Karin Muiznieks – Writer/Composer/Performer

Karin is a multi-award winning composer and cabaret comedian working professionally in Melbourne. She holds a B.A in Music Theatre from the Ballarat Arts Academy (2005) and an associate diploma in Music Theatre from Trinity College London (2004). Karin's music and comedy have featured on the radio stations 774 ABC Radio, 3MBS, Joy FM and 3RRR. She has written for Beat Magazine and performed on the C31 TV shows Planet Nerd, The Breakfast Show, Rockwiz and TheatreGames LIVE where she currently holds the position of Musical Director.

Karin Has written a string of successful cabaret shows including Can't Afford A real Show? and Better At A Distance - for which she was awarded The Butterfly Club's "Under Our Wing Award" for outstanding work in cabaret (2007). She joins the ranks of previous winners Tim Minchin and Sammy J and was the first (and to date only) female winner of this award. 

Earlier this year Karin wrote, produced and starred in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival smash hit Give my Regards To Broady which opened in the final week of the festival and managed to sky-rocket to 4th most popular show in the festival according to The Groggy Squirrel Reader's Award poll. Later, music from Broady was performed at a cabaret forum as part of the Arts Centre's Full Tilt program.

Aside from writing, producing and singing Karin has been known to conduct The Butterfly Glee Club on occasion and moonlight as an impro pianist with The Crew. 

 SHOWS AND STUFF

  - 2008 -

* Hell's Cabaret - Produced for the inaugural Short Sweet + Cabaret season at The Butterfly Club. A 10 minute play infused with pop music exploring the nature of Good and Evil in a post-iPod world where public opinion is nine tenths of the law. Packed full of hot lesbians.

Performed by Erin Newington, Karin Muiznieks & Vicki Jacobs, directed by Scott Gooding, written and produced by Karin Muiznieks.

* Give My Regards To Broady - Produced for the MICF at Northcote Town Hall. An hour-long ensemble musical romp through everything that makes Melbourne special, proving that it's not just Broadway or the West End that can churn out cheesy musical numbers worthy of box-steps and shimmer hands.

Performed by Karin Muiznieks, James Simpson, Erin Newington, Luke Hales, Kat Chishkovski & Emma Muiznieks, Written by Karin Muiznieks, Dan Walmsley & James Simpson, Music & Lyrics composed by Karin Muiznieks and James Simpson, Choreography by Erin Newington, outside eyeing by Scott Gooding.

* The Rebels Without Applause - Produced for The Butterfly Club. A musical Trio bent on Mutually Assured Destruction, or maybe that was Musically Assured Destruction. The Rebels represented everything that was dirty in the world of cabaret collaboration, long nights, long laughs and looooooots of vodka before the curtain went up.

Performed by Reuben Krum, Karin Muiznieks and James Simpson, Directed by pure whimsy, vodka slammers and an umbrella.

* Kabaret de Riga - Performed at Latvian House. A cunning little show which toured around Australia's capital cities recounting the history and glory days of cabaret in Latvia's capital city, more explicitly The Hotel de Riga. As part of the show's appeal the touring artists were joined by local cabaret performers of Latvian descent. Which means me. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one. Send me and email if I'm wrong.

My part written and performed by Karin Muiznieks, Accompanied by James Simpson, Produced by Janis Cecins.

 - 2007 -

* The Butterfly Club XMas Special - The first outing of what was later to become the Rebels Without Applause. Cynical christmas merriness, music and improvisation during which Jews were persecuted and Latvians pushed off the back of chairs.

Written and performed by Reuben Krum, Karin Muiznieks and James Simpson. 

* Better At A Distance - Produced for The Butterfly Club. Based on the loose but satisfying theme of "things that seem better from far away." Notable as the first cabaret in which I wrote all the music as well as the script.

Written & Performed by Karin Muiznieks, accompanied by James Simpson 

* Can't Afford A Real Show? - Produced at The Butterfly Club for the MICF. My first Comedy Festival show and the first time my one songs were put into the ears of the public. Based on the premise that you don't need massive sets, costumes and Anthony Callear to put on a great show.

Written and performed by Karin Muiznieks, accompanied by Matthew Toogood.

* Can't Afford A Summer Holiday? - Produced for the Butterfly Club. A cabaretic shout-out to everyone left in Melbourne over the summer, the people who don't have beach houses in Torquay or time-share apartments in Rio.

 Written by Karin Muiznieks, accompanied by Cameron Thomas

 - 2006 - 

 * Arrogance Is Bliss - Produced at The Butterfly Club for the Inaugural Melbourne Cabaret Festival. My first hour-long solo show, during which I told hilarious but safe jokes and didn't write a single song of my own (shock!) Luckily it caught the attention of a few people and the show was ranked #2 in The Herald Sun's Top Five Events of The Melbourne Cabaret Festival.

Written & performed by Karin Muiznieks, accompanied by Cameron Thomas

At The Arts Academy 2003-2005:

Showcase 2005 (Self), The Witches of Eastwick (Suki Rougemont), Sweet Charity (Daddy's girl/Dancer), A Midsummer Night's Musical (Snout the Tinker/Assistant Director), The Virgin Wars: Jumpin' The Q (Ulrika Dansatidsof), 42nd Street (Chorus), All That's in Between (Singer), What's In The Box? (Various Roles)