Rachael Maza Explained

Rachael Zoa Maza, also credited as Rachael Maza Long, is an Indigenous Australian television and film actress, and stage director. She is known for her role in the 1998 film Radiance, and worked with Company B and Wesley Enoch in Sydney for many years. She has been artistic director and of Ilbijerri Theatre Company since 2008.

Early life and education

Rachael Zoa Maza[1] is of Dutch, Torres Strait Islander (Meriam Mir) and Aboriginal Australian heritage, the daughter of Bob Maza, also an actor.

She is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

Career

Stage

Maza has numerous stage credits (sometimes credited as Rachael Maza Long), since at least 1992.[2] She has worked with Company B and Wesley Enoch for many years, with her performances at the Belvoir St Theatre including leading roles in Conversations with the Dead and The Dreamers. She again worked with Enoch in The Sapphires, staged by the Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Festival.

She has worked as part of The Black Arm Band and as the director of Lou Bennett's play Show Us Your Tiddas!.[3]

Since 2008 and, Maza is artistic director and co-CEO of Ilbijerri Theatre Company.[4] In 2024, as a part of this role, she co-directed the musical 'Big names, No blankets about the formation of the Warumpi Band; her co-director is Anyupa Butcher the daughter of one of the band members Sammy Butcher.[5] [6] [7]

Television and film

Maza's first outing on Australian television was in the ABC Television series Heartland in 1994. She and Lillian Crombie, who also appeared in the series, were fresh out of acting school at that time. The series was written by Aboriginal Australians ans starred many Aboriginal actors, as well as Cate Blanchett in her first screen outing.[8]

She worked as a TV presenter on ABC Television's weekly show focusing on Indigenous Australians, Message Stick.[9] and SBS's ICAM in 1997–1998.[10]

She has numerous credits as an actor in television series, including Wentworth, Winners and Losers, Halifax f.p., Stingers, SeaChange, Heartland (in which her father also had a role), A Country Practice, and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.[11]

She acted in the films Cosi (1996), Radiance (1998), and Lilian's Story (1996).[11]

Recognition and honours

In 2020 Maza was made a Member of the Order of Australia, for significant service to the performing arts as an artistic director.[12] [1]

Awards

YearAwardWorkCategoryResult
2002Green Room AwardsHoly DayBest Female Actor in a Leading Role (Drama)
Sydney Theatre Critics Circle AwardsRadianceBest Performance

Personal life

Maza has a son, Ariel, with actor Tom Long.[13]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
1996CosiNurse at ConcertFeature film
1996Lilian's StoryShadeFeature film
1996Fistful of FliesDr PowersFeature film
1996Goblin MarketShort film
1998Radiance CressyFeature film
1999BurnoutShort film
2009My Year Without SexIntensive Care NurseFeature film
2009Aunty Maggie and the Womba WakgunAunty MaggieShort film
2009Nia’s MelancholyNanaShort film

Television

YearTitleRoleType
1987FrontierMarnie KennedyMiniseries, 3 episodes
1993A Country PracticeRuth ForbesTV series, 8 episodes
1994Heartland Leila SuttonMiniseries, 8 episodes
1995-2002ICAMPresenterTV series
1996JessicaTV series, 1 episode
1999SeaChangeMrs ArmisteadTV series, 1 episode
1999StingersMeagan QuinnTV series, 1 episode
2000Round the TwistGenevieveTV series, 1 episode
2000Halifax f.p.Church SingerTV series, 1 episode
2001The Micallef ProgramVanessa O’MalleyTV series, 1 episode
2002Marshall LawDavinaMiniseries, 1 episode
2002Message StickPresenterTV series
2009-10RushDetective CarrollTV series, 2 episodes
2013Miss Fisher's Murder MysteriesCora DerrimutTV series, 1 episode
2016Winners and LosersVeronica SewellTV series, 5 episodes
2016-17WentworthImogen FesslerTV series
2017Newton’s LawJudge Pauline Evans Miniseries, 1 episode
2017The Secret DaughterAunty MimTV series, 3 episodes
2022Beep and MortMae (voice)TV series
2022FiskBridgetTV series, 1 episode
2022Looking BlackSelfTV special
2023Crazy Fun ParkWinnieTV series, 1 episode

