Chelsea Renton Gibb
Do you ever feel the universe just plants people in your life for a reason? I popped into the hairdressers one day for a social visit and was introduced to Chelsea Gibb who was having her hair done.
I’d heard of Chelsea as a big name from the music theatre world, but had never heard her sing. Anyway, we got chatting and pretty quickly realised we had loads in common: music, kids, a love of kooky-spooky stuff and an instant trust that makes you over-share within the first 10 minutes.
Chelsea was relatively new to town, so we started going for walks and catching up for cuppas. Fast-forward a couple of months and she’s putting on an intimate show called Blues to Broadway at the Piano Bar in Geelong – my first chance to see her sing.
Well let me tell you – I was blown away. This girl can sing!
I was a blubbering mess numerous times throughout her show. I had to check whether it was just hormones talking, so I went back to her second show the following week – same thing happened.
Chelsea doesn’t just sing, she becomes the song, heart and soul.
Massive talent aside, she’s also an adoring wife and mother who devotes that same level of passion to her family as she does to her music.
This might sound a bit creepy but I was watching your husband (Warwick Renton Gibb) watch you sing and there was just so much adoration in his eyes. Was that how you made him fall for you in the first place? By serenading him?
Ha-ha. We met when l was auditioning for a new musical called Get Happy, which he was helping a friend produce. I walked into the audition room, and here was this stunning man in a three-piece suit that looked super professional.
I launched into singing my heartfelt ballad and he took a phone call half way through – had no idea it wasn’t the done thing. I went home that night and told my flat mate that l just met the man l was going to marry.
Two months later he proposed.
Warwick could be described as a strapping, distinguished looking gentleman. In fact, a good head for TV. Aything you’d like to share?
I can see what you’re doing there, Angie, ha-ha-ha. He’s going to kill me … oh, what the heck!
Remember the 1980’s commercial D-D-D-Decore shampoo? Warwick was the spunky brunette guy. I had a massive crush on him when l was a young.
Can you introduce us to your babies and how would you describe them in three words?
Arielle Isabella, 11, generous, nurturing, aspirational.
Elliott Sebastian, 9, curious, loving, quiet achiever.
Luka Alexander, 2, cheeky, joyous, daddy’s boy.
Were you one of the lucky ones in the birth lotto, where everything went to plan?
Ha-ha. Yes and no. Arielle was tough. It was 34 hours and a few things went wrong.
She was born naturally, with the help of forceps, posterior with one hand on her head. It was a little traumatic.
Elliott was a dream birth. Sixteen hours, all natural and l found the whole experience the most empowering thing l’d ever done but, funnily enough, he also came out with one hand on his head.
Luka was probably the toughest. I was in and out of false labour for two weeks before he came and the whole birth process lasted 48 hours. I ended up getting an epidural in the last hour.
It was quite scary as his chord was wrapped twice around his neck, so it was kind of a dramatic arrival. He’s a beautiful boy and such a joy and, you’ll never guess what, he too had one hand on his head coming out.
Tell us about your life before children in a nutshell – all the juicy bits!
I grew up in Ballarat with two older brothers. At 13, I went to boarding school because my parents bought a pub in Maldon, Victoria.
I didn’t enjoy boarding school at all, but I used my passion for singing to escape. My grandpa had a garage full of gramophones, which is where I learnt to lose myself in music.
After school I auditioned for WAAPA (Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts) at 17. In my second year, I realised I needed to take time out to just live a bit, so I went to London, hitching rides with truck drivers through Spain, Italy and Edinborough. Such an amazing experience, but I’d never let my daughter do that – the world’s a very different place now.
From there I came back and finished WAAPA. As we were leaving the course, I got an audition paper for the musical Chicago. After three months of gruelling auditions I was shocked more than anyone to be offered the role of Roxy Hart, which I played around the world for four years.
I was literally thrown in the deep end and had to grow up fast. I was performing eight shows a week. My whole life revolved around the show.
I think Nancy Hayes (Australian leading-lady royalty) explained it best: “When you play a character for a long time and then don’t get to become them anymore, it’s like losing your best friend”, so it took a good year after Chicago finished to get Roxy Hart out of my system.
Which was perfect timing as that’s when I met Warwick.
What inspired you to move to Geelong?
It was actually through awful circumstances to be honest. Warwick was involved in a horrific paragliding accident where he was thrust into the cliff face. His right foot came off and was hanging on by the skin and the other foot was completely shattered.
He clung to the cliff for dear life until they could save him. He was rushed to Geelong hospital for feet-saving surgery.
We were living in Melbourne at the time but my saving grace was that my best friend Natalie O’Donell and husband Simon Gleeson (both local actors) had just moved back to Geelong and basically supported me through it all by helping out with the kids.
Though horrific as it was, it introduced us to this beautiful town we now call home.
How did you feel giving up your career for motherhood? Was the transition difficult?
I never felt I was giving it up, I really knew I wanted to experience another version of myself and have a complete rest from what I’d been doing for so long.
Kids are great levelers. When you’re younger your career means everything. There’s not a lot of balance and you don’t realise that until you have kids.
Now if I don’t get chosen from an audition I just walk in my front door, see my three gorgeous children and the sting of rejection is just not there like it used to be.
What’s the best thing about motherhood?
Being a mum has really inspired me to want to be the best version of myself, most days. To be more creative, cook nutritious food and generally be a better provider to be able to afford them the opportunities to explore their passions.
I think my mother really inspired me in this department because if I ever wanted to try something new she would just take on extra work to afford it.
I feel like there are more colours and shades to my life that I’d never imagined. I love all their little questions that make you think about big things.
I think it surprised me just how big the love can be. You wouldn’t know that exists before you have a child.
What do you think the hardest thing is about motherhood?
The juggle! I remember as a kid my mum would say go out and play and we’d just occupy ourselves. I think there’s so much more pressure now to get it all right: food, after-school activities, discipline. You end up overthinking everything.
Also, finding time for yourself and your marriage can become such a battle. Warwick and I try to make a ritual of watching a series together snuggled up on the couch.
I think it’s just life these days – all my girlfriends seem to be going through the same struggle for balance.
What’s the most important thing you want to teach your children to prepare them for life?
Oh, so many things. I want to teach them to be comfortable in their own skin, to never seek approval, to have a strong voice in the world, to know right from wrong, to stand up for others, to be generous, kind and appreciative. But most of all, to be proud of who they are.
Will you encourage your kids to get in to showbiz?
They’re both really keen on performing but education is really important to us (Warwick is a lawyer, pilot and writer). Elliot recently played Michael in Mary Poppins with Footlight and Arielle was in it too.
If they do head down the showbiz road, I’ll definitely be encouraging them to have a second source of income that they love just as much for the times when they’re out of work, as there are plenty of those.
What are your favourite things to do with the kids in Geelong?
We love walking the dog along the waterfront in Geelong, and I love that we are so close to great beaches.
My favourite cafes are Winifrids corner store down at Eastern beach, Spot For Joe, King of the Castle and Moorabool Valley Chocolate café.
I also just discovered this gorgeous place in Fyansford called The Art Gallery café where people can get up and have a sing.
What’s next for Chelsea Gibb?
I have two shows in the pipeline, but the next big thing is Nine the Musical where I’ll be playing Serhigina (an Italian prostitute). It’s a one off big gala musical event where all proceeds are going to Think Pink breast cancer charity.
It’s particularly exciting for me because Elliott makes his professional debut on stage with Mum playing little Guido. It’s at the Melbourne Recital Centre on 31 October. Bookings can be made through melbournerecital.com.au.
