Fran Kendall (formerly Godbold) of Woy Woy has received an OAM for service to music and to the performing arts.
One of the best known people on the Central Coast theatre scene, Mrs Kendall grew up surrounded by music and theatre.
“Dad was one of the Australian film pioneers and his hobby was directing musicals,” she said. “And Mum was a soprano. “I took piano lessons, along with my five siblings, from a very early age. “The family attended St Andrew’s at Summer Hill and it was a very musical church. “Dad ran drama classes there and I played roles so it gave me a solid background in theatre.”
Qualifying as a primary teacher, Mrs Kendall taught for five years in New Guinea before returning to Sydney for a year and then moving to the Central Coast with her young family. Since then she has performed in and/or directed multiple shows for Gosford Musical Society, Woy Woy Little Theatre and Wyong Drama Group. She has had many highlights. “Of course directing shows such as Les Miserables was wonderful and I’m also very proud of founding Gosford Musical Society Children’s Theatre in 1980,” she said.
That group eventually evolved into today’s GMS Juniors.
“At the time there wasn’t much in the area for children interested in theatre, especially boys,” Mrs Kendall said.
“I also did various drama workshops and then started and ran Peninsula Kids Theatre when I was teaching at Ettalong Public School.”
Other highlights included starting the Gosford Musical Society Minstrels in the 1980s, a revue company which provided entertainment to various organisations for years, and later the GMS choir in 2011.
“I started the choir to keep members involved between shows,” she said. “I handed it over to someone else because at the same time I was establishing my own choir, The Frantastics, on the Peninsula.” The Frantastics is still going strong, although Mrs Kendall has stepped back from the group.
These days she is often seen on TV in a variety of ads and plays occasional roles in TV and film. “I love doing that – even the auditions are fun,” she said. “And if you get the gig, you are mixing with young, vibrant people.”
She is a former Assistant Principal at Ettalong Public School and a former director and tutor for the Combined Schools Choir.
