Kerry Ellis
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Kerry Jane Ellis (born 6 May 1979) is an English actress and singer who is best known for her work in
musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...
and subsequent crossover into music. Born and raised in
Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...
, Ellis began performing at an early age before training at Laine Theatre Arts from the age of 16. Ellis made her first professional stage appearance in 1998 and went on to make her West End debut in the 2001 revival of ''
My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...
'' as an understudy for the role of Eliza Doolittle. In 2002, she landed the role of Meat in the original London cast of ''
We Will Rock You "We Will Rock You" is a song by the British rock band Queen from their 1977 album '' News of the World'', written by guitarist Brian May. ''Rolling Stone'' ranked it number 330 of " The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004, and the RIAA it p ...
'' and has subsequently played lead roles in musicals ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' (, ) is a 19th-century French literature, French Epic (genre), epic historical fiction, historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published on 31 March 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. '' ...
'', '' Wicked'' (in the West End and on Broadway), '' Oliver!'' and ''
Cats The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...
'' as well as appearing in national tours and concert productions of musicals like ''
Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a sung-through musical theatre, stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madama Butterfly'', and similarly tells th ...
'', ''
Chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...
'', '' The War of the Worlds'', '' RENT'', and '' Anything Goes''. Ellis, who has received several awards and nominations for her performances, has become recognised as the First Lady of West End musicals. She has also worked sporadically in film and television. After meeting
Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...
guitarist
Brian May Sir Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, animal welfare activist and astrophysics, astrophysicist. He achieved global fame as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the rock band Queen ...
in 2002, Ellis expanded her repertoire as a solo artist. She has released four studio albums '' Anthems'' (2010), which reached number 15 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...
, the self-titled '' Kerry Ellis'' (2014), ''Golden Days'' (2017) and ''Feels Like Home'' (2020) as well as an extended play '' Wicked in Rock'' (2008) and a live album '' Acoustic by Candlelight'' (2013). Ellis also appears as a featured artist on several other albums. Ellis has performed in concerts across the world in addition to headlining solo concert tours like Anthems: The Tour and The Born Free Tour. In addition to her musical work, Ellis involves herself in charity work for the Born Free Foundation with May and is the patron of several arts organisations. In 2019, Ellis received an honorary fellowship from the University of Suffolk.


Early life and training

Kerry Jane Ellis was born on 6 May 1979 in Haughley, near Stowmarket, in Suffolk, the daughter of Sandra Ann Reed and Terry John Ellis. Describing herself as a hyperactive young girl, she attended dance classes at the Ann Holland School of Theatre Dance and performed in local shows and pantomimes whilst also enjoying swimming and horse-riding. Her first stage role was in '' The Wizard of Oz'' at the Wolsey Theatre in nearby Ipswich where she played a Munchkin at the age of 9. After a successful audition, she also spent the summer of 1990 with the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT). When her parents took her to see the West End production of ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' (, ) is a 19th-century French literature, French Epic (genre), epic historical fiction, historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published on 31 March 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. '' ...
'' for her thirteenth birthday, "that's when I knew I wanted to be on the stage." Although she had not discovered her vocal ability until she was at college and had started working, Ellis cites her early influences as
Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, ...
,
Elaine Paige Dame Elaine Jill Paige (born Elaine Jill Bickerstaff, 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Chipping Barnet, Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, m ...
and
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...
; their music she would sing in her bedroom much to the disturbance of her older brother Andrew, now a keen
fisherman A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million Commercial fishing, commercial and Artisan fishing, subsistence fishers and Fish farming, fi ...
. She has explained that fellow musical theatre actress Ruthie Henshall inspired her growing up: " enshallwas a success story from Suffolk … I think I identified with her because it was an actual story that I saw happen and was achievable. She was only a couple of years ahead of me and I could relate to her." Whilst attending Stowmarket High School, she completed work experience with Starmakers, a company of holiday entertainers, at Potters Leisure Resort in Hopton-on-Sea. She also spent the summers of 1995 and 1997 with the company to earn money by singing many of their
cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...
shows. Having left school at 16, Ellis turned to Laine Theatre Arts, an independent performing arts college, where she spent three years to gain a national diploma in
musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...
. "It was an incredible three years where I learnt a great deal about myself, the industry and came away feeling part of something special," she remembers. Ellis was also in the same year as fellow musical theatre actress Louise Dearman. By the time she graduated in 1998, Ellis had appeared in a number of professional pantomimes for E&B productions including ''Dick Whittington'' (1995) and ''Aladdin'' (1996) across theatres in the UK as well as performing the title role in ''Cinderella'' (1997) at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend-on-Sea.


