Lucy Durack

Lucy Durack
Born (1982-11-17) 17 November 1982
Perth, Australia
Occupation Singer & Actress
Years active 2004 - present

Lucy Durack (born 17 November 1982) is an Australian musical theatre performer recognised for playing Glinda in the Australian production of Wicked, and Elle Woods in the Australian production of Legally Blonde: The Musical.

Biography

Born in Perth, Durack graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)[1] with a Bachelor of Arts (Music Theatre) and prior to graduating was cast in the Brisbane and Sydney seasons of Mamma Mia! in which she understudied and performed the role of Sophie.

Durack has played the roles of Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street,[2] Miss Dorothy in the Australian Premiere of Thoroughly Modern Millie,[3] Lois Lane/Bianca in Kiss Me, Kate,[4] Rikki Rose in Respect,[5] Sybil Chase in Noël Coward's Private Lives,[6] and Laurey in Oklahoma!.[7]

Durack’s screen credits include the role of Cherry in the feature Goddess (2013 film), Bunny in Southern Star/UKTV telemovie Dripping In Chocolate, Cassie Bennett on Channel Seven’s headLand, All Saints, Rush II, Spicks and Specks, Parlami d'Amore,[8] the Australian feature film Finding Nigel and the worldwide broadcast of the BBC2 Voice of Musical Theatre Competition in Cardiff[9] in which she was a finalist. Durack is a frequent guest presenter on Channel Seven's Absolutely Melbourne.

Durack in 2012.

While regularly performing in concert with various orchestras throughout Australia, Durack’s cabaret appearances include Immaculate Confection[10] with collaborator Matthew Lee Robinson which toured to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Tasmania and the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, All Star Cabaret for the Sydney Theatre Company, Cavalcade for His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, and the 2003 Sydney Cabaret Convention for which she received the Judges’ Award.

Lucy won the Helpmann for her work in Legally Blonde. Durack sang the National Anthem at the AFL Grand Final[11] and at Oaks Day as part of Melbourne's Spring Racing Carnival and performing on Channel 9's Carols By Candlelight and Channel Seven's Carols in the Domain, all as part of the cast of Wicked.

Durack is known for playing the role of Glinda in the Australian production of Wicked.[12] After previews began in June 2008, the show opened on 12 July at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne. It closed on 9 August 2009, and transferred to the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, where it ran from 5 September 2009 through 26 September 2010. After a short break, Durack began performances on the show's Australian National Tour which began 25 January 2011 in Brisbane (running to 2 April). It moved to Adelaide from 14 April to 4 June 2011, and played Perth from 19 June through 7 August 2011. She has co-starred alongside various Australian theatre performers including Amanda Harrison, Jemma Rix, Pippa Grandison, Maggie Kirkpatrick, Bert Newton, Rob Guest, Rob Mills and Anthony Callea.

At the end of the Australian tour of Wicked which took place on 11 September 2011 in Perth, Durack moved on from her four-year role of Glinda to Melbourne for rehearsal of the new Australian production of Strange Bedfellows,[13] where she played the role of the mayor's daughter, Faith. Durack passed the role of Glinda onto Suzie Mathers. When Wicked returned to Australia in 2014, Durack once again played the role of Glinda beginning with the Melbourne season in May 2014.[14]

In March 2012, it was announced that Durack would play the main character, Elle Woods in the Australian production of Legally Blonde,[15] which also feature her Wicked co-stars Rob Mills and David Harris as Warner Huntington III and Emmett Forrest respectively.[16] The Australian production season began in September 2012 at the Lyric Theatre, Sydney, before opening on 4 October 2012. It then went of to play at the Lyric Theatre in Brisbane from March 2013. It opened in Melbourne at the Princess Theatre in May 2013.

Durack completed filming the role of Katie Morgan in the film Now Add Honey in September 2013 playing the fiancee of Hamish Blake and sister of Portia De Rossi.[17] It is due for release by Village Roadshow in 2014.[18]

Durack's debut self-titled album[19] was released on 28 September 2012.

Awards

Year Award ceremony Category Role Production Result
2008 Green Room Awards[20] Best Leading Actress in a Musical Glinda Wicked Nominated
2009 Helpmann Awards[21] Best Female Actor in a Musical Glinda Wicked Nominated
2009 Sydney Theatre Awards[22] Judith Johnson Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical Glinda Wicked Nominated
2012 Sydney Theatre Awards[23] Judith Johnson Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical Elle Woods Legally Blonde Won
2013 Helpmann Awards[24] Best Female Actor in a Musical Elle Woods Legally Blonde Won

References

  1. ↑ WELCOME TO WAAPA (PDF), retrieved 17 January 2013
  2. ↑ Stephanie Glickman (5 October 2007). "42nd Street | The Production Company". Australian Stage. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  3. ↑ ICS Voices lucy Durack
  4. ↑ West Wyalong Lucy Durack
  5. ↑ Respect - The Musical
  6. ↑ http://www.mtc.com.au/plays-and-tickets/mainstage-2014/private-lives/
  7. ↑ Wire image
  8. ↑ <Parlami D'Amore (2000), retrieved 17 January 2013
  9. ↑ Top Six
  10. ↑ Immaculate Confection
  11. ↑ last call before Lucy flies off int o a bright future
  12. ↑ Perth's Good Witch Lucy Durack floats home for Wicked
  13. ↑ Lucy Durack as Faith in Strange Bedfellows
  14. ↑ The Worldwide Phenomenon Returns to Melbourne With An All Star Cast
  15. ↑ Exclusive interview with Lucy Durack, Australia’s Elle Woods]
  16. ↑ Lucy Durack to Play Elle Woods in Australian LEGALLY BLONDE
  17. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2577854/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast
  18. ↑ http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/portia-de-rossi-hamish-blake-8212-and-maybe-ellen-8212-bring-a-little-honey-to-australian-movie-shoot/story-e6frfmvr-1226690727027
  19. ↑ Lucy Durack, retrieved 17 January 2013
  20. ↑ "Green Room Awards Past Recipients (2008)". Green Room Awards. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  21. ↑ "Helpmann Award nominees (2009)". Live Performance Australia. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  22. ↑ "2009 - Nominations and Winners". Sydney Theatre Awards. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  23. ↑ "2012 - NOMINATIONS AND WINNERS". Sydney Theatre Awards. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  24. ↑ Jerry Mitchell, Legally Blonde and King Kong Honored at Helpmann Awards Playbill, Retrieved 29 July 2013

External links

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