About Alannah O'Sullivan
;)
Alannah's career as an actress and scriptwriter has spanned more than twenty years, six continents and as many oceans.
Alannah has been captivating audiences since she first appeared on stage as a young girl singing with her mother and six sisters. She graduated from the University of Canterbury with a Masters degree in English and a stream of professional acting engagements followed at New Zealand's leading theatres: The Court in Christchurch, Downstage and Circa in Wellington and the Mercury in Auckland. She won Best Actress accolades in all three cities.
At the same time she edited scripts for Radio New Zealand and adapted Spike Milligan's children's book, 'Badjelly, the Witch' as a stage show. 'Badjelly' remains in regular production to this day. This script holds the record for the most licensed script in New Zealand. Contact info@playmarket.org.nz
Then came the partnership with John Cairney in 'Two For A Theatre', and 12 years touring the world. They took their shows, which John wrote and Alannah researched, from Wick in Scotland to Invercargill in New Zealand and a whole host of venues in between. They played the Speakers' Circuit in the United States, the ex-patriate Scots circuit in Canada and appeared under the umbrella of the British Council in the Far East. They invented 'Theatre At Sea' for P&O Cruises, and performed in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Norwegian Fiords, and en route from Southhampton to Auckland. Between them they developed thirty hours of material and did hundreds of shows. For her, no two shows were ever the same - she never knew what John was going to do next.
Alannah is also an experienced manager, producing all their Shanter Production shows as well as performing in them. Her production and management credits also include executive producing with the Burns Musical Company Ltd, The Pennyfarthing Partnership and John Cairney & Company Ltd.
Since 2008, John and Alannah have been operating from Glasgow, operating under the banner of John Cairney Ltd.
;)
Most recently Alannah has amassed a weight of experience as a scriptwriter in television. She has worked as editor, storyliner, dialogue writer and script consultant - for Seannachie Productions, Greenstone Productions, Communicado, Auckland University of Technology, Te Reo Productions, Marigold Films,UNITEC, Gibson Group and South Pacific Pictures.
Alannah has served as President of the New Zealand Writers Guild (1999 - 2002). She also completed a term as President of the Writers Guild in Scotland.
At present she is writing her own scripts, developing projects and managing John Cairney Ltd.
Career Highlights as a Writer
As Scriptwriter
Television
• 'Meri' - a mini-series for Seannachie Productions and Just The Ticket 2007-2008. Co-written with Aileen O'Sullivan
• 'Shortland Street' South Pacific Pictures - 2001 - 2004
Theatre
• Adaptation of Spike Milligan's 'Badjelly, the Witch', 1984
New Zealand's most licensed script for Playmarket.
Contact: info@playmarket.org.nz
Radio
• Adaptation of six of H.E. Bates short stories for Radio New Zealand, 1976
• 'Wildfire' A daily drama written with Karen Curtis. Radio New Zealand, April 2003
Film
• 'Hildegard of Bingen'
Full-length screenplay. Co-written with Aileen O'Sullivan for Marigold Productions, 2000
As Storyliner
• 'Shortland Street' South Pacific Pictures, 1999-2001
As Script Editor
• 'Marlin Bay' South Pacific Pictures - Series 3, 1993 - 1994
• 'Plainclothes' South Pacific Pictures - 1994 - 1995
• 'Shortland Street' South Pacific Pictures - Series 5, 1996
As Script Consultant
Theatre
• Dramaturg for Playmarket for new playwrights 1976
Television
• Consultant for Communicado on 'Coronet Peak' 1996
Film
• Industry consultant for AUT masters course. 1998/99
Career Highlights as an Actress
Theatre
• Kate in the 'Taming of the Shrew' Court Theatre, Christchurch - Best Actress 1975
• Atholl Fugard's 'Hello and Goodbye' The Mercury, Auckland - Best Actress 1976
• Stas in 'Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi' Circa Theatre, Wellington - Best Actress, 1977
• Dorothy Parker in one woman show - 'As Dorothy Parker Once Said' devised by Alannah O'Sullivan. Premiered in Wellington in 1975 and performed worldwide until 1990
• Joy in 'Shadowlands' Court Theatre, Christchurch, 1992
Radio
• Read New Zealand books for radio for Word Pictures, Auckland, notably 'Portrait of An Artist's Wife' by Barbara Anderson.
