This hilarious, emotionally charged, one woman cabaret has a relatable moment for everyone! A sweet yet very real insight into dating, fitness and the dreaded high school reunion will double as a great night out and free therapy for all. Come on a wild ride deep into the twisted rabbit-hole of the human psyche..
Chameleon brilliantly portrays a new point of view of the norms of mental illness through heartfelt stories of a woman’s journey to mental wellness. With original music from the world of the blues and contemporary cabaret, Chameleon packs a healthy dose of funny for the mind, body and soul.
This show tells the story of Alexandra, played by Karen Lee Roberts (who has a lived experience), working through situations in her every day and finding clarity. Mr Sunshine, aka Dr. Jeff Usher (a vision impaired jazz blues legend), is her guiding light on piano.
Chameleon is not just for those challenged by mental health issues, it is for all people in the community. Each person out there has a friend, a family member, or a little part of themselves that can relate. It is entertaining, enlightening and great fun for a mature audience.
The show was written by Karen Lee Roberts, as were all of the original songs. It is a reflection of how she overcame adversity and beat the odds to maintain mental wellness and aims to inspire others with their journeys through life.
Karen Lee Roberts is an artist living with and surviving bipolar disorder and Generalised Anxiety Disorder. Karen’s work aims to convey social and emotional messages to her audience on prevalent topics, trying to educate whilst entertaining. Karen’s inspiration comes from her life experience and ability to empathize with people. The most important thing in her art is touching people with her message in a meaningful way. She has performed extensively internationally and throughout Australia in various productions. Wilbur the Optical Whale her children’s show, won a Matilda Award, two Adelaide Fringe Awards, a Perth Fringe World Award and a Sydney Fringe Award with indelabilityarts. The All-Abilities QLD Government video The No Pile she did with Khemistry, also won three awards in the Brisbane Art Director’s Club Awards. Intimate Space, which she performed in with Restless Dance, won a Ruby Award. Karen also won the Access Arts Achievement Award to develop Sex & Other Philosophies. This show, as well as Chameleon and her cabaret Dating Disasters, all garnered the Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund to be performed there. She has toured extensively independently and with indelabilityarts in various productions and performed in top festivals across the country. She is the Artistic Ambassador of indelabilityarts.
Dr Jeff Usher has built a reputation over 35 years as a solo pianist, band leader and composer working with Australia’s finest jazz musicians, including Bob Bernard, Ted Vining, Peter Harper, Ian Chaplain, Elliott Dalgleish, Andrew McNaughton, Jonathan Dimond, Adrian Sheriff and Martin Kay. He is a member of the jazz faculty at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith Uni since ‘98, and in ’19 completed a PhD in composition at Uni of Queensland. From ‘86 to ‘94 he led Jeff Usher’s Jazz Unit on tour around Australia and recorded several albums. In ‘15 he engaged in a solo jazz piano album and a live recording of Bird Wings with his ten-piece group A Love Supreme Super-Band (founded in’05), performing Jeff’s originals and his own arrangement of John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. Besides his own compositions, Jeff’s performances include tunes from early jazz, boogie-woogie, swing, bebop, Bossa Nova and other forms of popular music. He has toured across Australia and internationally and gigs regularly around Brisbane in the jazz scene.
Karen Lee Roberts Creative 