Susanne Orrell

Susanne is a truly gifted professional singer / actor / dancer / entertainer who has performed many musical genres for over 30 years. She started out in production shows as lead singer for Bobby Limb on his Sydney Showboats when she was 17 years old, so production and theatre style shows feel like home to her.

 

Susanne has been blessed to have had years of training with many of Australia’s top tier teachers, musical directors and producers from Bob Tasmin Smith, Alan Dean, Leigh McRae, Avigail Herman, Ken Taylor and Kerri Biddell. Most notably, Susanne was personally managed and mentored by the great Bobby Limb as his number one protégé for the last eight years of his life..

 

Susanne was nominated for a Mo Award at the Sydney Town Hall for Female Variety Performer of the Year in 2001, just prior to her leaving Australia to sing lead in production shows and pantomimes in various countries from the U.S. to England and on Princess cruise ships.

 

Susanne has been a featured artist in prestigious venues in Australia such as the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Entertainment Centre, Stadium Australia, the Superdome, and Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

 

In Australia, Susanne has been a regular feature singer on television shows from the Nine Network’s Midday Show to guest appearances on Good Morning Australia and The Footy Show. She also has been honored to sing the National Anthem singer at the televised State of Origin grand final between NSW and QLD.

 

Susanne has demonstrated her tremendous versatility and vocal range with her own charted music performing in various Corporate, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Cover and Tribute bands. She has also performed as a session singer for corporate productions including IBM and Fujitsu. Other session work includes working on original songs, such as “Feels So Right” at John Ertler studios and JMC with Clive Lendich for writer and musician Joel Campbell of Blue Note Records (Who was touring with Ronny Jordan in Australia as his arranger and keyboard player). She also put down backing vocals for Jamel Boukabou’s Album “Living High” Produced by Paul Wheeler at his home Studio in Sydney (Icehouse, Sneaky Sound System) and Susanne worked with Rick-e-dee on his originals, helping write the lyrics and melody to Rick-e-dee Bondi Chill album song “Dreaming”. Susanne also has worked on her own originals at John Ertler Studios and made an album titled ‘Girl from Oz’ at Frank Seckhold’s Studio to sell CDs at her shows on the cruise ships.

 

Susanne loves collaborating and working with great singers, artists, dancers, musicians, and performers. She created her own vocal trio band in 2015 with professional singers Renae Suttie and Michelle Brown named “The Kitty Kats” who are based om Queensland on the Sunshine Coast. The Kitty Kats are one of the most loved and recognized live acts in Queensland, having performed in many festivals, jazz clubs and production shows. They have recorded a live album at ‘The Brisbane Jazz Club and will be releasing another live recorded Christmas album “Swing into Christmas” at the end of the year in 2024.

 

Susanne studied Musical Theatre at the Australian College of Entertainment (A.C.E) in 1996 and then, with a part-scholarship at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (N.I.D.A) in 1999.

 

Susanne has taught singing and drama in Primary and Secondary Schools in London, and has taught at Performing Arts Colleges in Australia, including N.I.D.A. and QAVA (Queensland Academy of Vocal Art) as well as private vocal lessons through her own business “Sunshine Performing Arts”.

 

Currently, Susanne is the lead singer in “Hello Gorgeous: The Barbra Streisand Songbook” produced by Wild Goat Entertainment. She is one of the lead singers in “Leading Ladies” another show produced by Wild Goat Entertainment and singing in her vocal trio with Renae Suttie and Michelle Brown in ‘The Kitty Kats” band.