Louise van Veenendaal

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Louise Van Veenendaal (born 9th January 1987)

Is an Australian actress and singer-songwriter, born in Melbourne, Australia to Kerri and Gerard Van Veenendaal. A graduate og Carey Baptist Grammar School, she attended Monash University in Melbourne. She has one older brother and two younger sisters.

She began taking singing classes at the age of 11. She trained privately in acting for a number of years with Australian Actress Colette Mann. As well as summer programs at the age of 15 at NIDA with Antony Grgas, ^[1], Nathaniel Dean, and musical theater with Avigail Herman^[2]. Louise also trained in voice with David Jaanz, ^[3]. At 16 a record producer heard her sing and then produced Louise's original song "crazy" on a the compilation cd 100% Melbourne a collection of the city's best vocal talent.^[4]^[5]

In 2005 Louise won the role of ‘Ann’ a loveable ditzy blonde in the Australian production of "A bunch of Ratbags",^[6] a 1950s rock n’ roll musical written by Australia’s most prolific musical team Peter Pinne and Don Battye, based on the novel by William Dick) about bodgie and widgie gangs in the post war Australia. The original Australian cast recording of this show which she is featured on received international acclaim and is on sale world wide. It also debut at number 26 on the footlight musical theater charts in NY.^[7]^[8]

Louise followed this performance with a notable contrasting dramatic role in the musical “The Wild Blue” written and directed by award winning playwright Anthony Crowley. This also produced an Australian cast recording in which she is featured on.^[9]^[10]

At 19 louise traveled to the US to persue her love of acting training at the Atlantic Theatre Company developed by David Mamet and William H. Macy.^[11]