Chrissie Shaw
Chrissie Shaw is listed in Trove, (the Australian National Library’s database), as ‘an Australian Actor, Composer, Devisor, Performer, Writer, Playwright, Musical Director, Producer, Lyricist ‘. A fuller record of Chrissie’s extensive output of live performances can be found on Austage. Chrissie started her professional career with PipiStorm Ltd, a theatre-in-education company, playing rock and roll for children. Click here for the Facebook website for her Smallshows theatre firm.
‘Before coming to Canberra to work in 1987, she was Project Officer at the Bondi Pavilion Community Arts Centre. From 1990-1993, she worked for the ACT Arts Council as Project Coordinator and Community Arts Resource Officer. She has performed at numerous community festivals’ (interview, Canberra Times ACT : 24 Jan 1995 P. 16).
Listen to Songs By Chrissie Shaw
The Call – Beryl, oh Beryl
By Chrissie Shaw and Jan Cornall
Copies of this CD can be purchased through the website A Writer’s Journey
The song selected for The First Australian Women’s Songbook: The Call/Beryl, oh Beryl, was co-written with Jan Cornall in the production At the Crossroads. Originally recorded in 1998 with vocals by Maria de Marco, Julie Ross, Chrissie Shaw and Justine Saunders, with Julie Ross, Chrissie Shaw and Justine Saunders (CD cover), the show toured regional areas of NSW and was performed live in 2003 at the Bridge Theatre, Coniston, NSW, directed by Camilla Blunden with Lillian Crombie, Maria de Marco, Julie McElhone, Chrissie Shaw and Jan Cornall. The show starts with the calls of women meeting at the crossroads for an extraordinary general meeting.
Song Lyrics
(Calling)
Voice 1: Alice! Liliana! Alice! Alice! Beryl!
Voice 2: Charmaine! Liliana! Alice! Alice! Beryl!
Voice 3: Alice! Liliana! Charmaine! Liliana! Alice! Beryl!
Voice 1 (spoken)
We are gathered here today, for this extraordinary general meeting
On the occasion of the sad passing of our friend Beryl
And to elect a new President;
And to scatter the ashes of our dearly beloved at this place, these crossroads
Designated by her in her Will, for reasons unknown to us
But we are sure, special to her
And we will carry out her wishes, whatever they may be
For this day and forever more
All:
A-men!/A-women!
Beryl cannot be with us today. Have you heard? She passed away
She was the beloved President of the CWA, the hospital auxiliary, the Red Cross
And the Bush Fire Brigade.
Beryl, oh, Beryl; What shall we do without her?
What shall we do without Beryl? She was a guiding light
She wouldn’t let anything happen without putting up a fight.
What shall we do without Beryl? Who’s going to fill her shoes?
How can we possibly replace her, and her particular views?
The world’s not the same without Beryl, how can we carry on?
She held us together well, she’s been in the Chair so long.
Spoken:
Voice 1 How long was she President?
Voice 3: Too bloody long if you ask me!