Or, ‘Good things come to those who throw themselves into their work.’

Wow.

2014 has been one crazy roller coaster ride.

Without meaning to, I equalled last year’s performing resolution: I once again did over 30 shows.  And I had such an amazing time!

Here’s just a glimpse of some of the fun I had in 2014…

Crowd shots from Federation Square Live, November 13th 2014.

Speakeasy Nuevo, February 15th 2014.

Speakeasy Nuevo, January 2014. Photography by Brig Bee Photography.

With Charlie Lane for her EP launch at Owl and the Pussycat, August 2014.

Private Gatsby-themed function, April 2014.

Speakeasy HQ, July 2014. Photography by Brig Bee Photography.

Squizzy Taylor’s Ball, May 10th 2014. Photography by Ange Leggas of 3 Fates Media.

World’s Longest Variety Show, September 2014

Squizzy Taylor’s Ball, May 10th 2014.

Private booking, November 2014.

Private booking, November 2014.

Speakeasy Nuevo, February 2014.

As Alice in ‘A Mad Tea Party’ for Anywhere Theatre Festival, August 2014.

Federation Square, November 2014.

Speakeasy Nuevo, March 8th 2014.

The start of this year was perhaps the most gut-wrenching, challenging time of my life.
But it was, like everything is, temporary, and thank goodness, it has been not a steady but an exponential improvement in the months that followed.

I’ve performed at cabaret events, at 1920s balls, at private functions, sung at birthday parties, taking heaps of cast selfies, played Alice in Wonderland and a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl, and generally had the time of my life.

And since this is the place to toot my own horn (as it were) I’m going to take this opportunity to revel in some of the awesome reviews I had from my performance as Kat in Daniel Lammin’s The Cutting Boys at La Mama in May this year.

The stand out performance however, has to go to Ilana Charnelle…who predominantly plays the character of the schoolgirl who is brought back to life in Max and Yuri’s memories and a handful of other female roles that feature in the story. Not only does [she] transport the audience back to the high school courtyard, but she also manages to switch in and out of different characters without any evidence of shifting gears. There is a specific moment of the play that will remain etched into my memory of a monologue that she constantly changes from the character of the daughter, to the character of the daughter’s mother with such skill that I still get goose bumps when I think of it.

— Liam J. O’Byrne, Theatre People

Ilana’s portrayal of certain sub-characters in the play is at times gut-wrenching; her mastery of acting is evident in her ability to switch between characters in the blink of an eye.

— Benjamin Samuel, The Australia Times

This production came in a really difficult time, and the support I received from the crew and my lovely Boys got me through some serious challenges. Love them so much.

And, at the end of two choc-a-block years of gigging, I have a new performing resolution. My goal for 2015 is simple: quality, not quantity. So while you may not have the opportunity to see me perform at a bar or venue every week, there will be some super works that I’ll be involved in. Keep an eye out for more details to be revealed soon!

I’ll still be writing and posting things to this website and to my YouTube channel, so things certainly won’t be still on my end.

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me through this crazy year, whether that was letting me cry with you, laugh with you, take a selfie with you, sing to you at a gig, or write a song about you!

Love and light, and here’s to a 2015 that kicks 2014 in the BUTT.

Yours & c.,