Take part in an outdoor interactive mystery experience coming to Taree in early June, and you will bump into actress Emily McKendry.
Emily is a Taree native, having gone to school at St Joseph's Primary School and St Clare's High School. Her family still live in Cundletown, however she moved to Sydney after obtaining a Bachelor of Stage and Screen Acting at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga.
Emily says she is excited to be returning to her home town, not just because it is familiar, but because she is passionate about bringing performing arts to regional areas. She is also nervous, she says, because locals know the 18-year-old version of her - she is now 25.
Emily studied piano with Don Secomb from when she was little until she left Taree. She studied voice, reaching AMEB grade eight in classical voice, with Helen Monckton, and drama with Marilyn Connors.
"She was the most amazing teacher," Emily said.
Emily moved to Sydney to pursue a career as a professional actor and signed with an agency, getting jobs doing commercials and short films. In 2018 she found Dark Stories, a company that runs true crime tours, murder mystery parties, and interactive murder mystery shows. Emily is a guide for the tours, and acts in the shows. She also currently fills the roles of theatre director and manager of Dark Stories Theatre.
She's also been working on other projects recently.
"I've been filming on some projects, Wellmania and Heartbreak High for Netflix, and Practise Patience - a series filming in Brisbane of which I'm a series lead." Emily explained.
The show coming to Taree from June 3, To Hunt a Killer, is an audience participation event that will take place in Bicentennial Gardens.
"It's a lot of fun," Emily said.
"The audience can expect maybe a jump scare or two. One thing is for sure they shouldn't expect to sit down and just be comfortable in a chair watching the show because it's not that kind of show. The audience is a part of the show. There's a mystery afoot and they have to figure out what is going on and they have to solve it."
With opening night on Friday, June 3, the show will run for eight performances to Sunday, June 5. Bookings can be made at darkstories.com.au/to-hunt-a-killer-taree but hurry - some performances are already sold out.
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Julia Driscoll
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
