Jackie Clarke to MC awards event
Jackie Clarke has been secured as MC for the Southern Tararua Business Awards evening which will be held on October 13 in Woodville at the Sports Stadium.
She has performed with everyone from Dave Dobbyn to the NZSO. Jackie is instantly recognisable from her time judging NZ Idol — she was the one in the middle wearing the bling.
Prior TV credits include judge of the TV1 talent show Showcase, co-host of Saturday Live (TV2), a starring role in TV3’s hit comedy series Skitz and it’s spin-off sitcom The Semisis, and Christmas in the Park for many years. Jackie has also presented four documentaries — Wise Women and Song (TV1), Twins (TV2), ANZAC Songs (TVNZ) and the Scottish episode of The Settlers series (TVNZ).
Jackie is no stranger to the stage having starred in A Christmas Carol (ATC), Mum’s the Word ( NZ tour), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (NZ tour), Porgy and Bess (Mercury Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Sky City Theatre) The Underwater Melon Man ( NZ International Festival of the Arts) and The World Goes Round (Sky City Theatre). Jackie is also a mainstay of the annual kids theatrical blockbuster The Hairy Maclary Show. Jackie completed a successful season of Broadway Bigger Than Ever at Palmerston North’s Regent Theatre and ATC’s 2006 Christmas production Sweet Charity.
Jackie loves a show tune and has belted them out in several revues — Sirens (with Tina Cross) for the Auckland Philharmonia, Christchurch Symphony and Taranaki Arts Festival, Broadway Songbirds with Ellie Smith at Downstage Theatre and the Christchurch Festival and Love Hate Relationship with Tim Beveridge and Penny Dodd for the Tauranga Arts Festival.
Jackie is well known as part of the kitsch kiwiana trio When The Cat’s Been Spayed, that boasted two successful albums, countless national tours, a plethora of Lotto advertisements and its own Country Calendar special. She’s also toured with Dave Dobbyn, Annie Crummer and the Netherworld Dancing Toys and guested on recordings by Crummer, Dobbyn, The NDTs, Wayne Mason, Greg Johnson and Jonathon Besser. She cut her teeth as a teenager in the band Marching Orders and went on to be a big part of the Wellington music scene in the 80s featuring in The Laundrettes, Putty, Big Fiddle and Strung Out.
Jackie sings in many groups including the alt country combo The Darlings, the vocal quartet The Lady Killers and the polyester sensation that is Abbalicious. She even finds time to sing in the a cappella gospel choir Jubilation and jam on Hi 5 songs at home with sons Stan and Ernie.