Wicked: 15th Anniversary | Celebrating the wonderful Women who have played Elphaba!

Wicked has established itself as one of the biggest and best West End shows, originally opening on Broadway in 2003 it headed over here and opened at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in 2006. Today we're celebrating 15 years of the show, and after the slight 'pause' the show has taken, it's come back better than ever and what a good time to celebrate its Birthday! In this piece, we look back at all the wickedly talented Women who have played Elphaba in the UK. From the London production to the tours! Which one was your favourite?!

Wicked in London 

Idina Menzel

September 7 2006 - December 30 2006

Kerry Ellis 

January 1 2007 - June 7 2008, December 1 2008 - May 9 2009, August 4 2014 - October 25 2014 

Alexia Khadime 

June 9 2008 - November 29 2008, May 11 2009 - March 27 2010 

Rachel Tucker 

March 29 2010 - October 27 2012, September 5 2016 - January 28 2017

Kerry Ellis & Louise Dearman complete cast of THE FOSSE FOREST BALLET

Kerry Ellis & Louise Dearman complete the cast of Philip Joel’s “The Fosse Forest Ballet” 

Written by David Muscat and directed by Racky Plews produced by Emerge Production House the full cast are Philip Joel, Kerry Ellis, Louise Dearman, Oliver Savile, Zoë Birkett, Tosh Wanogho-Maud, David Muscat, Amy Bailey & Nuwan Hugh Perera. 

Kerry Ellis and Louise Dearman are best known for their roles in Wicked; Ellis was the first British Elphaba and also the first Brit to transfer over to the Broadway production. She has also appeared in shows such as Les Miserables, We Wil Rock You, Oliver, Miss Saigon, Cats and Wonderland. Louise Dearman was the first actor to have portrayed both Elphaba and Glinda in the production, other shows she has appeared in include Evita, Guys and Dolls, Kiss Me, Kate and Side Show.

The team behind “The Fosse Forest Ballet” aim to raise £10,000 for Theatres Trust and Acting For Others.

Acting for Others provides financial and emotional support to all theatre workers in times of need through the 14 member charities.

Kerry Ellis & Peroxide Media launch new podcast 'Keep Calm And Kerry On'

On Wednesday the 29th Of April, Kerry Ellis Is releasing her brand new podcast Keep Calm And Kerry On. The series will be launching with three exclusive episodes with conversations including; Arlene Phillips, Beverley Knight and Kimberley Walsh. Recorded entirely during Lockdown via remote recording, These interviews will go ve a rare insight to the lives of the stars as they deal with life during this time.

Kerry Ellis is a West End and Broadway Star. Best known for playing the first British Elphaba In Wicked, We Will Rock You, Cats, Les Miserables and touring the world Performing with Rock Legend Brian May.

In this new series, Kerry is sitting down with stars of stage, song and screen to discuss their highs and lows. These candid and eye-opening conversations discuss the realities of a life in front of the spotlight and what happens in the moments when it is not shining quite as bright.

In addition to our three Launch interviews, guests set to appear also include; Denise Van Outen, Alfie Boe, Marisha Wallace, Matt Flint, Samantha Barks, Alice Liveing and Shoshana Bean with more guests to be announced shortly.

THEN AND NOW: Wicked the Musical

Wicked has a huge place in the musical theatre hall of Fame now, being an international hit the show still runs on Broadway after 15 years and 12 years in the West End. Although the show hasn't changed very much from the original Broadway production, we look back at the years the show has been running across a few productions. The original Broadway production, one of the first West End companies, the non-replica production in Copenhagen, a few different companies along the West End run and the current cast we have here in London. Take a look and share your favourite moments of the show with us on Twitter! @PocketSizeBlog #PocketThenNow  

Elphaba

Idina Menzel (2003), Kerry Ellis (2007), Maria Lucia (2011), Louise Dearman (2012) & Alice Fearn (2018)

Glinda

Krsitin Chenoweth (2003), Helen Dallimore (2007), Annette Heick (2011), Chandra Lee Schwartz (2012) & Sophie Evans (2018) 

FIRST LOOK: UK Tour of Oscar Wilde’s THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, starring Kerry Ellis

Kerry Ellis stars as Gwendolen, her first non-singing role, in the 2018 UK tour of Oscar Wilde’s THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford, Courtyard Theatre Hereford, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Belfast Grand Opera House, Theatre Royal Bath and Manchester Opera House. Hannah Louise Howell will play Gwendolen at all other venues. They will be joined by Geoff Aymer, Louise Coulthard, Thomas Howes, Peter Sandys-Clarke and Simon Shackleton, playing Chasuble, Cecily, Algernon, Jack and Lane/Merriman respectively.

