Bio (Andrea Powell, creator of Ethel Chop)

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Ethel Chop is the alter ego of award-winning actor, author, director, comedian and character specialist Andrea Powell. 

Renowned for her characterisations, Powell has written and performed fourteen comedies for theatre, for which she has received three Comedy Awards and one Green Room Awards nomination. 

Powell's most well-known character is Ethel Chop, but she has a suite of others in her repertoire and also performs stand-up and hosting roles as herself.

Powell’s book Strain Your Gherkins by Ethel Chop was published through Penguin (now an ebook) and she has many TV credits including The Panel, Kath and Kim, The Librarians, The Games, Whatever Happened To That Guy, Micaleff Tonight, Headliners, Judith Lucy’s Spiritual Journey, Judith Lucy Is All Woman, Please Like Me, Utopia, Get Krack'n, and The Edge of the Bush. She wrote and performed weekly radio spots as Ethel Chop on Triple J and Austereo’s Australia-wide network for over 13 years.

Powell has been dramaturg for and directed various comedians including Anne Edmonds, Wes Snelling (Tina del Twist), Nelly Thomas and Nicolette Minster.

Andrea has taught comedy writing for television at RMIT University, mentored VCA script writing students through Melbourne University and now runs the Comedy program at Collarts.

 TELEVISION

THE WEEKLY (festive antivaxer) Dir: Jon Olb, ABC 2021

GET KRACK!n S2 (Jacqui) Dir: Kate McCartney, ABC 2019

GET KRACK!n S1 (show announcer) Dir: Kate McCartney, ABC 2017

THE EDGE OF THE BUSH (Sarah) Dir: Kate McCartney, ABC 2017

UTOPIA (Union) Dir: Rob Sitch, ABC 2015

PLEASE LIKE ME (Hazel) Dir: Matthew Saville, ABC 2014

JUDITH LUCY IS ALL WOMAN (self) Dir: Anna Bateman, ABC 2014

BETTER MAN (Journalist) Dir: Kuoa Do, Fremantle Media, SBS, 2013

YOU’RE SKITTING ME (various) Dir: Peter Lawler, ABC3, 2012

JUDITH LUCY’S SPIRITUAL JOURNEY (Ann Lucy) Dir: Tony Martin, ABC, 2011

NEIGHBOURS (Dr Amy Holdsworth) Dir: Peter Sharp, Ch10, 2011

OFFSPRING (Penelope Stenlake) Dir: Daina Reid, Ch. 10, 2011

BEING BRENDO (online series) (various characters) Dir: Colin Batrouney, Vic Aids Council, 2011 – 2013

CITY HOMICIDE (Gina) Dir: Jean-Pierre Mignon, Ch. 9, 2010

LIBRARIANS Series 2 (Paramedic) Dir: Wayne Hope, ABC, 2010

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THAT GUY (Andrea Moon) Dir: Ted Emery, Foxtel’s Comedy Channel, 2009