Television
• Katherine Mansfield in 'All That I Write' Four Corners, London, 1984
• Barbara in 'Eastenders' BBC, London, for a three month run, 1989 - 90
• Loveday in 'Moonacre' Edinburgh Films/BBC, 1993
• Anna Virtue in 'Shortland Street' South Pacific Pictures, 2001
• Pat Hesketh in 'Last Man Standing' Burberry Productions, Melbourne, March 2005
DETAILED CREDITS - Alannah O'Sullivan
Scriptwriter
Television
For Gibson Group NZ/Endemol UK
2009 ‘Emu’ – children’s drama series, (1 ep).
For TVNZ
2006–2007 ‘The Point’ – drama serial: ‘locum’ storyliner (25 eps)/dialogue writer (2eps)
For Te Arutai Film & TV Productions
2006 ‘Homai te Waiora’ – drama serial, story editor (5 eps)/dialogue writer (1 ep)
For South Pacific Pictures
1994-2006 ‘Shortland Street’ – drama serial, occasional ‘locum’ storyliner (c. 500 eps)/dialogue writer (40 eps)
1999-2002 ‘Shortland Street’ - permanent contract storyliner (c.500 eps)/dialogue writer (33 eps)
1995 ‘Riding High’ – drama series, storyliner and dialogue writer (15 eps)
For Te Reo Productions
1997 ‘Te Kakano’ – drama series,storyliner (13 eps) /dialogue writer (4 eps)
Theatre
1990 ‘Dear Aunt Jane’ (Austen). Duologue for Shanter Productions.
Adapted ‘The Ordinary Princess’ (by M.M.Kaye). Stage musical.
1978 ‘Shakespeare’s Wooings’. Duologue for Shanter Productions.
1977 Adapted ‘Badjelly the Witch’ (by Spike Milligan). Stage musical.
(Playmarket, NZ - most licensed script over last 30 years)
1975 Devised ‘As Dorothy Parker Once Said’. Solo show for Downstage
Radio
Radio New Zealand
2003 Daily drama: ‘Wildfire’, (10 eps) written with Karen Curtis
1975-1977 Dramatised six short stories by H.E.Bates.
Compiled ‘A Christmas Special’ and ‘Cavorting at Christmas’.
‘Satie’/ ‘Nielsen’: two documentaries (co-written Ray Henwood)
‘Busby’ - a play.
Film
‘Hildegard’: co-written with Aileen O’Sullivan for Marigold Films, USA
SCRIPT EDITOR
TV Drama
For South Pacific Pictures
1997 ‘Te Kakano’ – Series editor – thirteen episodes
1997 ‘Rangers’ - Series in development - six episodes
1996 ‘Shortland Street’ - Series 5/6
1995 ‘Riding High’ - Series 1: Series editor for 65 eps
1994-1995 ‘Plainclothes’ - Series 1 (18 eps)
1993-1994 ‘Marlin Bay’ - Series 3 (13 eps)
1992-1993 ‘Deepwater Haven’ (Script Associate)
1993 For Seannachie Productions, Auckland - Film
‘Mahana’ by Aileen O’Sullivan and Witi Ihimaera
For John Cairney - Books
1991 ‘Worlds Apart’, Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh.
1988 ‘East End to West End’, Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh.
1987 ‘The Man Who Played Robert Burns’, Mainstream Pub, Edin.
1986 ‘A Moment White’, Outram Press, Glasgow.