Career


Career beginnings and ''My Fair Lady'' (1998–2002)

Following her graduation, Ellis became first understudy to Marti Webb in a UK concert tour of ''The Magic of the Musicals'' in 1998, required on several occasions in Webb's absence, yet took a hiatus in 1999 to board cruise ship MS ''Voyager of the Seas'', employed as lead vocalist in the ship's entertainment staff. After nine months traveling across the Caribbean, she left the ship in Los Angeles, spent three months travelling across the US until her visa ran out, and then returned to understudy in the UK concert tour. By November 1999, she had made her first television appearance on ''
Children in Need ''BBC Children in Need'' is the BBC's UK Charitable organization, charity dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and young people across the country. Established in 1980, the organisation has raised over £1 billion by 2023 through its ...
'' for their special ''Pudsey the Musical'' and was featured in a
jingle A jingle is a short song or tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. Jingles are a form of sound branding. A jingle contains one or more hooks and meanings that explicitly promote the product or service being advertised, usually ...
for Capital FM. Following this, she appeared as the title role in a Gary Griffin-directed workshop production titled ''Helen of Troy'' and played the role of Mary in '' Merrily We Roll Along'' at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. By late 2000, she had settled in her first property, a two-bedroom Brockley maisonette, and joined the original cast of Cameron Mackintosh's London revival of ''
My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...
'', appointed swing and second of two understudies to Martine McCutcheon in the role of Eliza Doolittle after being scouted by agent Jonathan Greatorex. The musical initially played at the Lyttelton Theatre at the
Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...
from 6 March 2001 to 20 June 2001 but later transferred to
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and listed building, Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) an ...
with shows beginning 21 July 2001. Due to the illnesses of both McCutcheon and first understudy Alexandra Jay during the production's run at both theatres, Ellis starred as Eliza Doolittle opposite Jonathan Pryce and Dennis Waterman; her West End debut saw her taking on the lead role with only three hours preparation. "Kerry adbeen in rehearsals throughout the run but she didn't find out until late afternoon that she was going on. She was scared and excited but enjoyed it," said agent Greatorex with first understudy Jay adding, "She was fantastic. She probably showed me up" while Ellis concluded, "I was nervous but once I was on stage the nerves disappeared and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience." She played Eliza Doolittle on a total of five occasions and departed from the company in July 2002. "I have particularly fond memories of this, my first West End show, and the experience I gained from the cast and creatives was fantastic," she reflected. She also stated, "It was a great step up for me. It was important not just in the type of show it was but also in getting my face known."


''We Will Rock You'', ''Miss Saigon'' and ''Les Misérables'' (2002–2006)

