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Michael Beckley
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Michael Beckley
Michael Beckley is an Australian actor. He has worked with major theatre companies in both Australia and the United Kingdom, appearing on London's West End in A Few Good Men (starring Rob Lowe) and Cabaret. He is best known for playing Rhys Sutherland in Australian television series Home and Away from 2000 to 2004.
Beckley decided on an acting career just before completing his senior high school studies. Despite protests from teachers he left school one week before his final exams. A week later – at 17 years of age – he had landed a permanent position on the Entertainment Staff at Old Sydney Town, an historical theme park near his home town of Gosford, NSW. Here he earned his Actors Equity of Australia card and officially became a working actor.
Beckley made his first permanent move to the UK in 1984. He appeared on the London Fringe in All The Way Home and attended dozens of plays in and around London, including many on the West End starring actors such as Anthony Hopkins (in Pravda) and Glenda Jackson (in Phaedra). He also took drop-in acting classes at the London Actors' Centre studying Chekhov, Shakespeare, comedy, voice and movement. It was during this time in London that he decided to commit to becoming an actor.
On returning to Australia in late 1986 he auditioned for Australia's leading drama school NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) but was not accepted. He studied part-time under Gillian Owen, a RADA-trained actor, who ran the Sydney Acting School, and then auditioned for NIDA again in late 1987. He was accepted, and the next three years saw him studying there full-time.
With just one week of study to go – echoing his departure from high school – Beckley was approached by Wayne Harrison, then-artistic director of Sydney Theatre Company, to appear as Frid in the company's production of Sondheim's A Little Night Music. He appeared opposite a then-unknown Toni Collette as Petra. With the school's blessing, Beckley began his post-student career a week earlier than expected and graduated with his class at the official ceremony in early 1991.
The next few years saw Beckley work for various companies in a range of projects. These included a rigorous 6-month T.I.E. (theatre in education) tour for the Bell Shakespeare Company which he still considers as "earning one's stripes". Julia Zemiro was also a cast member.
He had guest roles on the Australian police series Water Rats and the Australian/American sci-fi series Farscape.
Wayne Harrison invited him back to the STC to appear in Antony and Cleopatra. The prestigious Griffin Theatre Company cast him in Clark in Sarajevo and then as the leading role of Dave in Neil Cole's play Alive at Williamstown Pier, the true story of a politician's fight with bipolar disorder and his consequent 'outing' by the Australian media. Beckley received strong praise for his portrayal from national critics.
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Michael Beckley
Michael Beckley is an Australian actor. He has worked with major theatre companies in both Australia and the United Kingdom, appearing on London's West End in A Few Good Men (starring Rob Lowe) and Cabaret. He is best known for playing Rhys Sutherland in Australian television series Home and Away from 2000 to 2004.
Beckley decided on an acting career just before completing his senior high school studies. Despite protests from teachers he left school one week before his final exams. A week later – at 17 years of age – he had landed a permanent position on the Entertainment Staff at Old Sydney Town, an historical theme park near his home town of Gosford, NSW. Here he earned his Actors Equity of Australia card and officially became a working actor.
Beckley made his first permanent move to the UK in 1984. He appeared on the London Fringe in All The Way Home and attended dozens of plays in and around London, including many on the West End starring actors such as Anthony Hopkins (in Pravda) and Glenda Jackson (in Phaedra). He also took drop-in acting classes at the London Actors' Centre studying Chekhov, Shakespeare, comedy, voice and movement. It was during this time in London that he decided to commit to becoming an actor.
On returning to Australia in late 1986 he auditioned for Australia's leading drama school NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) but was not accepted. He studied part-time under Gillian Owen, a RADA-trained actor, who ran the Sydney Acting School, and then auditioned for NIDA again in late 1987. He was accepted, and the next three years saw him studying there full-time.
With just one week of study to go – echoing his departure from high school – Beckley was approached by Wayne Harrison, then-artistic director of Sydney Theatre Company, to appear as Frid in the company's production of Sondheim's A Little Night Music. He appeared opposite a then-unknown Toni Collette as Petra. With the school's blessing, Beckley began his post-student career a week earlier than expected and graduated with his class at the official ceremony in early 1991.
The next few years saw Beckley work for various companies in a range of projects. These included a rigorous 6-month T.I.E. (theatre in education) tour for the Bell Shakespeare Company which he still considers as "earning one's stripes". Julia Zemiro was also a cast member.
He had guest roles on the Australian police series Water Rats and the Australian/American sci-fi series Farscape.
Wayne Harrison invited him back to the STC to appear in Antony and Cleopatra. The prestigious Griffin Theatre Company cast him in Clark in Sarajevo and then as the leading role of Dave in Neil Cole's play Alive at Williamstown Pier, the true story of a politician's fight with bipolar disorder and his consequent 'outing' by the Australian media. Beckley received strong praise for his portrayal from national critics.
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