While in Japan, chronic renal failure halted his career and he returned to Perth, spending several years on dialysis before receiving a kidney transplant.
However, his love of performing remains after more than 30 years.
Next month, he will take to the stage in a musical about one of Australia’s darkest child-murder cases.
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READ NOWDespite its macabre origins, The Hatpin is a story of hope, courage and a mother’s undying love.
Written by WA Academy of Performing Arts graduates James Millar and Peter Rutherford, the musical is making its WA premiere at the Old Mill Theatre.
Inspired by the true story of Amber Murray, The Hatpin tells of how she unwittingly gave up her son in 1892 to a notorious Sydney ‘baby farming’ family, giving them support payments while looking for work.
However, they actually murdered the child and were eventually arrested and tried for killing several other infants, leading to one of the most moving criminal trials in Australian history.
Schintu plays Charles Makin, leader of the notorious mass-murdering family.
The Hatpin appealed to him because it was a historical Australian story.