They join the previously announced Gwen Taylor as Lady Bracknell and Susan Penhaligon as Miss Prism. The tour will begin on 24 January at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford, at Theatre Royal Windsor on 5 May 2018.

WICKED 10: Kerry Ellis

Firstly, tell us what part you played and what year(s) you were in the company! 

Elphaba 2007- 2009 & 2014.

Do you remember seeing WICKED for the first time? When and where was it?

I never saw the show before I was in the cast , I did watch it after I left which was a whole other experience. 

Did you ever think you’d be in the show one day?

 When I auditioned I didn't really know anything about the show, it was only after we opened the show in London I began to understand the passion.

What is your best memory from your time at WICKED?

Opening on Broadway and my final two London shows will stay with me forever, they were magical.

Tell us one embarrassing story from your time in the show…

My broom broke in the middle of a scene once and we all fell about laughing. 

London Coliseum to host THE NIGHT OF ELECTRIC VOICES starring Adam Pascal, Kerry Ellis & David Michael Johnson

On Sunday March 1, 2015, some stellar performers from London and New York, together with the soloists of the City of London Philharmonic and the West End Chorus, will present a sensational night of musical theatre.  Since 1999 The Night of 1000 Voices has delighted capacity audiences whilst supporting various charities.  In 2015, The Night of Electric Voices will be a celebration of rock musicals and will move for the first time to London’s largest theatre, the London Coliseum, by Trafalgar Square.

Apart from the other international guests who will be announced in January 2015, the stars for this unique evening will include the perennial favourites Adam Pascal (Broadway’s RENT and Memphis); Kerry Ellis (Wicked and Oliver!), and David Michael Johnson (We Will Rock You in Germany).  This spectacular concert will again be introduced by one of the fathers of the rock musical, Sir Tim Rice.

FIRST LOOK: Kerry Ellis returns to the London Production of WICKED

Kerry Ellis returns to the London production of WICKED after 5 years, she olds the title of not only the original Elphaba but the only British performer to transfer from the London production to Broadway. She comes in as a replacement to Willemijn Verkaik after she departed the production in order to have surgery to address an ongoing back condition.

Willemijn Verkaik to leave WICKED on the 19th July 2014, Kerry Ellis to return

Willemijn Verkaik will play her final performance as Elphaba this Saturday 19 July 2014 at 7.30pm, as she departs the production in order to have surgery to address an ongoing back condition. Kerry Ellis, who will recreate her celebrated performance from Monday 4 August until Saturday 25 October 2014*. 

Willemijn said: “To be given the chance to play Elphaba in four different countries is something I am incredibly grateful for. Now I have to cut my West End run short and it’s absolutely devastating to me. I’ve been fighting this injury for a few months but was determined not to let anything get in the way of my West End debut and certainly not wanting to disappoint the audiences. But I have to face the facts. I thank producers David Stone and Michael McCabe and our General Managers, Playful Productions, the cast and crew and all of you so much for all your support in this difficult time. I promise I’ll be back on stage soon, in better shape than ever!”

15 of the Best West End Duos!

Following from last weeks feature (15 Most Memorable Performances I've seen) the Pocket team have been thinking about the best Duos that have been on the West End recently. 

So, in no particular order, here is our list... 

Sierra Boggess & Ramin Karimloo in Love Never Dies

Justin Lee Collins & Simon Lipkin in Rock of Ages

10 stagey YouTube videos you need to watch!

If you're a bit of a theatre geek like myself then these videos will make your stagey bone tickle with joy. Heres just a selection of 10 videos taken from youtube, Have any more stagey videos to add to the list? Tweet them to me! @PocketSizeBlog 

Goodbye WE WILL ROCK YOU! A look back at the productions history...

