Jane Harders

Jane Harders
Born
Queensland, Australia
EducationNational Institute of Dramatic Art
OccupationsActress, narrator, voice coach
Years active1969-2020
AwardsHelpmann Award

Jane Harders is an Australian actress. She has appeared in film and television, on stage and radio as a narrator and as a voice dialect coach. She played Janet Weiss in the original Australian production of The Rocky Horror Show in 1974.

Early life and education

Harders is originally from Queensland. She is a graduate of Sydney's NIDA, with a diploma in Voice Studies and gained early acting experience in student productions. In the late 1960's, she began her career at Sydney's Old Tote Theatre Company, and was one of the original members of the Nimrod Theatre Company. She has appeared in numerous musicals and revues.

Career

Harders has appeared in several films including Caddie (1976), Flirting (1991) and Mao's Last Dancer (2009). Her television credits include 1984 cricket miniseries Bodyline (alongside Hugo Weaving and Gary Sweet), The Alien Years (1988), teen series Heartbreak High, drama series Doctor Doctor and Spirited.

Harders is also a voiceover artist, having narrated for ABC Radio, television documentaries on SBS, and audio adaptations of classic literature. She has also been a voice and dialect coach for stage and screen.

Harders has worked extensively in theatre, for Sydney Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre, and Melbourne Theatre Company. She has starred in The Importance of Being Earnest, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Arcadia, The Cherry Orchard, Away, and the original 1974 Australian production of The Rocky Horror Show, in which she played Janet. She received a Helpmann Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Copenhagen.

Acting credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1972Shirley Thompson vs. the AliensShirley Thompson
1976CaddieVikki
1978The Chant of Jimmie BlacksmithMrs. Healey
1979The JournalistWendy Morris
1980The EarthlingMolly Ann Hogan
1991FlirtingMiss Silvia Anderson
1994The Roly Poly ManJane Lewis
1999Trust MeShort film
2007The Uncertainty PrincipleElisabethShort film
2009Mao's Last DancerSenator's wife

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1971Andersen MonogatariVoice
1972QuartetAnthology series, 1 episode
1973The Aunty Jack ShowWoman on TelevisionSeason 2, episode 1
The Three MusketeersVoiceAnimated TV movie
1975Silent NumberMrs Lucas1 episode
Shannon's MobMira1 episode
King's MenConstable Maple Brown1 episode
1976RushJessie Farrar10 episodes
Alvin PurpleGuest
1977Hotel Story
1978Young RamsayLillian Payntor1 episode
Tickled PinkMarianne1 episode
1979Cop ShopNorma Blake2 episodes
A Place in the WorldPolly PagetMiniseries, 1 episode
The MismatchMarsha HarringtonTV movie
TV FolliesLinda Zimmerman
1980Australian Theatre FestivalEpisode: "A Toast to Melba"
1982Jonah4 episodes
1983The Weekly's WarTilly Shelton-SmithMiniseries, 2 episodes
1984Mother & SonMatron1 episode
BodylineMrs JardineMiniseries, 2 episodes
1984–1993A Country PracticeBronwyn Gibson / Sarah Fitzgerald4 episodes
1986The Adventures of Tom SawyerBecky Thatcher / Aunt Polly (voices)Animated TV movie
1987Rob RoyVoiceAnimated TV movie
1988The Alien YearsEdithMiniseries
1989The Flying DoctorsHelen1 episode
1994Heartbreak HighMaureen Milano3 episodes
1997The HostagesMarciaTV movie
1997; 1999Murder CallDr Lois Fisk / Mrs Henderson2 episodes
2007The Starter WifeWealthy MatronMiniseries, 1 episode
2008All SaintsConnie Mosdell1 episode
2010–2011SpiritedRitaSeasons 1–2, 17 episodes
2011The JestersAunty Jane1 episode
2018–2019Doctor DoctorHelen5 episodes
2020The EndJillian Regan1 episode

