Performer Johanna Allen dreams about the day when all her possessions are in the one spot

PERFORMER Johanna Allen has been living in Waterloo for 2½ years but admits half of her possessions still remain in storage.

Performer Johanna Allen at home with some of her favourite things. Pictures: John Fotiadis

• Who: Performer Johanna Allen has starred in many shows, including The Sound of Music, Wicked and Phantom Of The Opera. She has written her own show, The Songs That Got Away, which plays in Sydney next week

• Where: Two-storey home in Waterloo she shares with a friend

• Favourite thing: Fresh flowers. When my home has flowers I always feel happier. There’s something about the ritual of selecting them and the scent they give a room that makes it a home

• Inspiration: In terms of my space, home, light and space and a joyousness around me is very important. In terms of how I live, this is a quote that came from someone my mum met: Get lots of sleep, eat lots of broccoli and never be a victim. And I’d add to that never, ever, ever give up and also have lots of fun and be a little bit naughty

• Home is: Where my loved ones are, it’s where I can sit back and feel entirely comfortable. Home is good food and lots of laughter

PERFORMER Johanna Allen has been living in Waterloo for 2½ years but admits half of her possessions remain in storage.

“I dream about the day my furniture is all in the one spot,” she says.

“There is a French provincial table I bought in Melbourne that is still in Melbourne.

“My piano is one of my favourite things and it’s currently in my parent’s hallway in Adelaide.”

But she does have a ladder that she uses as her bookcase.

“There’s something about a ladder that represents possibility to me,” she says.

“And I can never have enough words in my life.”

Johanna lives with a friend in Waterloo in a two-level apartment and Johanna has the upper storey.

“I have come and gone with various jobs but there’s something lovely about coming back to this lovely little oasis in the middle of inner city Sydney,” Johanna says.

“I’m the kind of person who needs to roll out of bed and have a coffee and I can do that and it’s been a very joyous place to live.”

AT HOME WITH TONY LLEWELLYN-JONES

Recently Johanna has been away from home and on tour, starring as Sister Sophia in The Sound of Music and she will take on the role of Mother Abbess for the Perth season, later this month.

But first she will take to the stage in Sydney in a one-woman show she wrote herself called The Songs That Got Away, featuring the music of American composer Harold Arlen.

Johanna says she wrote the one-woman show to highlight the work of the little-known man behind songs such as Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Stormy Weather and It’s Only a Paper Moon.

“He wrote songs for Peggy Lee, Judy Garland and Ella Fitzgerald; he championed women who I admired tremendously,” Johanna says.

“In the show I play a myriad of characters and we have a band as well.

“We have an amazing rhythm section and it’s piano-based and it has that fantastic jazzy, standard-zy feel.”

* The Songs That Got Away plays at the Glen St Theatre from September 8-10

Necklace: At some point in primary school my parents gave me this. I am a gypsy in terms of style — the more boho the better. But this I love for its simplicity and because they gave it to me.

Harold Arlen scores and biographies and my script for The Songs that Got Away: I keep the scripts and scores of every show I do. They’re filled with little notes, comments and memories. The ones I’m immersed in right now are my script for “The Songs that Got Away” — the play I have written featuring the music of Harold Arlen

Family photo: This is my family and this photo travels with me always. My sister and brother are adopted from Korea and Thailand and I’m so grateful for my multicultural, loving, supportive, vibrant family.

Ladder of books: This serves as my bookcase. I can never have enough words in my life.

Jo and her Professor print: This print is sentimental for several reasons. It’s a painting of the character Jo from Little Women. I’m often called “Jo” or “Jojo” by friends, and my mum named me with Jo from Little Women in mind. She loved that character and so do I.

Earrings: Several years ago I went with three dear friends to trek in Nepal and we climbed to Everest Base Camp. It was literally, one of the best things I have ever done. I bought these earrings in the markets of Katmandu after we came down from the mountains.