Stage

Actor

YearTitleVenue
1992The Grace of Mary TraverseThe Studio Theatre, Subiaco
1993Made in SpainLa Mama Theatre
1993Radiance-1994NinniEnmore Theatre
1995Tongues of StoneBelvoir Street Theatre
1996The Commission / The Aboriginal ProtestersThe Performance Space Redfern & German tour
1997The Tempest (Miranda)Australian tour - Bell Shakespeare Company
2001Aliwa!Subiaco Theatre Centre
2001The Twilight SeriesCollins Street Baptist Church
2001Holy Day (lead role)Malthouse Theatre, The Playhouse Adelaide
2002EnuffMalthouse Theatre
2002The Dreamers (lead role)Belvoir Street Theatre
2003Conversations with the Dead (lead role)Belvoir Street Theatre
2003The BridgeTrades Hall New Ballroom
2003-04StolenVictorian tour
2004RiverlandBrisbane Powerhouse
2004YandyOctagon Theatre
2005The SapphiresMTC, Sydney Festival, Belvoir Street Theatre, Playhouse Melbourne
2005RiverlandThe Curtin Theatre
2007-08Show Us Your Tiddas!Australian tour
2008Jacky Jacky in the BoxFederation Square
2009A Black Sheep Walks Into A BaaMelbourne Town Hall
2006-09Chopped LiverAustralian tour
2009Sisters Of GelamMalthouse Theatre
2010Black Sheep: Glorious BaastardsMelbourne Town Hall
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014Jack Charles V The CrownAustralia/NZ/UK tour
2011, 2012, 2015, 2016Coranderrk: We Will Show the CountrySydney Opera House, La Mama Theatre
2012FoleySydney Opera House, Fairfax Studio
2012, 2015Beautiful One DayBelvoir Street Theatre, Cremorne Theatre
201420 QuestionsBelvoir Street Theatre
2015-16The RabbitsAustralian tour
2016, 2018, 2020Jack Charles V The CrownFairfax Studio, Canadian tour, NZ tour, Online
2017Which Way HomeBelvoir Street Theatre
2019The HonouringLa Mama Theatre
2018-19My UrrwaiThe Butter Factory Theatre, Belvoir Street Theatre
2020Black TiesAustralia/NZ tour

Director

YearTitleVenue
Chopped LiverAustralian / international tour
2003-04StolenVictorian tour
2007-08Show Us Your Tiddas!Australian tour
2008Jacky Jacky in the BoxFederation Square
2009Sisters Of GelamMalthouse Theatre
2009A Black Sheep Walks Into A BaaMelbourne Town Hall
2010Black Sheep: Glorious BaastardsMelbourne Town Hall
2012FoleySydney Opera House, Fairfax Studio

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Australian Honours List, Australia Day 2020 . Loud Mouth - The Music Trust Ezine . 1 February 2020 . 1 August 2024.
  2. Web site: Rachael Maza Long . . 1 August 2024.
  3. Web site: Outside in, life of difference . The Age. Fiona . Scott-Norman. . 18 May 2007 . 17 November 2021.
  4. Web site: Staff & board . Ilbijerri . 11 March 2022 . 1 August 2024.
  5. Web site: 2023-10-25 . Big Name, No Blankets . 2024-08-07 . Ilbijerri . en-AU.
  6. News: Tongue . Cassie . 2024-01-12 . Big Name No Blankets review – Warumpi Band musical is a joyous, rollicking tribute . 2024-08-07 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  7. News: Garrick . Matt . 2024-08-06 . Decades after bursting out of the Red Centre, Warumpi Band's story returns to the territory . 2024-08-07 . ABC News . en-AU.
  8. Denny . Spence. Enoch, Wesley. Maza, Rachel. Wesley Enoch. Rachel Maza. audio . Tributes to groundbreaking SA actor & performer Lillian Crombie . ABC listen . 4 January 2024 . 20 January 2024.
  9. Web site: Message Stick . Australian Screen. . 17 November 2021.
  10. Barton . Jacob. Maza, Rachael . She sings, she talks, she acts, she’s Rachael Maza . . 1 January 1998 . 20 January 2024.
  11. Web site: Rachael Maza. RGM. 17 November 2021.
  12. Web site: Rachael Receives Order of Australia Award . ILBIJERRI Theatre Company . 28 January 2020 . 17 November 2021.
  13. News: Year of living dangerously. Gabriella . Coslovich. The Age. 24 August 2006.