Ursula Yovich

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Ursula Yovich
Born
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Occupation(s)Actress, singer

Ursula Yovich is an Aboriginal Australian actress and singer. She is known for numerous stage appearances, for co-writing and appearing in the rock musical Barbara and the Camp Dogs (2017), and several film and TV appearances.

Contents

Early life and education

Yovich was born in 1977 [1] in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, also growing up there. Her father, Slobodan Jović, was a Bosnian Serbian immigrant who anglicised his name to Stan Yovich. Her mother is an Aboriginal Burarra woman from north-west Arnhem Land near the Blyth River, with the closest community being Maningrida. [2] Raised in Darwin with her Dad, both her parents spoke English as a second language. [3]

Yovich started singing when she was young, and at the age 13, began formal music training when her father enrolled her in singing classes. She later joined one of the local youth theatre groups. [3] She eventually left Darwin to study in Perth, [4] graduating from the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts in 1996, [5] before eventually relocating to Sydney. [4]

Career

Yovich has appeared in more than 50 theatre and musical theatre productions, including Capricornia, Mother Courage and her Children , The Sapphires , Natural Life, Nailed, The Sunshine Club , Jerry Springer the Opera , Nathaniel Storm, and The Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom . [6] [7] [8] [9]

Yovich co-wrote the libretto and songs for rock musical Barbara and the Camp Dogs with Alana Valentine, and appeared in the show alongside Elaine Crombie. [10] [11] She wrote and starred in her own one-woman cabaret, Magpie Blues and also wrote The Man with the Iron Neck, which toured Australia from 2018 to 2019. [12]

Yovich featured in Australia’s first Aboriginal opera, Pecan Summer . She toured both locally and internationally with the musicians of Black Arm Band in Dirtsong. She has also performed in the all-girl group, Barefoot Divas. [12]

Yovich's film credits include drama Jindabyne (2006), Baz Luhrmann epic Australia (2008), Around the Block (2013), crime thriller Goldstone (2016) [13] [14] [15] and romantic comedy Top End Wedding (2019). [12]

She has appeared in television series' including Redfern Now , season 2 of the crime drama series Mystery Road , and the comedy series Preppers . [16] Other television credits include Wakefield , Wanted , The Code , The Gods of Wheat Street . [12] Rake , The Moth Effect , The Twelve , Irreverent , How to Stay Married ,  Doctor Doctor , Faboriginal and  Devil's Dust . [15]

Yovich is a writer on the NITV animated children’s TV series Little J & Big Cuz , in which she also voiced the characters of Nanna and Levi. [12] Additionally, she was the subject of an episode of the SBS documentary series Blaktrax. [16]

In 2019, while filming for Mystery Road , Yovich announced that after 22 years, she was stepping away from the theatre, saying she couldn't pretend that she wanted to pursue theatre any longer. [17] In 2024, she made a theatre comeback, appearing in The Lewis Trilogy. [18]

Awards and nominations

YearWorkAwardCategoryResultRef
2002Ursula Yovich Tudawali Awards Bob Maza Memorial Award Won [19] [20]
2007Capricornia Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Play Won [21]
2010Magpie Blues Helpmann Awards Best Cabaret Performer Nominated [22]
2015Ursula Yovich Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards Outstanding Body of Work in TheatreWon [23]
2016The Eulogy (pitch/unwritten) Balnaves Foundation Indigenous playwrights award Won [24]
2017 Barbara and the Camp Dogs Sydney Theatre Awards Best New Australian WorkNominated [25]
Sydney Theatre Awards Best Original ScoreNominated [25]
Sydney Theatre Awards Best Female ActorNominated [25]
2018 AWGIE Awards Music Theatre AWGIE Nominated [25]
2019 Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Musical Won [26]
Helpmann Awards Best Original Score Won [26]
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting (with Alana Valentine)Nominated [27]
Top End Wedding AACTA Awards Best Supporting ActorNominated [22]
2020 Top End Wedding Film Critic’s Circle of Australia Awards Best Supporting ActorWon [22]
2021Ursula Yovich Ensemble Theatre Sandra Bates Director's AwardWon [28]

