AustLit

Australian variety performer, pantomime principal boy, pianist, soprano, songwriter, child impersonator.

After training at the New South Wales Conservatorium, Amy Rochelle made her first appearance on the stage in 1912, aged fourteen. Two years later, she was contracted to appear on Harry Clay's Sydney suburban variety circuit. She undertook two Queensland tours for Clay (in 1915 and 1916) and eventually became one of his most popular female performers of the war years, notably through her association with Clay's No 1 Musical Comedy Company. When Rochelle was selected for the finals of the 1916 Melba scholarship, she was forced to decide between pursuing a career in serious music or continuing to perform as a variety artist. Her decision to remain in the variety industry was likely due to the increasing opportunities for local artists that came about as a result of war-time travel restrictions on foreign performers.

After a brief engagement on Hugh D. McIntosh's Tivoli circuit in 1918, and on top of a recommendation from Harry Clay, Rochelle joined the Fullers' organisation. One of her first major appearances with that firm was as the principal boy in their 1918-1919 pantomime Babes in the Woods, taking over from Queenie Paul. Shortly after the pantomime season closed, Rochelle joined Nat Phillips' Stiffy and Mo Company, remaining with the company for close to a year.

Regarded as one of the country's most popular pantomime stars and variety sopranos, Rochelle maintained an almost exclusive association with the Fullers up until the late 1920s. Her pantomime appearances included In the Court of Father Xmas (1916) for Harry Clay and the Fullers' productions Cinderella (1919-1920), Mother Goose (1922), and Little Red Riding Hood (1928). During the 1920s, she also expanded her vaudeville repertoire by presenting child impersonations and performing as a pianist. In 1927, Rochelle was invited to join Nat Phillips's and Roy Rene's reunited Stiffy and Mo Company. Following its demise in late 1928, she briefly toured with the Fullers' Novelettes troupe (under the direction of Walter George), before forming her own revue troupe in partnership with Stan Foley. In the early 1930s, she established herself for a brief period at Harry Clay's old headquarters, the Bridge Theatre in Newtown.

Amy Rochelle continued performing well into the 1940s. Her last known stage appearance found to date was a season under Bruce Carroll's management at the Tivoli Theatre, Perth. She continued her association with radio in the 1950s, however. THis included being a cast member of the comedy series My Friend Irma, whcih was broadcast on relay from around February 1951 (AA: 10 Feb. 1951, 12).

Rochelle was married to Australian Variety editor Harry R. Kitching. After their divorce she married character actor Sydney Wheeler (who appeared in many J.C. Williamson's musical comedies). The couple had two sons.