Having rocked over 6.5 million people in a record-breaking 12 years at London's Dominion Theatre, the smash hit Queen & Ben Elton musical We Will Rock You is due to close on 31 May 2014. Now the longest running show ever at the Dominion by a margin of nine years, the show takes its rightful place in West End history, sitting proudly in the Top 10 longest running musicals of all time.

The show has now been performed in 28 countries around the globe, and has been seen by a more than 16 million people.

From its opening night at the Dominion on 14 May 2002, We Will Rock You quickly became the overwhelming people’s choice of musical in the UK and overseas. In its second year at the Dominion it won top honours in five categories in the Theatregoers Choice awards presented by whatsonstage.com, including Best New Musical. In 2011, nine years after the curtain first went up, the show won the prestigious Olivier Audience Award, the only category voted for entirely by the public. The show went on to win a number of international awards for productions around the globe.

Kerry Ellis To Perform alongside VELMA CELLI At The Hippodrome

Award-winning Broadway and West End star Kerry Ellis has been confirmed as special guest for The Velma Celli Show at The Hippodrome Casino on Friday May 30th. Revered around the world, Ellis has starred in some of the most successful theatre productions of all time including Miss Saigon, We Will Rock You, Les Miserables and Wicked, and is one of the few artists to have successfully made the crossover from theatre to the pop charts.

Kerry Ellis | Interview

Kerry Ellis is about to return to the role of Mimi in the 20th Anniversary Concert tour of RENT, her other credits include Elphaba in Wicked (Apollo Victoria, London and on Broadway), Nancy in Oliver! (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Fantine in Les Miserables (Queens Theatre), Ellen in Miss Saigon (UK Tour), My Fair Lady (National Theatre and Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Merry We Roll Along (Yvonne Aenaud Theatre), Magic of the Musicals (UK Tour), Svetlana Sergievsky in Chess In Concert (Royal Albert Hall), Godspell (Palace Theatre, Mancester), Children of Eden (Prince of Wales Theatre), West End Men (Vaudeville Theatre) and Beth in The War of the Worlds - The New Generation (UK Tour). Some of her solo concerts include Kerry Ellis Sings the Great British Songbook (Shaw Theatre), Anthems (Royal Albert Hall and UK Tour), An Audience with Kerry Ellis (Shaw Theatre), The Born Free Tour (UK Tour) and Kerry Ellis in Concert (London Palladium). She has released three solo recordings; Wicked in Rock (2008), Anthems (2010) and Acoustic by Candlelight (2013). I caught up with her to talk about her appearance in RENT and her career… 

When did you realise you wanted to be a performer for a living? 

There was never a question, I was always going to perform.

West End Men: Theatre Review

West End Men is a concert filled with Musical Theatre classics as well as some surprises, Currently playing at the Vaudeville Theatre until the 22nd June having previously toured last year. The show features West End talent such as David Thaxton, Glenn Carter (until 8th June), Lee Mead, Matt Willis and Stephen Rahman-Hughes (from 10th June) with special guests Kerry Ellis (until 15th June) and Carley Stenson (from 17th June). I’m glad that they’ve featured some of the more modern musical theatre talent rather than the ‘Michael Ball’ type people, they’re really updating what people think about West End leading men. Admittedly, these aren't the names I’d come up with if I was putting together this concert but they are all incredibly talented and really show why they are leading men within this show. 

The set list is interesting, for example I really liked the opening number. They mashed together Pure Imagination, Being Alive, Love Changes Everything and Music of the Night; a very odd choice of songs to put together but it was a really nice, relaxed introduction to the show. Another highlight was the West Side Story medley which opened the second act, I really liked that they paid homage to this but they went for the obvious choices of musical theatre songs like things from South Pacific, Chess and Les Miserables. Don’t get me wrong, these are great but you’d think with this more modern feel to the show they’d go for contemporary musicals as well. I would have loved to have seen some surprise musical theatre numbers in there like something from Newsies or Next to Normal or something along those lines! They were far to safe with the set list.