Cate Murray(I)
- Actress
Her graduation performance was the lead of the play's heroine, Antigone, in the classic Greek Tragedy by Sophocles "Antigone". Cate discovered a love of performance at an early age appearing as the "Christmas Angel" in her kindergarten nativity play. Throughout secondary school she continued exploring theatre studies by performing in amateur productions with Newcastle Repertory Theatre and attending acting classes delivered by Hunter Valley Theatre Company guest directors Aarne Neeme, Ross McGregor and Michael Caulfield. Cate's first professional gig was with the Hunter Valley Theater Company appearing as Bubba Ryan in the iconic Australian play "The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll". Her next roles with the HVTC were as Clarissa in "Blast Me Barnacles" a children's theatre romp in and around scenic Fort Scratchley battlements; and starring as Annie Morton in the HVTC's world premier production of "Once a Bold Collier". Written by David Allen it documented the infamous mine lock out of 1929 and the ill-fated miners rebellion that ensued. The production premiered at Newcastle's Civic Theatre Playhouse and then toured selected venues in the Hunter Valley Cate joined Freewheels Theatre In Education touring a noir-styled adaptation of "Medea" to secondary schools in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley region. In this production she appeared as a solo chorus/jazz chanteuse with all choral dialogue sung to original jazz compositions by Robert Constable, Deputy Principal of the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music. After completing the Medea tour Cate auditioned for, and was awarded, the Florence Austral Singing scholarship with the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music. The scholarship provided 2 years of classical singing tuition and musicianship theory at the Conservatorium. Cate first appeared on national television performing comic cameos on Andrew Denton's ABC series "The Money or the Gun". She next landed a comic role in "Minder in Australia: For a Few More Dollars", appearing as Deidre opposite Arthur Daley (George Cole), a dinky-dye, no-nonsense gal. She later scored recurring roles in the acclaimed Australian television dramas "Home & Away" and "All Saints". Cate has been engaged as a vocal artist: as lead vocalist with touring bands "Small Toys" a contemporary covers band, "Fabba" an ABBA tribute band, and "The Secret Family" an electronica duo performing a range of vocal and electronic-based original material. Cate also worked as a featured voice over artist with Val Morgan Cinema Advertising.