BERT’S FAMILY FEUD Merry Men vs Funny Girls (Self) Ch10, 2007

STANDUP! (Ethel Chop) ABC, 2004

EAGLE & EVANS , (spoken role) Dir: Nicholas Bufalo, ABC, 2004

MICALLEF TONIGHT (various sketches) Dir: Adrian Dellevergin, Ch. 9, 2003

THE PANEL (guest panellist) Ch. 10, 2003

GREEKS ON THE ROOF (writer) Dir: Kris Noble, Ch. 7, 2003

KATH & KIM (shopkeeper) Dir: Ted Emery, ABC, 2002

GOOD NEWS WEEK (self) Dir: Ted Robinson, Ch. 10, 2001

THE GAMES (Socog Worker) ABC, 2000

UPFRONT 5,6 & 8 (self, Ethel Chop) Dir: Ted Robinson, ABC, 2000-2002

HEADLINERS (self, Ethel Chop) Comedy Channel

10:30 SLOT (Ethel Chop) ABC, 2000

ONE SIZE FITS ALL (various & self) Dir: Ted Emery, ABC, 2000

ROUND THE TWIST (evil business woman) ABC, 1999

WRITING

WOMEN OF LETTERS, Penguin Group, published 2012

STRAIN YOUR GHERKINS, Penguin Group, published 2007

STANDUP! (writer) ABC, 2004

GREEKS ON THE ROOF (writer) Dir: Kris Noble, Ch. 7, 2003

UPFRONT 5,6 & 8 (writer) Dir: Ted Robinson, ABC, 2000-2002

ONE SIZE FITS ALL (writer) Dir: Ted Emery, ABC, 2000

HEADLINERS (writer) Comedy Channel

10:30 SLOT (writer) ABC, 2000

Andrea has written for online magazines Gizmag, Hoopla & The Scrivener’s Fancy. She has also been director and dramaturge for various performers including comedian Nelly Thomas, cabaret performer Wes Snelling, actress Amelia Christo, sketch artists Girls Uninterrupted and comedian Anne Edmonds.

 LIVE SHOWS

ETHEL HAS A PIANIST (Ethel Chop) His Majesty’s Theatre Perth, 2013, Perth Fringe & Melbourne Fringe 2014

ETHEL CHOP & CHUMS (Ethel Chop) Melbourne Fringe, Perth Fringe 2012

LORRAINE’S HAIR & FACE (Lorraine), MICF 2010

BOEING BOEING (Bertha understudy) Dir: Hannah Chissick, New Theatricals 2008

GOBBLEDYGOOK (all) Dir: Greg Stone, MICF 2008

HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR EGGS? (all) Dir: Colin Batrouney, MICF 2007

IN THE SHADE OF THE PEAR TREE, Dir: Andrea Powell, Melbourne Fringe 2007

WES SNELLING IN TINA DEL TWIST, Dir: Andrea Powell, Midsumma 2007

NELLY THOMAS IN FAMILY TIES, Dir: Andrea Powell, MICF 2006

MIDNIGHT MASS (various) Trades Hall 2002

I SMELL BACON (all) Melbourne Fringe 2002

ETHEL CHOP & CHUMS (Ethel) MICF 2002

ETHEL CHOP & CHUMS (Ethel) Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2001

THIS IS YOUR MISERABLE LIFE (all) Dir: Judith Lucy, MICF 1999

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH (Visma/Pat) Dir: Colin Batrouney, Melbourne Fringe 1997

 RADIO

MIX 94.5 AUSTEREO (Ethel Chop, Visma & various characters) Breakfast Show, 2004 – 2013

TRIPLE M AUSTEREO (self, Ethel Chop) Tony Martin’s Get This!, 2007

774 ABC (self & various characters), The Conversation Hour, Derrick Guille, various programs, 2000 - present

JOY FM (self & various characters), various programs, 2000 - present

FOX FM AUSTEREO (Ethel Chop), 2005

2DAYFM AUSTEREO (Ethel Chop), 2004

TRIPLE J ABC (Ethel Chop & self), Breakfast Show, 2000 – 2003

TRAINING & AWARDS

Andrea trained at Curtin University in Theatre Arts in the late 1980’s and has done numerous related courses and workshops since. She also has a keen interest in Wine has a level 2 (Distinction) WSET in Wines and Spirits.

*Nominated for a Green Room Award for ‘This Is Your Miserable Life’

*Best Perth Fringe Comedy Award for ‘Ethel Chop & Chums’

*Best Melbourne Fringe Comedy Award for ‘I Smell Bacon’

*High Commendation Fringe Comedy for ‘How Do Your Like Your Eggs?’

 OTHER

Andrea can ride a skateboard, knows quite a bit about plonk, is a speedy typist, can produce fake sneezes and cat screeches and broke her ankle trying to hail a cab.

Below: Marieke Hardy, Lou Sanz, Paris Wells, Jane Clifton, Catherine Deveny, Alan Brough and Andrea Powell at Women of Letters - June 2011