Personal life

As of 2009 Yovich was married to Stewart O'Connell, a lawyer, and the couple has one daughter. [29]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998My Bed Your BedDellaShort film
2006 Jindabyne Alice
2008 $9.99 Camille (voice)Animated film
Australia Daisy
2010Aesop's WayAdrian's WifeShort film
2013Destiny in the DirtDanniShort film
Around the Block Chrissie
2014Spirit StonesEvaShort film
2016 Goldstone Maria
2019 Top End Wedding Daffy Ford
Totem and Ore Testimonies readerDocumentary
2023 The Royal Hotel Carol
TBAIt Will Find YouAuntyCompleted
TBA Whale Shark Jack HazelIn post-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002 Blue Heelers Elvira CookEpisode: "Reflection"
2012 Devil's Dust Pauline GordonMiniseries, 2 episodes
2012–2013 Redfern Now Nic ShieldsEpisodes: "Stand Up", "Pokies"
2014 Rake HollyEpisodes: "3.4", "3.5"
The Gods of Wheat Street Eden FreeburnRegular role, 6 episodes
The Code Kitty BoydRecurring role, 5 episodes
2017–2021 Little J & Big Cuz Levi37 episodes
2018 Wanted ShirleyEpisode: "3.3"
2020 Mystery Road Pansy6 episodes
2021 The Moth Effect MeganEpisode: "Have You Heard of the White Ant?"
Preppers Kelly6 episodes [30]
Doctor Doctor MagistrateEpisode: "Reasonable Doubt"
Wakefield Maria1 episode
2022 The Twelve Hope Saunders4 episodes
Irreverent Grace6 episodes
2023 Deadloch 6 episodes
Home and Away Victoria Hudson2 episodes
Faraway Downs Daisy6 episodes
2024 Total Control RobinEpisode: #3.4 [31]
BlakballVarious roles
Pleasant AvenueIris KingMiniseries, 4 episodes
Troppo Ronnie8 episodes
2025 Playing Gracie Darling Zarah Cusic1 episode
Top End Bub Daffy FordYet to air

