Rachael Beck Biography

Rachael Elizabeth Beck (born 9 February 1971) is an Australian stage and television singer-actress. From 1991 to 1994 Beck had a major role on the popular sitcom, Hey Dad..!, as Samantha Kelly. From 2006 to 2008, Beck appeared on all three seasons of Seven Network's celebrity singing competition It Takes Two, as a singing coach successively for Mark Furze, Ernie Dingo and Mark Wilson. She has appeared in the Australian musical theatre productions of Cats (1985), Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1995"96), Les Misérables (1995"96), The Sound of Music (August 2000 to February 2001), Cabaret, Singing in the Rain and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Biography

Rachael Elizabeth Beck was born on 9 February 1971 and grew up in Sydney. Her father is John Beck, who directed her in school musicals. She has a brother and sister. At nine-years-old Beck was performing at Eisteddfods where she sang "The Count" (from Sesame Street). She attended school at SCECGS Redlands. At the age of 13 she auditioned for the Sydney premiere of Cats but was considered too young, she took the role of Rumpleteazer for its Melbourne premiere in 1985. From 1991 to 1994 Rachael Beck had a major role on the popular sitcom, Hey Dad..!, as Samantha Kelly. Her other television credits include brief stints on Home and Away and as a reporter for Postcards WA.

Beck has starred in a number of Australian theatre productions. In 1992 she performed the title role in Young Judy " a one-woman show on the early life of Judy Garland " written by her father, John. She appeared in the Australian stage productions of Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1995"1996) as Belle opposite Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables as Fantine (1997"98), The Sound of Music (August 2000 to February 2001), taking over from Lisa McCune as Maria for the Perth and Adelaide productions), Cabaret as Sally Bowles, Singing in the Rain as Kathy Selden, Cats as Rumpleteazer, and. In 2006, Beck (as Gladys Hotchkiss) appeared alongside her husband Ian Stenlake (as Sid Sorokin) in a stage production of The Pajama Game at Melbourne's State Theatre.

From 2006 to 2008, Beck appeared on all three seasons of Seven Network's celebrity singing competition It Takes Two. In 2006 she earned third place with Home and Away actor Mark Furze. In 2007 she partnered Ernie Dingo, finishing fourth overall. In 2008 she partnered Mark Wilson from Dancing with the Stars. In September 2007 Beck undertook the role of Beth in the Australia-New Zealand live concert tour of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds. In October that year Beck appeared on Nine Network's practical joke series, Surprise Surprise Gotcha, where a prank was played on her.

During January and February 2012, Beck appeared with Michael Falzon, Erica Lovell and Jay James Moody in Squabbalogic's premiere of Adam Gwon's chamber Musical Ordinary Days at Sydney Darlinghurst Theatre. She appeared in Enda Markeys April gala concert Side By Side By Sondheim in Sydney featuring Ruthie Henshall before joining Falzon again in September in the touring company of Side by Side by Sondheim In November she originated in Australia the role of Truly Scrumptious in the Australian premiere of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Personal life

For her schooling Beck attended SCECGS Redlands in Sydney. In January 2001 she married fellow actor, Ian Edward Stenlake (born 1969), and the couple have two daughters.