Wes Snelling
BIO
CV
PHOTO & VIDEOS
LINKS
VOICE
Wes came out of the womb dancing, and then fooled everyone by becoming a shy child. He grew up in his family-owned Caravan Park in Kyneton. Preferring the night to the day, he spent the darkest hours interacting with local night owls, or observing them from the shadows. “I’ve watched a lot of people,” says Wes. “I’m still watching.”
At age 15, Wes and his friends started a theatre company focused on youth-related issues, and staged community shows in vacant warehouses. He spent 10 years developing his singing, dancing and comedic skills, and then took them on the road, becoming an international sensation from New York to London to hometown Melbourne.
While teaching Drama in Korea, Wes dazzled the Seoul Jazz Festival with his electrifying version of Viva Las Vegas. Later, while trekking through a mountaintop village, he improvised a flamboyant version of Waltzing Matilda, which now remains part of local folklore.
Back on the ground, Wes’ unique blend of comedy and music dazzled sell-out crowds at the Melbourne Cabaret and Melbourne Comedy Festivals. During Fringe 2000, he immortalized his show Extravaganza, Beyond Burlesque by embarking on a dance-off with 12 belly dancers. A few years later, his musical, TRASH, won Best Original Musical at the Melbourne Fringe 2005, and was a Green Room Award Nominee for Best Songs.
Since then, he has garnered an inspirational clutch of credits: starring in In Record Time with Melbourne International Comedy Festival (2006), Released with the Malthouse Theatre Melbourne (2007), and the sensational Tina Del Twiste (Melbourne Cabaret Festival 2006/ Midsumma 2007); acting in the award winning Shrimp with Arts Victoria/La Mama/Melbourne Workers Theatre (2007); starring as ‘Madame Tina’ in La Soiree with the Melba Spiegeltent (2007); and co-writing and performing with Benn Bennett in the sell-out Fringe hit Black Bag (2007).
Wes has featured in interviews on ABC TV, Network Ten and the Comedy Channel and recently starred in his first film Outland which has screened in local and international festivals (New York, London, Melbourne, Dallas, Bendigo, Brazil, Chicago, Manila, Lisbon, Barcelona, Philadelphia, Milan, Toronto, to name a few…or more). Wednesdays in December 2007 sees Wes co-hosting The Conversation Hour on ABC 774.
Wes Snelling’s work has received much acclaim and many awards, including:
Best Original Musical (TRASH, Writer/Actor, Melbourne Fringe Awards 2005)
Best Original Songs (TRASH, Writer/Actor, Green Room Award Nominee 2005)
Best Performance for Young People (Shrimp, Actor, Drama Victoria, 2007)
“a wicked sense of comic timing. Snelling’s vocals are in top form” The Age
“our hats must go off to Melbourne's prince of cabaret” Beat Magazine
“A beautiful singer with impeccable timing” Vibewire
“fabulousness” The Age
“super fabulous” Herald Sun
“I must apologise for my overuse of the word 'fabulous'” Inpress Magazine
“Snelling has a luscious and flexible voice that allows him to sing well in a wide range of styles. He also has great comic timing and a cheeky and engaging manner, both of which delighted the audience and had them calling for more.” AustralianStage.com.au
“Snelling is always interesting to watch. [With Benn Bennett, they] create something unique, absurd and downright infectious... hilarious and wonderfully performed songs. Keep your eyes on these two…” The Age
www.wessnelling.com
At age 15, Wes and his friends started a theatre company focused on youth-related issues, and staged community shows in vacant warehouses. He spent 10 years developing his singing, dancing and comedic skills, and then took them on the road, becoming an international sensation from New York to London to hometown Melbourne.
While teaching Drama in Korea, Wes dazzled the Seoul Jazz Festival with his electrifying version of Viva Las Vegas. Later, while trekking through a mountaintop village, he improvised a flamboyant version of Waltzing Matilda, which now remains part of local folklore.
Back on the ground, Wes’ unique blend of comedy and music dazzled sell-out crowds at the Melbourne Cabaret and Melbourne Comedy Festivals. During Fringe 2000, he immortalized his show Extravaganza, Beyond Burlesque by embarking on a dance-off with 12 belly dancers. A few years later, his musical, TRASH, won Best Original Musical at the Melbourne Fringe 2005, and was a Green Room Award Nominee for Best Songs.
Since then, he has garnered an inspirational clutch of credits: starring in In Record Time with Melbourne International Comedy Festival (2006), Released with the Malthouse Theatre Melbourne (2007), and the sensational Tina Del Twiste (Melbourne Cabaret Festival 2006/ Midsumma 2007); acting in the award winning Shrimp with Arts Victoria/La Mama/Melbourne Workers Theatre (2007); starring as ‘Madame Tina’ in La Soiree with the Melba Spiegeltent (2007); and co-writing and performing with Benn Bennett in the sell-out Fringe hit Black Bag (2007).
Wes has featured in interviews on ABC TV, Network Ten and the Comedy Channel and recently starred in his first film Outland which has screened in local and international festivals (New York, London, Melbourne, Dallas, Bendigo, Brazil, Chicago, Manila, Lisbon, Barcelona, Philadelphia, Milan, Toronto, to name a few…or more). Wednesdays in December 2007 sees Wes co-hosting The Conversation Hour on ABC 774.
Wes Snelling’s work has received much acclaim and many awards, including:
Best Original Musical (TRASH, Writer/Actor, Melbourne Fringe Awards 2005)
Best Original Songs (TRASH, Writer/Actor, Green Room Award Nominee 2005)
Best Performance for Young People (Shrimp, Actor, Drama Victoria, 2007)
“a wicked sense of comic timing. Snelling’s vocals are in top form” The Age
“our hats must go off to Melbourne's prince of cabaret” Beat Magazine
“A beautiful singer with impeccable timing” Vibewire
“fabulousness” The Age
“super fabulous” Herald Sun
“I must apologise for my overuse of the word 'fabulous'” Inpress Magazine
“Snelling has a luscious and flexible voice that allows him to sing well in a wide range of styles. He also has great comic timing and a cheeky and engaging manner, both of which delighted the audience and had them calling for more.” AustralianStage.com.au
“Snelling is always interesting to watch. [With Benn Bennett, they] create something unique, absurd and downright infectious... hilarious and wonderfully performed songs. Keep your eyes on these two…” The Age
www.wessnelling.com
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