Willemijn Verkaik

Willemijn Verkaik
Background information
Born (1975-06-16) June 16, 1975
Son en Breugel, Netherlands
Genres Broadway, vocal
Occupation(s) Singer, actress
Years active 2000–present
Website willemijnverkaik.nl

Willemijn Verkaik (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋɪləmɛin vərˈkɑik]; born 16 June 1975), is a Dutch singer and actress. She is best known for her stage roles in Wicked and Elisabeth, and she can be heard on the German cast recording of Wicked.

Early life

Verkaik was born in Son en Breugel, Netherlands, but grew up in Nuenen near Eindhoven. She graduated from the Rotterdam Conservatory.[1][2]

Career

Before her acting career began, Verkaik sang in various pop bands for over ten years.[1] Her first professional theatre role was that of an ensemble member in the Dutch production of Elisabeth.[3]

In 2004, Verkaik played the singing voice of Erica in the Dutch version of the animated movie Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper. In 2008, she recorded the Dutch voice of Lydia in Barbie & the Diamond Castle.

Since then, her various musical theatre credits have included Elisabeth (in Holland and Thun, Switzerland),[4] The Three Musketeers, We Will Rock You[1][2] and most notably Wicked, in which she was chosen as the "Wicked Personality of the Year", among all the actresses who played the role in November 2010, in an online poll with over 16,000 voters.[5] She is the only actress to have played the role in more than one language: as of December 2013, Verkaik has appeared in the Dutch, German, Broadway and London West End productions.

Verkaik originated the role of Elphaba in the original German-language production of Wicked, which began performances in Stuttgart on November 1, 2007, prior to a November 15 opening night. Sabrina Weckerlin was her original alternate, appearing in the two shows a week which Verkaik was not contracted to perform.[6][7][8] She can be heard on the original German cast album.

Verkaik soon repeated her performance in the original Dutch-language production, which premiered in Scheveningen on November 6, 2011, after previews from October 26. This required her to learn the role in her native language. The run ended on January 11, 2013, and Verkaik transferred to North America, to make her Broadway debut in the English-speaking New York company of Wicked, marking her third language production. Verkaik played a limited 15-week engagement at the Gershwin Theatre from February 12, 2013 to May 26, 2013.[9]

Verkaik played the role of Donna in the Stuttgart production of Mamma Mia! for a limited run starting 26 July 2013,[10] before playing the role of Elphaba again. Beginning on 18 November 2013, she made her West End debut in Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, London.[11] Due to health reasons, Verkaik had to depart early from the West End production of Wicked on 19 July 2014.[12]

She can be heard on Wicked's German-language cast recording, as well as Scott Alan's album What I Wanna Be When I Grow Up[13] and on the Scott Alan album LIVE, which was recorded at the Birdland jazz club in New York City on April 30, 2012. The CD was released on June 26 of 2012. She also provides the Dutch speaking as well as the singing voice and German singing voice of Elsa the Snow Queen in Disney's 2013 CGI movie (German speaking voice provided by Dina Kürten) Frozen.

It was announced on 24 October 2014 that Verkaik would be joining the cast of the musical, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown alongside Tasmin Greig, Ricardo Afonso, Hadyn Gwynne, Jérôme Pradon and Anna Skellern, in the role of Paulina. The show's previews started on 16 December 2014 with an opening night on 12 January 2015. The show ran until 23 May 2015.[14] This was Willemijn's first role after her surgery in 2014.

It was announced on July 14, 2015 that Verkaik would be returning to Stuttgart as 'Kala' in "Tarzan" in August 2015, at the Stage Apollo Theater.[15]

Personal life

She is married to musician Bart van Hoof.[16]

Theater work

Show Country Role Year
Elisabeth Netherlands Ensemble 2001
Jeans 11 Soliste 2001 - 2002
The Three Musketeers Ensemble 2003
We Will Rock You Germany Killer Queen u/s 2004 - 2005
Elisabeth Switzerland Elisabeth 2006
We Will Rock You Germany Killer Queen
Wicked Stuttgart Elphaba 2007 - 2010
Aida Germany Amneris 2009
Wicked Oberhausen Elphaba 2010 - 2011
Netherlands 2011 - 2013
Broadway, New York 2013
Mamma Mia! Stuttgart Donna
Wicked West End, London Elphaba 2013 - 2014
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Paulina 2014 - 2015
Tarzan Stuttgart Kala 2015 - 2016

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Willemijn Verkaik maakt debuut in New York", Musical Reports, 2 August 2011 (Dutch)
  2. 1 2 "Willemijn Verkaik and Mark Seibert", Zibb
  3. ↑ "Diva Talk: A Chat with Dutch Actress Willemijn Verkaik, Star of Broadway's Wicked", Playbill
  4. ↑ "Willemijn: alweer Nederlandse Elisabeth", Musical Site Archived May 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ http://broadwayiswicked.com/2010/11/11/willemijn-verkaik-favourite-elphaba/ Archived November 22, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ "Dutch obtains in leading German musical", Nieuws
  7. ↑ "Verkaik and Schere to Star in Germany's Wicked", Playbill
  8. ↑ "Willemijn Verkaik ist die grüne Hexe von 'Ozerhausen'", staff writer, City News, 5 December 2009 (German)
  9. ↑ Andrew Gans. "Willemijn Verkaik Flies Into Broadway's Wicked Feb. 12". Playbill.
  10. ↑ http://www.stage-entertainment.de/musicals-shows/mamma-mia-stuttgart/news/willemijn-verkaik-bei-mamma-mia.html
  11. ↑ BWW News Desk. "Willemijn Verkaik Confirmed As London's New Elphaba In WICKED From November!". Broadway World.
  12. ↑ WLPL. "Wicked OFFICIAL London Website - News". Wicked OFFICIAL London Website - News.
  13. ↑ Genevieve Rafter Keddy. "Photo Coverage: The Songs of Scott Alan at Barnes & Noble". BroadwayWorld.com.
  14. ↑ BWW News Desk. "WICKED's Willemijn Verkaik and More Join Tamsin Greig in West End's WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN". BroadwayWorld.com.
  15. ↑ Joe Gambino. "Former Broadway Elphaba Willemijn Verkaik Joins the German Cast of Disney's Tarzan". Playbill.
  16. ↑ Bruce Glikas. "Bart van Hoof and wife Willemijn Verkaik pose at the stagedoor as...". Getty Images.

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