Theatre

As performer

YearTitleRoleNotesRef
1999 The Sunshine Club STC / QTC [5]
2001The Small PoppiesLep Belvoir, Sydney [5]
2001–2002My GirragunjiVarious roles Bell Shakespeare
2002The DreamersMeena Belvoir, Sydney
The Anatomy Lesson of De RyushRachel Vitalstatistix
2003–2004 The Threepenny Opera Polly Belvoir, Sydney, Bogata Festival, Columbia
2004RiverlandMilly Windmill Theatre Co [5]
2004–2005 The Sapphires Julie MTC, Belvoir, Sydney [32] [1]
2005NailedMay Griffin Theatre Company [33]
2006 Capricornia Tocky O'Cannon Belvoir, Sydney
Seven Stages of GrievingSolo show STC [5]
Afternoon of the Elves Jane Windmill Theatre Co [5]
2007 The Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom Ragged Blossom Belvoir, Sydney / Windmill Theatre Co
2008 Romeo & Juliet Nurse STC
An Oak TreeGuest Belvoir, Sydney
2009 Jerry Springer: The Opera Andrea Sydney Opera House [1]
One Night the Moon The Tracker's Wife Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne [22] [34]
The Wizard of Oz Dorothy Sydney Theatre with Windmill Theatre Co and STC [35]
2009–2010Magpie BluesInternational Cabaret Festival, Adelaide, Darwin Festival, Brisbane Cabaret Festival, Garma Festival, Arnhem Land, Melbourne International Arts Festival [1]
2010 Waltzing the Willarra Elsa Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, Perth [1]
Pecan Summer (opera)Singer [1]
2011BloodlandCherish STC
2012; 2013Barefoot Divas Sydney Festival, Queensland Music Festival [1]
2012; 2014The Magic HourSolo showDeckchair Theatre, Perth, Australian tour with Performing Lines [36]
2013 The Secret River Dhirrumbin STC [1]
Mother Courage and Her ChildrenMother Courage QPAC with QTC [37] [1]
2014 A Christmas Carol Mrs Cratchett Belvoir, Sydney [22]
20 Questions Belvoir, Sydney [38]
Santos Opening Night ConcertMCGarmalang Festival, Darwin [39]
2015Dirt SongPerformerNZ tour with Black Arm Band
Love and Information Various roles STC / Malthouse Theatre
Four Little BirdsGarmalang Festival, Darwin [39]
2016 The Golden Age Elizabeth STC
Power PlaysTV Producer STC
Creature: Dot & the KangarooKangaroo QPAC, Brisbane with Stalker Theatre for Out of the Box festival [22] [40]
2017Heart is a WastelandRayeBrown Cab Productions / Malthouse Theatre
Diving for Pearls Barbara Griffin Theatre Company
1967: Songs in the Key of Yes Adelaide Festival, Sydney Opera House for Sydney Festival with Secret Chord [22] [41]
2017; 2019 Barbara and the Camp Dogs Barbara Belvoir, Sydney [42]
2018 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Givola STC
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (development)Performer Force Majeure
Dubboo – Life of a SongmanArtist Carriageworks, Sydney with Bangarra Dance Theatre
2018–2019Man with the Iron NeckRose Brisbane Festival, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Festival, Darwin Festival with Legs on the Wall [43] [12]
2019Badu Gili (live music series) Sydney Opera House [22]
2020The 5th Baiame'sPerformerNgunnhu Festival 2020
2021; 2024Well-Behaved WomenEnsemble CastNeglected Musicals / Belvoir, Sydney [44]
2022; 2023An Evening with Ursula YovichSolo performer Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Sydney Festival [39]
2023Aretha: A Love Letter to the Queen of SoulPerformer Sydney Opera House
2024The Lewis TrilogyNorma / Cherry / Malcolm Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company [18]
2025The Black Woman of GippslandAuntie Rochelle / Ensemble MTC [45]
Natural Life [33] [1]
Nathaniel Storm [33]
Corrugation Road Black Swan State Theatre Company [5]
Darlinghurst Nights Darwin Theatre Company [5]
Winyanboga Yurringa Carriageworks, Sydney [22]
Red Carpet Cabaret Darlinghurst Theatre [22]

As writer/director

YearTitleRoleNotesRef
2017; 2019 Barbara and the Camp Dogs Playwright Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney [46]
2018The Fever and the Fret (development)Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney [39] [47]
2018–2019Man with the Iron NeckPlaywright Brisbane Festival, Sydney Festival, Adelaide Festival, Darwin Festival with Legs on the Wall [43] [12]
2021OutdatedAssistant Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney [39] [48]
2022A Letter for MollyDirector Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
2023; 2024TrackerCo-writerAustralian national tour with Australian Dance Theatre & Ilbijerri Theatre Company [39]

[39]