Radio Drama
1977 For Radio New Zealand. Contract script editor - Drama Department
PROPOSALS & DEVELOPMENT
Television
2006 ‘Meri’, TV drama mini-series for Seannachie Prods & Just the Ticket Prods, NZ
‘Homai te Waiora’, a TV drama serial for Te Aratai Productions, NZ
‘Sparrow’ a TV drama series for Grant MacFarlane, NZ
1998 ‘F.I.R.S.T.’ a TV drama series for Seannachie Productions,NZ
1997 ‘Toro Mai’ a TV drama series for Te Reo Productions, NZ
1997 ‘Sleuth’, a TV series for Seannachie Productions, NZ
‘Riding High’ TV drama, second series, for South Pacific Pictures, NZ
Film
‘Fling’, a spec treatment
‘Toshie’, a treatment for Graham Roxburgh, Scotland
SCRIPT CONSULTANT
2009 For Te Aratai (NZ)
‘The Matriarch’, a film by Witi Ihimaera
1996 For Communicado (NZ/Australia)
NZ Consultant for ‘Coronet Peak’ - TV Drama
1976 For Playmarket (NZ)
Dramaturg at workshops for new playwrights.
RESEARCHER
For South Pacific Pictures, NZ
1995 New Zealand Pioneer Women
1993 Scottish Clearances
1979-1990 For Shanter Productions, Scotland
‘Byron’s Women’
‘The Two Brownings’
‘The Chopin Affair’
‘A Wilde Fancy’
‘Scottish Historical Duologues’
‘Knox and Mary’ (BBC/TV)
1985 For Jimmy Logan - Scottish Comedian
‘The Art of Comedy’, 1985.
1977 For Radio New Zealand
‘The Treaty of Waitangi’ - historical documentary.
PRODUCER
2008 Production Manager on ‘Life’s A Riot’ TV Drama, Seannachie Prods for TVNZ
2006 Producer ‘Anzac Day Evening Show’, Screentime, for Maori Television, NZ
1996 Associate Producer, Seannachie Prods, ‘The Golden Hour’ Documentary- TVNZ.
1993 Associate Producer, Seannachie Productions, ‘Work of Art’ Documentary- TVNZ.
1990 Producer Stage Musical, ‘There Was A Lad’ for Burns Week at the City Hall, Glasgow - European City of Culture.
1988 Producer Stage Musical, ‘Scot Free’ for The Burns Musical Company, Glasgow - Scottish Tour.
1987 Co-producer ‘The Day of the Writer’ for the Writers’ Guild (Scotland) at Mayfest, Glasgow.
1987 Promotional Video, ‘A Way to Win’ Football Management, Glasgow.
1985 Promotional Video, F.L.Walker and Company, Glasgow.
1977 Christmas Programmes for Radio New Zealand.
ADMINISTRATOR
2008 ongoing For John Cairney Ltd (as for Shanter Prods. below)
1991-2008 For The Pennyfarthing Partnership, Auckland. (as for Shanter Prods. below)
1992 Seannachie Productions (‘Fallen Angels’) - Galaxy, Auckland.
1978-1991 For Shanter Productions - all shows and international tours, involving all project discussions, programming, scheduling, travel and accommodation, sponsorship, publicity and bookkeeping.
SCRIPT TUTOR
2008 For International Institute of Modern Letters, Victoria University, Wellington NZ
External reader for M.A. Scriptwriting Course
For UNITEC Institute of Technology, Auckland, NZ
Workshop Tutor for TV Serial Drama Scriptwriting Course
2004 & 2006 For Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, NZ
Industry Consultant for MA Degree Course - Film Scripts
ACTRESS
Theatre
2003. 2004, 2006 & 2001 Pennyfarthing Partnership &John Cairney Ltd
Margaret in ‘A Mackintosh Experience’, Glasgow, Scotland/Port Vendres, France
1995 CAN Theatre, Christchurch ‘The Travelling Squirrel’ by Robert Lord. dir Brian Bell
1992 Court Theatre, Christchurch
Jean Batten in ‘Jean and Richard’ by Mervyn Thompson, dir, Elric Hooper.
Joy in ‘Shadowlands’ by C.S.Lewis. dir. Yvonne Martin
1978-1991 For Shanter Productions (Scotland):
World Tours as Two for a Theatre with John Cairney. (See TWO FOR A THEATRE for details)
Repertoire of 30 theatrical duologues.
