Kaarin Fairfax

• Name — Kaarin Fairfax • Birth Name — Kaarin Louise Fairfax • Born — 30 September 1959 • Birthplace — Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Other Names — Mary-Jo Starr • Occupation — * Actress • director • singer • theatre founder • Years Active — 1980–present • Spouse — Paul Kelly (1993–2001) • Children — 2 • Website — kaarinfairfax.com.au

Fairfax grew up in the theatre, with her father, George Fairfax acting in and directing shows at Melbourne's Little Theatre (now known as St Martins Youth Theatre), during which time she developed a passion for acting and the arts.

Fairfax acted in several Australian television series throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. She appeared in the Australian sitcom Col'n Carpenter, a spin-off from The Comedy Company, after Vikki Blanche left the series. She starred in the Rachel Perkins 2001 short film One Night the Moon alongside her husband at the time, Paul Kelly – a story of racial prejudice in the outback. She also played the role of Deb Mathieson on Australian Broadcasting Corporation TV series, Bed of Roses (2008, 2010). Fairfax has worked as both actor and director in Australian theatre. By 2008, Fairfax had established The Little Theatre Company in Frankston, Victoria, in honour of her father George Fairfax. Fairfax directed the musical Frankston Lights in January 2009, which included songs co-written by her children (Madeleine and Memphis) and Robert McHugh. Kaarin has been working extensively since that time, joining forces with Sally Baillieu and directing The Wetlands Project, One Last Chance, performed in the Wetlands at Tootgarook. In January 2012 she directed Good People for Red Stitch Actors Theatre. In 2015, Fairfax co-starred in the film StalkHer alongside John Jarratt.

Fairfax was a vocalist for Wild Blue Yonder, a Sydney-based band from 1985 which had a varied line-up but had no known recordings. In the late 1970s she was part of a comedy vocal trio The Droolettes which also included Gina Riley and Gina Mendoza, with Geoff O'Connell on piano. During 1989–1991 she supplied backing vocals on tracks by Paul Kelly & the Messengers. In 1990, under the name, Mary-Jo Starr, she released three singles and an album, Too Many Movies. She was nominated for the 1991 ARIA Award for Best New Talent and appeared on the Breaking Ground - New Directions in Country Music compilation which was also nominated for Best Country Album. She joined Truckasaurus in 1993, a Melbourne-based Grungey/country band which released Truckasaurus in October. Together with Sally Baillieu, Fairfax runs The Lineup at Frankston Arts Centre Cube37, a musical mentorship program for young emerging artists. Madeleine and Memphis, together with band member Sam Humphrey, record under the band name Wishful. Their first EP, Fifty Days was produced by their father Paul Kelly. Fairfax and Baillieu also have an arts program on 3RPP Radio Port Phillip on the Mornington Peninsula, called Arts About.

Fairfax is the former wife of Australian musician Paul Kelly—they met in 1988. Their two children are Madeleine (born 1991) and Memphis (born 1993). Memphis appeared with her parents in short film, One Night the Moon. The couple separated not long after the film's release.

• Year — Title — Role — Type • 1980 — The Last Outlaw — Grace — TV miniseries, 4 episodes • 1981-84 — Cop Shop — Joan Wyndham/ Mary Palmer — TV series, 3 episodes • 1981 — I Can Jump Puddles — Rene — TV miniseries, 1 episode • 1982 — Sons and Daughters — Schoolgirl — TV series, 1 episodes • 1982 — Prisoner — Kathy Hudson — TV series, 2 episodes • 1983 — Home — TV series, 3 episodes • 1983 — The Sullivans — Mona — TV series, 1 episodes • 1984 — Carson's Law — Agnes Knight — TV series, 1 episode • 1984 — The Mike Walsh Show — Guest - Herself — TV series, 1 episode • 1986 — The Harp in the South — Dolour Darcy — TV miniseries, 3 episodes • 1987 — Poor Man's Orange — Dolour Darcy — TV miniseries, 2 episodes • 1990 — Catalyst — Presenter — TV series • 1990-91 — Col'n Carpenter — Linda Williams — TV series, 26 episodes • 1992 — Tuesday Night Live: The Big Gig — Mary-Jo Starr — TV series, 1 episode • 1995 — Correlli — Terri — TV miniseries, 1 episode • 2000 — SeaChange — Suzy — TV series, 1 episode • 2003 — Kath & Kim — Nurse — TV series, 1 episode • 2004 — Fergus McPhail — Ms. Rolla — TV series, 4 episodes • 2009 — Rush — Janey Merryn — TV series, 1 episode • 2010 — Offspring — Florist — TV series, 1 episode • 2008-11 — Bed of Roses — Deb Mathieson — TV series, 26 episodes • 2012-13 — You're Skitting Me — Additional cast — TV series, 26 episodes • 2017 — Method — Gina Delaware — TV series, 1 episode • 2018 — Picnic at Hanging Rock — Cook — TV miniseries, 4 episodes • 2019 — Internment — Janet — TV series, 3 episodes • 2022 — Darby and Joan — Heidi — TV series, 1 episode

