Peter Cousens
Encyclopedia
Peter Cousens is an Australian actor, born in Tamworth NSW.
He attended The Armidale School
in Armidale
(1969–73) and then Gordonstoun School, Scotland. He then spent a year reading Arts at St Paul's College
, Sydney University before studying at the National Institute of Dramatic Art
(NIDA), graduating in 1978.
Cousens has worked in television, both as an actor and presenter. In the 1980s he guest starred in a number of major Australian television productions, including The Sullivans
, The Young Doctors
, Sons and Daughters
and The Restless Years
. He then went on to take a leading roles in Under Capricorn and Return to Eden
.
Though an actor, Cousens is probably most well known for his work in musical theatre. Major roles include The Phantom in London's West End
production of The Phantom of the Opera
, and Marius in Les Misérables
and Chris in Miss Saigon
in the Australian productions. He has received a number of Variety Club of Australia awards for his work.
Cousens is also a professional singer with a number of cast and solo albums to his credit.
In September 2006 he launched Kookaburra: The National Musical Theatre Company
, a non-profit theatre company based in Australia, dedicated to musical theatre. As of January 2009 the company ceased trading.
since 1995
Ambassador
Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Society singing Choir
Ambassador
White Ribbon Foundation
He attended The Armidale School
The Armidale School
The Armidale School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, located in Armidale, on the New England Tablelands of northern New South Wales, Australia...
in Armidale
Armidale, New South Wales
Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale Dumaresq Shire had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region...
(1969–73) and then Gordonstoun School, Scotland. He then spent a year reading Arts at St Paul's College
St. Paul's College, Sydney
St Paul's College in Sydney, Australia, is an Anglican residential college for men which is affiliated with the University of Sydney. Founded in 1856 by an 1854 act of the New South Wales Legislative Council, it is Australia's oldest university college...
, Sydney University before studying at the National Institute of Dramatic Art
National Institute of Dramatic Art
The National Institute of Dramatic Art is an Australian national training institute for students of theatre, film, and television, based in the Sydney suburb of Kensington. It is supported by the federal Office for the Arts, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. NIDA is located adjacent...
(NIDA), graduating in 1978.
Cousens has worked in television, both as an actor and presenter. In the 1980s he guest starred in a number of major Australian television productions, including The Sullivans
The Sullivans
The Sullivans is an Australian drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran from 1976 until 1983. The series told the story of an average middle-classMelbourne family and the effect World War II had on their lives...
, The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
, Sons and Daughters
Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series)
Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
and The Restless Years
The Restless Years
The Restless Years is an Australian soap opera which followed the lives of several Sydney school-leavers and young adults. It was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation for Network Ten. It debuted December 1977 and ran until late 1981. It was not renewed by the network due to declining ratings...
. He then went on to take a leading roles in Under Capricorn and Return to Eden
Return to Eden
Return to Eden is an Australian television drama series starring Rebecca Gilling, James Reyne, Wendy Hughes and James Smillie. It began as a three-part mini-series, shown on Network Ten in 1983. Gilling and Smillie would reprise their roles for a 22-part weekly series screened in 1986.-Mini-series...
.
Though an actor, Cousens is probably most well known for his work in musical theatre. Major roles include The Phantom in London's West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production of The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux.The music was composed by Lloyd Webber, and most lyrics were written by Charles Hart, with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Alan Jay Lerner was an early collaborator,...
, and Marius in Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
and Chris in Miss Saigon
Miss Saigon
Miss Saigon is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr.. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed romance involving an Asian woman abandoned by her American lover...
in the Australian productions. He has received a number of Variety Club of Australia awards for his work.
Cousens is also a professional singer with a number of cast and solo albums to his credit.
In September 2006 he launched Kookaburra: The National Musical Theatre Company
Kookaburra Musical Theatre
Peter Cousens' Kookaburra: The National Musical Theatre Company was an Australian theatre company dedicated to musical theatre. Launched in 2006, with its first production Pippin in 2007, it collapsed in late 2009....
, a non-profit theatre company based in Australia, dedicated to musical theatre. As of January 2009 the company ceased trading.
Patron
National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect NAPCANsince 1995
Ambassador
Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Society singing Choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
Ambassador
White Ribbon Foundation