Kerry Ellis

Kerry Ellis

Kerry Ellis is a British stage actress and singer from Haughley, Suffolk, born in 1979. She grows up in Haughley near Stowmarket with her older brother Andrew, attends Stowmarket High School, and later returns to formal stage training at Laine Theatre Arts after working with the youth group Starmakers.

Stage roles

Ellis plays a number of major musical theatre roles. She appears in the original London production of We Will Rock You as Meat, a role she originates and performs for two years. She also plays Ellen in Cameron Mackintosh's UK tour of Miss Saigon, Fantine in the West End production of Les Misérables, and Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady as second understudy to Martine McCutcheon, performing the role on five occasions. She also understudies Marti Webb in Magic Of The Musicals.

Wicked

Ellis is closely associated with Wicked. She joins the West End production at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in 2006 as standby for Idina Menzel, then takes over the role of Elphaba full time after Menzel's planned departure. She is described as the first British actress to play the role of Elphaba. In 2008, she transfers to the Broadway production of Wicked, replacing Stephanie J. Block and becoming the first Elphaba to move from the West End to Broadway. She later returns to the West End production before leaving the show in 2009.

Recordings and collaborations

Ellis records material outside theatre, including a 1999 recording for Children in Need and a jingle for Capital Radio. In 2004 she works with Queen guitarist Brian May on an orchestral version of "No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)". A teaser CD titled Wicked In Rock is released in 2008 and features rock versions of Wicked songs including "I'm Not That Girl", "Defying Gravity" and a remastered version of "No One But You". The recording is produced by Brian May and includes drum tracks by Taylor Hawkins. She also records "Behind these Walls" for Scott Alan's album Keys while performing in Wicked on Broadway.

Concerts and other work

Ellis appears in Chess in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall with Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal and Josh Groban. She performs a rock version of "Defying Gravity" at the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium. In 2009 she appears at the Champions of Rock concert in Sweden, takes part in a musical treatment of Terry Pratchett's Only You Can Save Mankind, and performs with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at the Symphonic Queen Spectacular. She also gives solo concerts at the Shaw Theatre and performs with John Barrowman at the Henley Festival.

Solo material and theatre workshops

Ellis works with Steve Sidwell on new recordings of "I'm Not That Girl" and "No Good Deed". She takes part in workshops for Way Beyond Blue, written by Imogen Stubbs and directed by Trevor Nunn, and plays the title role in Helen of Troy, directed by Gary Griffin. Her concert series The Great British Songbook is devised by Neil Marcus and features arrangements and musical direction by Steve Sidwell, with repertoire including songs by Queen, Coldplay, The Feeling and Goldfrapp.