Films
Tania went on to star in a number of short films such as Titsiana BooberiniTitsiana Booberini
Titsiana Booberini is a short film written and directed by Robert Luketic and released in 1997.Initially entered at the Telluride Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival, the films success led to it being screened at film festivals all over the world...
which she co-wrote. The film received much international acclaim, scoring the director, Robert Luketic
Robert Luketic
Robert Luketic is an Australian film director. He directed the films Monster-in-Law, Legally Blonde and 21.-Early life:...
, a three-picture deal. She also wrote and starred in Pussy Got Your Tongue? which won her the Nicole Kidman Best Actress award at Tropfest
Tropfest
Tropfest is the world's largest short film festival.Tropfest began in 1993 as a screening for 200 people in a cafe in Sydney but has since become the largest platform for short films in the world. Tropfest Australia takes place in February each year in front of a live audience of approximately...
in 1997. Later that year she starred with Ben Mendlesohn in Tangerine Dream, winning the Best Actress Award at the Watch My Shorts Festival.
In 2000 Tania went to Los Angeles where she staged a one-woman show entitled Suburban Refugee - it did an extended run at Theatre Theater in Hollywood. It was during this time that Tania met her husband, motion graphics designer Ole Sturm who was currently engaged on Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible II is a 2000 action film directed by John Woo, and starring Tom Cruise, who also served as the film's producer...
. They got married in the Hollywood Hills in November 2000.
Writing
Since returning to Australia in 2001 Tania staged another one-woman show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival entitled Tania Lacy is Coo Coo Bananas but more recently Tania has remained out of the spotlight, focusing instead on the development of various film and TV scripts for local production company, MoodyStreet Kids, amongst them her "Virtually Kitty" film and a TV series she has developed with Miho Suzuki Gollings.Television
- Artscape. IOU: Mary Hardy - as Guest | ABCABC TelevisionABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
- NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
- as Barrister Catherine Michael | Channel 10 - High Flyers - as Robyn Kettrick | West Street Productions
- Pig’s Breakfast - as Rebecca | West Street Productions
- Dilemma - as Guest | Artist Services
- Home & Hosed - as Guest | Artist Services
- Totally Full Frontal - as Guest | Channel 10
- Battle of the Sexes - as Regular Guest | Channel 10
- E! Entertainment (pilot) - as Presenter | Imagination Films
- Good Taste - as Presenter | Channel 10
- The Pitch - as Presenter | Bearcage Prod
- Raw FMRaw FMRaw FM was an Australian Television series produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that aired for one season of thirteen episodes between November 1997 and February 1998. Raw FM was about an independent radio station of the same name and the young people that run it...
- as Lateisha | ABC TV Drama - The Adventures of Lano & Woodley - as Melanie | ABC Comedy
- Tonight Live - as Live Linx | Artist Services
- GMAGood Morning AustraliaGood Morning Australia from Network Ten was the name of two different programs. This article is for Bert Newton's morning program, not to be confused with the breakfast news program of the same name....
- as Reporter | GTV 9 - A Current Affair - as Comedy Reporter | GTV 9
- Sex - as Reporter | GTV 9
- The Midday Show - as Roving Reporter & Sketchwork | GTV 9
- The Today ShowToday (Australian TV program)Today and Weekend Today are Australian breakfast television programmes, the show is often referred to as The Today Show. The show has been broadcast live by the Nine Network each morning since 1982...
- as Roving Reporter & Sketchwork | GTV 9 - Saturday At Ricks - as Presenter, Roving Reporter & Sketchwork | GTV 9
- Countdown Revolution - as Presenter/R. Rep & Sketchwork | ABC TV
- The Factory - as Presenter | ABC TV
- Hey, Hey It’s Saturday! - as Outside broadcast work | GTV 9
Film
- Accidents Will Happen - as Kylie Manson | 1999 | Fabienne Nicholas Prods.
- Jesus is Lord - as Dallas and as writer/director | 1999 | Melbourne Intl. Comedy Festival
- Tangerine Dream - as Bonnie | 1997 | VCA
- Titsiana Booberini - as Titsiana and as co-writer | 1996 | VCA
- Thump - as Natalie | 1996 | VCA
- Pussy Got Your Tongue - as Kitty and as writer | 1997 | Tropfest
- A Date With Destiny - as Queen of Mars | 1989 | Swinburne Prod.
- A Slow Night in Kuwaite Cafe - as Bathsheba | 1989 | Mark Gracie
Theatre
- CooCoo Bananas - self-devised one-woman show directed by Steve Kearney | 2002 | Melbourne Comedy Festival
- Suburban Refugee - self-devised one-woman show directed by Steve Kearney | 2000 | Theatre Theater in Hollywood, LA
- Twelfth Night - as Fabian | 1999 | Melbourne Theatre Company
- Princess Smartypants and Cupid - as various | 1997 | Vic. Arts Centre Trust
- The Truth Game - as Wendy Pierce | 1996 | The Courthouse
- Behind The Play - as Tina | 1995 & 1993 | The Courthouse
- Behind the Play - as Tina | Barassis’s Pub | 1995 & 1994
- Could I Have This Dance - as Monica | 1995 | Athenaeum II
- All Of Me - self-devised one-woman show directed by Kaarin Fairfax | 1994 | Melbourne Comedy Festival / Sydney / Brisbane / Edinburgh