Writers Voice September 2011 - Fellowship of Australian Writers NSW

State Council News
FRoM ThE PRESIDENT
Hello Members.
Having had a bout of illness
at time of writing (August), I am
somewhat short on news this issue.
Right now I should be overseas
having made arrangements to return
again to Russia and follow it up via
Poland to Scotland. However fate
intervened and I have had to put it off
till next year due to not being able to
fly for a little while. But now feeling
much better and thank you to those
concerned folk who contacted me,
not than many really knew.
State Council General Meeting
We had an excellent General Meeting
on Saturday August 6. It was great to
meet Jenny Crozier from Southern
Highlands and also Annette Brown
from Blue Mountains. Good to meet
some new faces and have them take
part in the meetings on behalf of their
Members. We all enjoyed a nice lunch
after and there was plenty of social
chit chat, it was the real fellowship
as meant to be… a lovely day to meet
and talk and get to know new faces.
Radio Guest
A recent radio guest has been Lyn
Drummond, author of Where to go
for a seven-year cycle.
Originally from the UK, Lyn
worked in Chuuk in the Federated
States of Micronesia, Slovenia,
Albania and also for the Australian
Embassy in Budapest during the end
of Communism in Russia. She also
worked for Foreign Affairs a number
of years. Lyn was also a friend of
famous Australian writer Randolph
Stow who settled in her home town
in England. Now a resident of Sydney
Lyn still has itchy feet. I will be
reviewing her book in our next issue.
Annual Luncheon
Just want to remind you of our
Christmas Luncheon on December 3
and hope that Branches will all try
and get a group together and come
along for a lovely day of Fellowship.
And our Special Guest may entice a
few more of your males along for a
good afternoon out; Ladies… have
your photo taken with an Aussie show
business legend.
Awards, raffles, Special Guest, and
absolutely wonderful food at the NSW
Bowlers Club in York Street, Sydney.
This venue is very handy to Town
Hall rail and but a short walk via the
Queen Victoria Building . Please roll
up and have a great time.
Special Guest
Let me tell you a little about our
Luncheon guest… Maria Venuti has
recently released her life story in
book form, aptly titled A Whole Load
of Front.
MARIA VENUTI am is a vivacious
personality and one of great natural
warmth and exuberance. Combined
with a dynamic singing voice, these
traits have made her career as a
performer, actor and entertainer
highly successful. As one of this
country’s leading performers, Maria
has played in every major cabaret
venue around Australia, New
Zealand, the Far East, Japan as well
as entertaining our ‘boys’ in the Sinai
Desert.
How does one begin to describe
this dynamic, remarkable and
passionate singer and dedicated
Charity Worker? This Aussie showbiz
icon was recently decorated as a
Member of the Order of Australia in
the Queen’s Birthday Honours List
for her ‘services to the community
as a fundraiser for Charitable
Organisations, particularly those
involved with medical research and
as an entertainer’.
Maria is still ‘over the moon’ at
being the subject of Channel 9’s This
is Your Life paying tribute to her
outstanding and interesting career
and her years of charitable works.
She started in Television on Brian
Henderson’s Bandstand; Graham
Kennedy’s IMT; The Mike Walsh Show;
Variety Italian Style etc. Many well
known stars paid homage to her
incredible personality and talents
– Rolf Harris declared Venuti a true
character and talent of Australia;
Barry Creyton and Noeline Brown
called her a ‘National Treasure’; Bert
Newton filmed a five minute tribute;
Mike Walsh and many others.
SBS’s top rating, Logie nominated
comedy series PIZZA is into its fifth
series. Her role of Bobo’s Mama and
Pizza shop owner requires her to be
fierce, feisty, volatile, bossy. Of course
in real life Maria is a very loving
Mama to her very successful daughter,
who is working in London at Price
Waterhouse Coopers.
Venuti ‘s acting ability has
caught the eye of producers on
television, stage and feature
films – her critically acclaimed
one­woman Jazz Cabaret ‘Venuti’s
Dates’; her ability to encourage and
pass on her knowledge to talented
young performers in the Talent
Development Project; her busy festive
seasons performing her unique
‘Mama Claus Christmas Cabaret’.
Some of her proudest moments
have been… accepting the ‘Heart of
Variety Award’ for her outstanding
work with Variety, The Children’s
Charity; being asked to be an
Australia Day Ambassador; and now
in her 10th year, being honoured with
numerous Entertainment Industry
Awards.
Venuti, being a vibrant and
colourful character, has been
painted ‘more often than The
4 WRITERS’ VOICE 233—SEPTEMBER 2011 Visit us on the Internet at www.fawnsw.org.au