Berry Conversations

The first Berry Conversations, Inc. event of 2017 will see the noted actor, Garry McDonald AO, and the distinguished theatre producer, Christine Dunstan, appearing together on Sunday, April 2, 2017.  Their hour-long conversation includes an audience Q&A and will be followed by a reception and refreshments.

Named an Australian National Living Treasure in 1997, Garry McDonald is best known for his renowned television characters ‘the little Aussie bleeder’ Norman Gunston, and the long-suffering Arthur Beare from Mother and Son.

A graduate of  NIDA, he has appeared in over sixty stage productions, many  films, including most recently The Light Between Oceans, and a host of other television programs. Suffering from anxiety, Garry talks openly about his condition and is a strong advocate of mental health.  He was appointed an Office of the Order of Australia in 2003 for his work in the area of mental illness, in addition to his services in the entertainment industry and is a former Board Director of Beyond Blue.

Winner of the 2015 Sydney Theatre Critics Lifetime Achievement Award, Christine Dunstan is is one of Australia’s most experienced theatre producers. Founder of the Stagewright Group of Companies in 1976 she subsequently became CEO of the Aruluen Centre for Arts and Entertainment in Alice Springs.Returning to Sydney in 1993, she formed Christine Dunstan Productions  and immediately joined Barry Humphries to be his Production Director, a position she held for two years.   More recently,  Christine has  produced, and toured, major stage productions for families including The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, The 13, 26 and 52 Storey Treehouses and Babies Proms for the Sydney Opera House.

Berry Conversations, Inc. a series of Sunday-afternoon public conversations with well-known authors and other cultural figures, was launched in  April 2016, and is organised by Berry residents Bill and Leslie Pigott, Heather Macdonald, Mary Cunnane, Colleen Fry, Cherrie McDonald,  and Trevor Barker.

Proceeds after expenses are donated to a local community organisation.