Award-winning and critically-acclaimed actress, singer, dancer, and voice artist, Taryn Sudding has graced magazine covers, international stages, our small screens and
the big screen. She’s worked with a host of celebrated directors and producers including
Jo-Anne Robinson, Pieter Toerien, Grey Hofmeyr, and Leon Schuster – and she’s known
for throwing herself into each role as if it’s both her first, and her last.
Taryn began performing at an early age when she first pulled on her dancing shoes at the
age of four - training in ballet, modern and tap. It wasn’t long before she developed a
passion for theatre, and by the time she was in Matric, Taryn was already scooping lead
roles in professional theatre and touring South Africa.
Barely out of her teens, Taryn was selected by award-winning director Leonard Schach to
portray the title role of Anne Frank in the musical version of The Diary of Anne Frank. It
was her most dramatic role to date, and she researched it intensely – even meeting Anne
Frank’s childhood friend, Hannah Pick-Goslar as part of her preparation. Her dedication
paid off: Taryn’s performance inspired glowing reviews.
Later, Taryn’s natural charm, gentle disposition and delicate features made her the perfect
choice for wide-eyed, innocent roles like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz; the novice nun,
Sister Mary Leo in Pieter Toerien’s Nunsense; and as host of the popular children’s show
Kideo. But don’t let her fool you. Taryn is equally compelling as the flirtatious feline,
Bombalurina in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats, the all-American-girl turned wild temptress
– Janet Weiss – in The Rocky Horror Picture Show; the brazen Merle in M-Net’s Snitch, and
even as a ball-grabbing (literally) prankster in Leon Schuster’s Panic Mechanic.
Her vocal talents are just as finely tuned. “She has a true voice, filled with emotion and the
right degree of subtlety.” agree Ed Jordan and Alan Glass – creators of South Africa’s
much loved Beautiful Creatures, for which Taryn sang the title track ‘Beautiful Creatures of
the Sea’. Whether she liberates the full force of her voice in powerful theatrical
performances, flutters around contemporary covers, or swoops into smoky blues and
sultry jazz with her trio No Frets, Taryn is an enchanting and intuitive performer who
specialises in developing unique performance pieces that reflect the voice of the event
itself – with exquisite simplicity.
A highly accomplished voice artist, Taryn’s vocal gymnastics also feature in many radio
and television ads (for Axe, McDonalds, Virgin Atlantic, Coca Cola, Sun City, Gossip Girl,
Blackberry, and as Maybelline International’s American voice for various South African
campaigns), and in Africa’s multi-award-winning 3D animation production Magic Cellar as
a lead and numerous supporting characters.
But when asked what her highlight role is, Taryn has a surprising answer. She recounts how
her singing act on board the cruise liner Achille Lauro plunged her into a real-life action
role in 1994 when the ship caught fire approximately 15 miles off the coast of Somalia.
Smiling at the raised eyebrows, Taryn explains: “It was one of the best things that ever
happened to me because I learnt a lot about who I was, and what I was truly capable of.”
Her efforts during the sea rescue earned her a nomination for Citizen of the Year.
Cats director Jo-Anne Robinson was right when she said Taryn Sudding
is a performer “not to be missed, or indeed underestimated”.
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