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1969The Royal Hunt of the SunDello, a wife of Atahuallpa
1970The Legend of King O'MalleyOld Tote Theatre, Sydney
Oedipus
A Delicate BalanceEdnaSTC
BigglesNimrod St Theatre, Sydney
1971Endgame
Flash Jim Vaux
1972Measure for Measure
Shadows of Blood
1973‘Tis Pity She’s a WhoreOld Tote Theatre, Sydney
1974The Rocky Horror ShowJanet WeissHarry M. Miller
1977Inner VoicesAnna / Princess / Ali / Baby FaceNimrod St Theatre, Sydney
1981The Man from MukinupinClarrieSydney Opera House with STC
1982You Can't Take it With You
1983The Cherry OrchardMadame Ranevskaya
1985Arms and the ManRainaSeymour Centre, Sydney with Nimrod
Six Characters in Search of an AuthorFirst Actress
1986BenefactorsSheilaNorthside Theatre, Sydney
1987What the Butler SawMrs PrenticeAustralian national tour
1988AwayCoralUS tour with STC
Summer of the Seventeenth DollOlive
1990RumorsCookie CusackAustralian national tour
1991Master BuilderAline SolnessBelvoir St Theatre, Sydney
1993–1994Kafka DancesJulie / MotherStables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company / STC
1994Things We Do for LoveBarbaraMarian St Theatre, Sydney
ArcadiaLady CroomSTC
1996HereticMonica FreemanSTC / MTC
2002CopenhagenMargrette BohrAustralian national tour with STC / QTC / MTC
2005The Woman with Dog's EyesPenny BoyceGriffin Theatre Company
2008The Importance of Being EarnestLady BracknellQPAC with QTC
2012Les Liaisons DangereusesMadame de RosemondeWharf Theatre, Sydney with STC
The Cripple of InishmaanMammySTC
A Flea in Her EarRaymondeSTCSA

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2000Australian Council for the ArtsFellowshipWon
2003Helpmann AwardsBest Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a PlayCopenhagenWon

References

  1. 1 2 3 "What the Butler Saw". Theatregold. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Rumors". Theatregold. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 "Jane Harders". Liberty Artist Management. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  4. ↑ Salter, June. June Salter: A Pinch of Salt. Angus & Robertson: Pymble NSW, 1995. ISBN 0-207-18188-8 p 133-4.
  5. ↑ "Channel 3". The Canberra Times. Vol. 54, no. 16, 095. 19 October 1979. p. 26. Retrieved 17 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ O'Brien, Denis (27 September 1983). "Just how The Weekly went to war". The Australian Women's Weekly. 103 (5384): 40.
  7. ↑ "The Alien Years". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. University of Queensland. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "The Royal Hunt of the Sun". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  9. ↑ Bentley, Paul (4 October 2019). "When Sir Tyrone Guthrie launched the Sir John Clancy Auditorium, Part 1". www.unsw.edu.au.
  10. ↑ "Biggles". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  11. ↑ Hoad, Brian (24 March 1973). "Bloodless Bloodletting". The Bulletin Vol. 095 No. 4846 via Trove.
  12. ↑ "The Rocky Horror Show". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  13. ↑ "Inner Voices". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  14. ↑ "The Man from Mukinupin". Home Education: Journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Vol. 62 No. 04 via Trove. 2 March 1981.
  15. ↑ "'Cherry Orchard' withered". The Canberra Times, page 8 via Trove. 21 August 1983.
  16. ↑ "Arms and the Man". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  17. ↑ "Benefactors". Home Education: Journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Vol. 67 No. 04 via Trove. 10 March 1986.
  18. ↑ "Belvoir Street Theatre: poster – Master Builder – by Henrik Ibsen". www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  19. ↑ "Heretic". Theatregold. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  20. ↑ "Copenhagen". AusStage. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  21. ↑ Boland, Michaela (2004). "The Woman With Dog's Eyes". Variety. Archived from the original on 21 November 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  22. ↑ "The Importance of Being Earnest". Theatregold. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  23. ↑ Sierra, Gabrielle (13 February 2012). "The Importance of Being Earnest". www.broadwayworld.com.