Jillian O’Dowd’s Industry Bio
ACTOR-VOICE ARTIST-DIRECTOR-PRODUCER-MANAGER-SINGER-DRUMMER-WRITER-COACH
New Zealand born, Jillian O’Dowd, is a graduate of Australia’s prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and has over twenty five years professional experience in stage, music theatre, cabaret, rock'n'roll, film and television. Read more...
LATEST NEWS:
Jilly co-produced and played the Narrator, Mrs Grose, Miles and his Uncle in Jeffrey Hatchers 'The Turn of the Screw' ( adapted from Henry James' Novella) for The Arts Lab in association with Shark Island Institute under the direction of Sarah Butler. It was very well received in March 2020.
Jillian plays Constable Janine in Victoria MacIntyre's Australian feature film 'The Flood' which has release 2020. It has received an AACTA nomination. Jilly also coached the kids/adults on set in the 'Gungabbie Choir' scene, coordinated the extras and cast bit players for the shoot in March 2019.
Jilly is the Director of Education for TPAC (The Performing Arts Collective) in South Coast NSW. She is conducting performance workshops for the cast members of Disneys 'Moana Jnr Musical ' opening it's season at 'The Stadium' in Bomaderry in March 2021.
Jillian is also the facilitator, director and private performance coach for celebrated Australian Poet/Artist Greer Taylor. Greer and Jillian are working together on a multi media event in 2021 to launch Greer's new collection of work 'Veiling- grief and delight. They are shooting/editing a short film of her poem 'For a Long time' to feature in this event with cameraman Ross Carter.
Jillian is the Director on Sarah Butler's one woman play 'Safety Nets' at The Bakehouse Theatre for the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2021. It's an important play about a homeless woman, Ruby Tuesday, set in Sydney. It was originally commissioned for creative development through Shark Island Institute.
Jilly's band 'The Chocolate Dogs' played the main stage for 'The Shoalhaven River Festival' Oct 26 2019. Lead singer / songwriter Baxter Stone is currently recording, mixing and mastering their new album.
Rabobank NZ recorded Jilly's Kiwi voice for their on line training at I & G Studios in Sydney.
Jilly has a credit on The Sydney Film Festival doco film 'The Final Quarter' as part of the Shark Island Production team. It's directed by Ian Darling.
Jilly performed with The Sydney Acacia String Quartet in a 1950's style radio play of Nick Enright's 'The Maitland and Morpeth String Quartet' for The Kangaroo Valley Arts Festival 2019. She narrated the epic comic poem to the live audience which culminated in her rousing rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus.
Jilly appeared in a comic scene with Richard Roxburgh, Episode 3 Series 5 of RAKE in 2018.
Jillian is the comic lead in the RAA 'Storm' commercial. Check it out on You Tube and commercial networks in South Australia. She also featured as the lead mum role in the Ikea spring commercial on national networks and you tube.
Jilly is a voice artist at Trackdown Digital located at Fox Studios Sydney on the animation Nate is Late. It's playing on Channel 9 Australia, France One and German networks. She plays Nate's Mum, Violet, Melanie Hydra the Warrior Mermaid, Mrs Rainfort and many more characters.
Her Voice features as the Narrator/Bluebird/Big Brown Bear/Mother Deer in the 2018 Easter/Christmas specials of SLR Productions Guess How Much I Love You for ABC Kids TV, overseas networks and on the April 2019 Cinema release.
Jillian wrote/ directed/performed/produced Baxter Stone & The Chocolate Dogs music clip for their track 'Fear Of Falling' from their album 'Barking Up The Wrong Tree' September 15 2018. It's stars Roy Billing (Underbelly/Jack Irish Fame) and has accomplished director of photography Samuel Vines at the helm. (The Easybeats Story 'Friday On My Mind' fame). It's on submission to ABC Rage and you can check it out on you tube. Click on the link above.
Jillian launched an album with her band, Baxter Stone and The Chocolate Dogs at The Angels Bayside Cafe in Huskisson September 17 2017, featuring her on drums and vocals. This album was recorded with Ben Moore (Harvest Recordings) with thanks to Shark Island Institute. Click on 'Music' page to listen to their sound and follow their gig guide.
Jilly was commissioned by Shark Island Institute to assist in the development of 'Safety Nets' by Sarah Butler. She plays the lead , Ruby in this multimedia theatre piece. It is a new Australian work.
Jillian has created the "Four C's Hub" for the Kangaroo Valley Primary School and ran the workshops Letters of Gratitude, The Art of Giving and Think Happy Be Happy Dream Happy, Dream Big, Safe, Visualise, Manifest and Abundance for years K-6. She's in the process of writing her associated education manual.
Private tuition for teenagers, children and adults in acting for film, theatre, audition technique, performance poetry, singing and drums continues from her home in the Sth Coast of NSW and on line via Skype/Zoom.