Discography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "The Sapphires". Theatregold. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  2. ↑ Gibson, Joel (6 April 2009). "Best of both worlds: mixed marriages blooming". The Sydney Morning Herald .
  3. 1 2 "Ursula Yovich – Life Journey". www.deadlyvibe.com.au. 18 October 2010.
  4. 1 2 Joseph, Dione (28 September 2010). "Ursula Yovich". www.australianstage.com.au.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "The Wizard of Oz". www.windmill.org.au. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  6. ↑ "Baby, you've hit the big time now". Northern Territory News 30 December 2007
  7. ↑ "Who's That Girl?" Archived 4 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine Deadly Vibe Issue 113 July 2006
  8. ↑ "Ursula Yovich" Archived 20 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine . Song Summit Sydney
  9. ↑ "The Adventures of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie and Little Ragged Blossom". The Sydney Morning Herald . 15 January 2007.
  10. ↑ Litson, Jo (20 February 2019). "Review: Barbara and the Camp Dogs (Belvoir)". Limelight . Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  11. ↑ Tongue, Cassie (18 December 2017). "Barbara and the Camp Dogs: how one woman's anger became a rock show". The Guardian . Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Luminary Series Artists and Episodes". www.darlinghursttheatre.com. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  13. ↑ "Other Voices". Deadly Vibe. 4 August 2008.
  14. ↑ "Ursula unwinds and says 'yes' to Stewart". Northern Territory News . 28 October 2008.
  15. 1 2
  16. 1 2 "On the box". Green Left Online . 17 October 2007.
  17. ↑ Howard, Jane (13 August 2019). "Ursula Yovich on giving up theatre: 'It wasn't making me happy any more'". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  18. 1 2 Guenzler, Joseph (15 March 2024). "Ursula Yovich marks stage return with The Lewis trilogy". National Indigenous Times . Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  19. ↑ "Screen Australia's Indigenous Department celebrates 25 years". Screen Australia . 4 June 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  20. ↑ "Bob Maza Fellowship". AustLit . Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  21. ↑ "Meet the Territory's new star". Northern Territory News . 8 August 2007. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Well Behaved Women". AusStage . Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  23. ↑ "Winners of the 2015 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards". www.stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  24. ↑ "Fellowship and Residencies". Belvoir St Theatre . 25 February 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  25. 1 2 3 4 "Helpmann nominee Ursula Yovich to bow out on top". The Sydney Morning Herald . 15 June 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  26. 1 2 "2019 Nominees and Winners". Helpmann Awards. Archived from the original on 14 March 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  27. ↑ "Nick Enright Prize for Playwrighting 2019 Shortlist". State Library of NSW . Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  28. ↑ Cristi, A. A. "Ursula Yovich Awarded Ensemble Theatre's Sandra Bates Director's Award". Broadway World Sydney, 11 November 2020
  29. ↑ Most indigenous Australians now 'marrying out', study finds Joel Gibson. The Sydney Morning Herald 6 April 2009
  30. ↑ Byram, Vickii (15 November 2021). "ABC TV comedy Preppers stars a cohort of brilliant Indigenous actors and a stellar guest star line-up". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  31. ↑ "Total Control filming third and final series | TV Tonight". June 2023.
  32. ↑ "The Sapphires". Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney . Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  33. 1 2 3 "Ursula Yovich – Life Journey". www.deadlyvibe.com.au. 18 October 2010.
  34. ↑ "One Night The Moon – Malthouse Theatre". www.australianstage.com.au. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  35. ↑ Simmonds, Diana (26 October 2009). "The Wizard of Oz". www.stagenoise.com.
  36. ↑ Tan, Monica (9 August 2014). "The Magic Hour review – women who fail, flail and persist nonetheless". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  37. ↑ Dionysius, Bobbi-Lea (19 June 2013). "Mother Courage and Her Children". AussieTheatre.com. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  38. ↑ "20 Questions". www. belvoir.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  39. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Ursula Yovich". www.mollisonkeightley.com. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  40. ↑ "Creature: An Adaptation of Dot and the Kangaroo". www.stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  41. ↑ Spring, Alexandra (18 January 2017). "1967: Music in the Key of Yes review – an impassioned retrospective on Indigenous rights". The Guardian .
  42. ↑ "Barbara and the Camp Dogs". Australian Arts Review. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  43. 1 2 "Review: Man with the Iron Neck at the Dunstan Playhouse". Theatre Travels. 10 March 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  44. ↑ "Well-Behaved Women". Limelight . Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  45. ↑ "The Black Woman of Gippsland". MTC . Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  46. ↑ "Barbara and the Camp Dogs". Australian Arts Review. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  47. ↑ "Cast Announcement: The Fever and the Fret". Ensemble Theatre, Sydney . 26 October 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  48. ↑ "Outdated". Ensemble Theatre, Sydney . Retrieved 10 September 2025.
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