(Subjects included R.L.Stevenson, Robert Burns, Dorothy Parker,
William McGonagall, Jane Austen, Robert Service, Oscar Wilde)
Toured U.S.A., Canada, Far East, Europe, N.Z, UK, in ass. with The British Council, Keedick Lecture Bureau (USA), Telepix, Aust. and P&O Cruises, (UK).
Circa Theatre, Wellington.
1977 Best Actress for ‘Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi’ by Pam Gems. Dir. Grant Tilly
1977 Mercury Theatre, Auckland – season highlights
Ruth in ‘Blithe Spirit’; Victoria in ‘Trumpets and Drums’
Best Actress for Athol Fugard’s ‘Hello and Goodbye’
1975-1976 Downstage Theatre, Wellington – season highlights
Solo Performance as Dorothy Parker in ‘As Dorothy Parker Once Said’; Kate in ‘O Temperance’; Simone in ‘Marat Sade’; Masha in ‘Three Sisters’
1972-1974 Court Theatre, Christchurch – season highlights.
Helena in ‘Look Back in Anger’; Beatrice in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’
Best Actress for Katherine in ‘The Taming of the Shrew’.
Radio and Recording
1998 Recorded ‘Enemy Territory’ by Elspeth Sandys. Word Pictures, Auckland, NZ
1997 Recorded ‘Ricochet Baby’ by Fiona Kidman, Word Pictures
1992 Recorded ‘Portrait of an Artist’s Wife’ by Barbara Anderson, Word Pictures
1978-1991 Recordings for Shanter Productions for REL, Scotland include:
‘At Your Service’ ‘The William McGonagall Story’ ‘Blackout’
‘A Child’s Garden of Verses’ ‘Voices’
1980 ‘Dorothy Parker and Friend’ & ‘Love Letters’ for Radio New Zealand.
1977-1978 Books for the Blind.
1975-1977 Plays for Drama Department, Radio New Zealand.
Television and Film
2006 Celia Durant in ‘Orange Roughies’, Screenworks, Auckland, NZ.
2005 Pat Hesketh in ‘Last Man Standing’, South Pacific Pictures co-pro with Burberry Prods, Australia
Joyce in ‘Good Hands’ Tusitala Productions, Auckland, NZ
2003 Sylvia in ‘Spin Doctors’, Commedia Pictures, Auckland, NZ
2002 Eleanor Richards in ‘Mercy Peak’, South Pacific Pictures, Auckland, NZ
2001 Anna Virtue in ‘Shortland Street’, South Pacific Pictures
Mayoress in ‘Nga Tohu’, Manakau Films, Auckland, NZ
1998 Postmistress in ‘Small Town Blues’, dir. Don Selwyn.
1997 Hana in ‘Charity Queens’, Communicado, NZ
1997 Mrs Stevenson in ‘One of Them’, Zee Films, NZ
1993 Loveday in ‘Moonacre’, Euro Films, Scotland/Slovenia.
1992 Mrs Hubbard in ‘The Sound and the Silence’, SPP, NZ & Atlantis Films, Canada.
1990 Healing Woman in ‘Torch’, Edinburgh Films, Scotland/Czechoslovakia.
1989-1990 Barbara in ‘Eastenders’, BBC/TV, London.
1984 Katherine Mansfield in ‘All That I Write’, Four Corners Films, London.
1980 ‘Two For A Show’ (with John Cairney) Border TV/UK.
Joanna in ‘Take the High Road’ (Pilot) Scottish Television.
1974 Rose in ‘The Richard Pearse Story’, TVNZ.
Video
‘A Burns Experience’, Green Place Productions, Glasgow.
Voice and Acting Coach
1993 ‘Moonacre’ – Slovenian, Croation and Greek actors for dialogue, Euro Films
‘Deepwater Haven’ – French actors for conversation, SPP, NZ
1989 ‘Silent Mouse’ Czech actors for dialogue, Edinburgh Films, Scotland
1988 ‘Torch’ – Czech actors for dialogue, Edinburgh Films, Scotland