north east regional extra | June 14 - 20, 2023
nemedia.com.au
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June 14- 20, 2023
Bringing words to life A SHARED creative passion has seen Stanley couple Janet Tweedie and Roger Timewell immerse themselves in the arts in their much-loved local communities since moving from Canberra six years ago. With a love of the theatre, Janet joined Beechworth Theatre Company where she has taken on the role as president while the pair ignited the successful Winterwords Festival three years ago. Janet’s love of acting began as a youngster and she then followed her creative heart in later years. “I was one of those kids that did the shows in front of families with the kid next door,” she said. Janet dabbled in piano and ballet when young, played the French horn a little in high school and loved singing. While training to be a teacher in her early 20s the aspiring performer discovered a private acting school in a student newspaper advertisement with a free introduction. “It was a group-based ensemble and I fell in love with acting and studied with the school for the next three years learning every aspect of the craft as well as directing,” she said. Adding to her creative bow, Janet undertook classical singing lessons for
By CORAL COOKSLEY
several years too. With a discovery of musical theatre, Janet’s acting wings flew when she scored a chorus role in the classical musical ‘My Fair Lady’ at Perth’s Garrick Theatre followed by an Oklahoma production with Western Australia’s opera company’s musical theatre group. “I completely then fell in love with the combination of acting and singing,” she said. “I also worked on the Swan River wine cruises as an entertainer singing while in and out of teachers college.” With a move to Canberra where she lived for 27 years, the performer’s acting pursuits stalled as she raised a family over that time. “I tried to go back to singing lessons but when you’re bringing up three kids and studying, it wasn’t possible,” Janet said. “I undertook a degree in psychology, followed by honours then a PhD in psychology.” When seeing her children become involved in music as well as her daughter participating in musical theatre, Janet’s passion for acting and singing rekindled and she started auditioning.
◆ IMAGINATIVE COUPLE: Janet Tweedie and Roger Timewell had the idea to create a celebration of words that was more than a Writers Festival. PHOTO: Coral Cooksley
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