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On this episode I talked with Kerry about her glowing resume, the day she made her West End debut, taking over the role of Elphaba after Idina Menzel in 2006 and being the first ever British Elphaba in Wicked, the difference between playing Elphaba on West End and playing Elphaba on Broadway, how her Elphaba was different when she returned to the role in 2008, how she managed to have the vocal stamina needed to sing Elphaba songs EIGHT TIMES a week, other roles she’s played such as Grizabella in Cats, her Christmas song “One Beautiful Christmas Day” she recorded this year (which you can go check out now anywhere you listen to music now), and MORE!
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Kerry Ellis has fast become recognised as the leading lady of West End musicals from her starring roles in London and on Broadway. She has also achieved chart-topping success as a recording artist signed to Universal Decca with her debut album Anthems.
Kerry originated the role of Meat, in Queen’s We Will Rock You and was the first British Elphaba in the West End smash, Wicked, for which Kerry won the 2008 Whatsonstage.com Award for ‘Best Takeover in a Role’. She then immediately transferred to Broadway and played Elphaba at the Gershwin Theater for 6 months, where she won the Broadway.com Audience Award for Favourite Female Breakthrough Performance, before returning to London for 6 months in 2009.
Her many other leading role credits include Nancy in Oliver! at Drury lane, Eliza Doolittle My Fair Lady, Ellen in Miss Saigon and Fantine in Les Miserables.
Kerry’s first major CD release was the amazing Wicked in Rock, a collaboration with long time friend and Queen guitarist, Brian May. This led to her being signed to Universal as a solo recording artist and her debut album Anthems was released in 2010 on Decca Records.
The success of the album, which reached No.15 in the UK album chart, and No.10 in the UK pop club charts (for Defying Gravity), led to a major tour Anthems: The Concert throughout 2011, which kicked off at the Royal Albert Hall. She has performed internationally promoting the album, including performances at the Royal Variety Performance, at the Laurence Olivier Awards, duetting with Barry Manilow on BBC Television and Radio, at G… Read More
