Tony is well-known for his starring roles in such musical theatre blockbusters as DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS in Sydney, and the record-breaking Broadway run of PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT. The choice of Tony as our inaugural Patron is appropriate, given that Tony is a Queenslander - born in Brisbane!
Tony Sheldon is "thrilled and honoured to be Patron of the Gold Coast Area Theatre Awards, and I very much look forward to being able to attend a ceremony at the earliest possible opportunity".
A third-generation theatre star, Tony Sheldon grew up in the world of entertainment as the son of entertainers Toni Lamond and Frank Sheldon. In fact, his first performance was at the age of 18 months, when he would sing "Fernando's Hideaway." At age seven, Tony had his television debut on the Graham Kennedy show In Melbourne Tonight which also featured his mother. However, his parents forcibly retired him at the age of nine for "getting a bit up myself."
Since then, Tony has appeared on television in Homicide, Rush, G.P. and Murder Call.
However, Tony's real home is on the stage, where he has performed in countless musicals. In 2001, he was awarded the Norman Kessel Award as Best Actor for his performance in Noises Off and A Poor Student. He has also won Green Room awards for Torch Song Trilogy and Falsettos.
He won the 2005 Helpmann Award, the Sydney Critics Award, the Mo Award and the Glugs Award for his performance as Roger de Bris in THE PRODUCERS. He was also nominated for a Helpmann and a Green Room Award for his work in THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK in 2003. He recently wrote, directed and appeared in THE TIMES OF MY LIFE at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival with his mother, Toni Lamond.
For the Sydney Theatre Company, Tony has starred in PRIVATE LIVES, INTO THE WOODS, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, COMPANY, THE SISTERS ROSENWEIG, ONCE IN A LIFETIME, Nick Enright's MONGRELS, THE VENETIAN TWINS, three seasons of THE WHARF REVUE and FALSETTOS (Green Room Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical). He earned critical raves playing John Barrymore in I HATE HAMLET opposite Guy Pearce (Melbourne Theatre Company) and Cameron Daddo (Marian St. Theatre), and as Aunt Augusta in the national tour of TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT for Gary Penny Productions.
His appearances in NOISES OFF (Ensemble Theatre) and A POOR STUDENT (Marian Street) won him the Norman Kessell Memorial Award as Best Actor of 2001. For his portrayal of Arnold Beckoff in the record breaking run of TORCH SONG TRILOGY, Tony won the Green Room and Variety Club Heart Awards as Best Actor of 1984. Other musical appearances include FAME - THE MUSICAL, OLIVER!, DAMES AT SEA, HAMLET ON ICE, THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT - THE SMELL OF THE CROWD, THE FANTASTICKS, MACK AND MABEL - IN CONCERT, CANDIDE, I LOVE MY WIFE and A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM.
Since beginning his career as a child performer on Graham Kennedy's "In Melbourne Tonight", Tony has performed for all of Australia's major theatre companies in productions of MYTH, PROPAGANDA AND DISASTER IN NAZI GERMANY AND CONTEMPORARY AMERICA (Griffin Theatre), WILD HONEY (SATC), DEATHTRAP (QTC), THE FLOATING WORLD, EQUUS, THE GLASS MENAGERIE (HVTC), DAYLIGHT SAVING (MTC), THE CASSIDY ALBUM (Adelaide Festival), TWELFTH NIGHT, HENRY IV, A COMEDY OF ERRORS, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, THE CHOIR, the original production of A HARD GOD and INNER VOICES, for which he won the National Theatre Award as Best Actor of 1977, all at the Nimrod Theatre in Sydney.
Tony's extensive writing credits include DANCIN' MAN and DYNAMITE! for David Atkins, HOLLYWOOD BIZARRE and MADONNA AND CHILD for Toni Lamond, NANCYE WITH AN E for Nancye Hayes, A LIFE ON EARTH for Peter Cousens, LEMON TART for Genevieve Lemon, RED HOT AND RHONDA starring Rhonda Burchmore, THE CAT, THE RAT AND ME for Sheila Bradley, THE THREE DIVAS with Judi Connelli, Suzanne Johnston and Jennifer McGregor, BROADWAY BABES with Jane Rutter and Angela Toohey, YOU AND THE NIGHT AND THE HOUSEWINE, GERALDINE TURNER SINGS, THE WINDOWS PROJECT, WHEREFORE ART THOU, CABARET? with Maria Mercedes, NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT for Derek Metzger, I'M A STRANGER HERE MYSELF starring Lena Cruz, and several of the much-loved Tilbury pub revues. He also writes and lectures extensively on Australian musical theatre history.
He directed the acclaimed concert version of Sondheim's FOLLIES for the Melbourne International Arts Festival as well as productions of JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL... and PAL JOEY (WAAPA), SHE LOVES ME (Newtown Theatre), THE MOURNING AFTER (Playbox), JINGLE BELROSE (Glen St. Theatre), THE FLOOR OF HEAVEN (STC), THE WAY WE WERE (Sydney Opera House), DREAM KITCHEN (Universal Theatre) and AFTER-PLAY (Marian St. Theatre).