• Year — Title — Role — Type • 1993 — Say a Little Prayer — Drama Coach — Feature film • 2015 — StalkHer — Co-director — Feature film • 2018 — The Greta Fragments — Writer — Short film

• Year — Title — Role — Type • 1979 — The Woman — Astyanax / Gemil — Pram Factory, Melbourne with APG • Zig Zag Follies — Lead — Adelaide Festival • Quick Ease Cafe — Comedy Lead • 1980 — Slipped Disco — Cigs — Flying Trapeze Cafe, Melbourne • 1980–1981 — Cain's Hand — Kathy (Lead girl) — Scott Theatre, Adelaide & St Martins Youth Centre, Melbourne with Nimrod Theatre Company • 1983 — Summer of the Seventeenth Doll — Bubba — Anthill Theatre, Melbourne with Australian Nouveau Theatre • 1984 — Beach Blanket Tempest — Gidget — North Qld tour, Araluen Arts Centre, Playhouse, Adelaide, Canberra Theatre & University of Sydney with New Moon Theatre Company • The Kid — Snake — St Martins Youth Centre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company • Top Girls — Shona / Kit — Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC • 1985 — The Doll Trilogy — Bubba — Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Athenaeum with STC / MTC • 1986 — No Worries — Ensemble — Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC • 1987 — A Lie of the Mind — Beth — Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney • Shakers • 1988 — Darlinghurst Nights — Gunman's Girl — Wharf Theatre, Sydney, ANU, Canberra with STC • King Lear — Cordelia — Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA • 1988–1990 — The Glass Menagerie — Laura — Playhouse, Adelaide & Marian St Theatre, Sydney with STCSA • 1989 — Speed-the-Plow — Karen — Sydney Opera House, Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC • 1990 — Beach Blanket Tempest — Gidget — Q Theatre, Penrith • 1994 — The Swan — Dora — Space Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA • 1995 — Haxby's Circus — Gina — Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA • 1996 — Miss Bosnia — Selma — Fairfax Studio, Melbourne, West Gippsland Arts Centre, Monash University, Canberra Theatre, Bendigo Performing Arts Centre, Geelong Arts Centre, Gold Coast Arts Centre with MTC • 1999 — Into the Woods — Lucinda (Stepsister) — Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC • 2017 — Next Fall — Arlene — Chapel off Chapel, Melbourne

• Year — Title — Role — Type • Go Away Mr. Worrythoughts — Frankston Arts Centre & Australian regional tour • 1992 — Funerals and Circuses — Director, Assistant — Theatre 62, Universal Theatre, Melbourne, Playhouse, Canberra • 1993 — Tall Tales and True — Director — South Australia tour with Magpie Theatre Company • 1994 — Planet K — Director — Continental Cafe, Melbourne • All of Me — Director — Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney & Melbourne Town Hall for Melbourne International Comedy Festival • 1997 — Patsy Cline: Her Songs, Her Story — Director — Universal Theatre, Melbourne • 1998–2002 — Mum's the Word — Director — Glen St Theatre, Sydney with Bendigo Performing Arts Centre, Fairfax Studio, Melbourne, Melbourne Athenaeum for Melbourne International Comedy Festival • 1999 — Popcorn — Director — Picture This Productions • 2001 — It's a Dad Thing — Director — Melbourne Athenaeum • Always... Patsy Cline — Director — Darwin Entertainment Centre with Majestic Theatre Company • 2002 — Uncle Bob — Director — Red Stitch Actors Theatre • The Play About the Baby — Director • 2003 — The War Against Short Trousers — Director — Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne • Push Up — Director — Red Stitch Actors Theatre • 2008 — Mum's the Word 2: Teenagers — Director — Theatre Royal, Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne • 2009 — Frankston Lights — Director — The Little Theatre Company • 2010 — Fairweather Island — Directorial consultant — Carlton Courthouse, Melbourne with La Mama • 2011 — The Wetlands Project: One Last Chance — Director — Tootgarook Wetlands with Dreamhouse Theatre Company, Frankston Arts Centre Cube37 & 3940 Arts • 2012 — Good People — Director — Red Stitch Actors Theatre • Almost with You — Director — La Mama, Melbourne & Cube37 FAC • 2018 — Chemistry — Producer — Alex Theatre, Melbourne with The Little Theatre Company

• Year — Title — Artist — Details • 1990 — Too Many Movies — Mary-Jo Starr — * Label: Mushroom Records (D30224) * Format: Vinyl, CD

• Year — Title — Artist — Album • 1989 — "Kissing in a Taxi" — Mary-Jo Starr — Too Many Movies • 1990 — "Passionate Kisses" — Mary-Jo Starr • "Lonesome, Lovely & Alone" — Mary-Jo Starr — non album single • 1989 — "Killer in Me" — StalkHer film soundtrack