During her run in ''My Fair Lady'', Queen guitarist
Brian May Sir Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, animal welfare activist and astrophysics, astrophysicist. He achieved global fame as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the rock band Queen ...
and music director Mike Dixon came to see the production. The first time, they saw Ellis perform in the ensemble; they returned for a second time at a performance where she was understudying the role of Eliza Doolittle and anonymously encouraged her to audition for the debut of their jukebox musical ''
We Will Rock You "We Will Rock You" is a song by the British rock band Queen from their 1977 album '' News of the World'', written by guitarist Brian May. ''Rolling Stone'' ranked it number 330 of " The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004, and the RIAA it p ...
''. Ellis admitted at the time she had no idea it was May who was watching her; she found out at a later date. After seven auditions, she landed the role of Meat and got to sing the solo song " No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)". She began performances on 14 May 2002 and was also involved in television appearances with the cast on '' Parkinson'' and at '' Party at the Palace''. Ellis, who ended her run as Meat on 17 April 2004, is also featured on the original London cast recording of ''We Will Rock You''. She stated that working with May, Elton and Roger Taylor was "a great step forward" in her professional career; calling her journey "breath-taking." Particularly interested in working with her musically, May partnered with Ellis during her time in ''We Will Rock You'' to lay the foundations of her musical career. "From the moment I first heard Kerry sing, I was entranced, and felt the conviction that I would one day make an album for her. That conviction never left me," he professed. In 2002, they recorded an orchestral version of the song "No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)". It was digitally released three years later. Whilst still in the production, Ellis also performed in one-off intimate gigs at London venues. After leaving the show, she performed in a concert version of '' Jesus Christ Superstar'' as the female lead, Mary Magdalene, at Porchester Castle in June 2004 alongside other West End performers and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. She also played
Eva Cassidy Eva Marie Cassidy (February 2, 1963 – November 2, 1996) was an American singer and musician known for her interpretations of jazz, Folk music, folk, and blues music, sung with a powerful, emotive soprano voice. In 1992, she released her f ...
in a 2004 workshop production of ''Way Beyond Blue'', a Trevor Nunn-directed and Imogen Stubbs-written piece, in addition to being cast as Ellen in a UK tour of ''
Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a sung-through musical theatre, stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madama Butterfly'', and similarly tells th ...
''. She went into rehearsals for ''Miss Saigon'' at Sadler's Wells Theatre in
Islington Islington ( ) is an inner-city area of north London, England, within the wider London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's #Islington High Street, High Street to Highbury Fields ...
before performances commenced on 14 June 2004 at the Theatre Royal in
Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
. A BBC critic opined, "Although not on stage much, the brief moments with llis'Ellen are emotional and compassionate as well as vocally beautiful." Following this, Ellis got the role of Fantine in the West End production of ''Les Misérables''. Ellis started rehearsals while still touring with ''Miss Saigon'', and rehearsed for four weeks with the company before beginning the role of Fantine on 27 June 2005 at the Queen's Theatre alongside John Owen-Jones, Shonagh Daly, Shaun Escoffery and Hayden Tee. Ellis played Fantine for almost a year and ended her time with the company on 24 June 2006. Theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh professed that Ellis made an "outstanding" Fantine in addition to admitting his pleasure at seeing Ellis' career grow through roles in three of his productions and naming her a "great talent."


''Wicked'', Broadway, ''Chess'' and other performances (2006–2009)

In July 2006, Ellis joined the original London cast of the musical '' Wicked'' at the Apollo Victoria Theatre to play Elphaba. Ellis had been contracted to serve as a temporary standby to Idina Menzel, the original Elphaba, for three months from first performances in September 2006, before taking over to play the lead role full time in January 2007. During Menzel's run, Ellis played Elphaba on nine occasions in Menzel's absence; some fans turned up at the theatre expressly hoping to witness Ellis. Ellis also made numerous appearances at concerts and events, singing songs from the musical, including West End Live in
Leicester Square Leicester Square ( ) is a pedestrianised town square, square in the West End of London, England, and is the centre of London's entertainment district. It was laid out in 1670 as Leicester Fields, which was named after the recently built Leice ...
, Walk for Life in Hyde Park, Kids Week in
Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...
, and the annual Gay Pride Festival in
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, in addition to making an appearance on lunchtime television chat show '' Loose Women''. She continued the role at the Apollo Victoria Theatre until 7 June 2008. For her portrayal, Ellis won the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Takeover in a Role in and a nomination for Favourite Theatre Actress at the Lastminute.com People's Choice Theatre Awards. Following her time in ''Wicked'' in London, Ellis then transferred to the Broadway production of the show at the Gershwin Theatre with performances starting on 17 June 2008. She replaced stage actress Stephanie J. Block, making her the first ''Wicked'' actress to transfer from the West End to Broadway. Playing alongside Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda and Aaron Tveit as Fiyero for her five-month run, Ellis won the Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite Female Breakthrough Performance in 2009. Ellis also got involved in the musical's 5th anniversary celebrations by switching on the lights of the
Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story, Art Deco-style supertall skyscraper in the Midtown South neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its n ...
with composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. Ellis also performed at Broadway on Broadway in
Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...
, recorded a song titled "Behind these Walls" for Scott Alan's album ''Keys'' and released her first extended play '' Wicked in Rock'' (2008) during her time in New York. Produced by Brian May and Steve Sidwell, the EP comprises three tracks: new orchestrations of " Defying Gravity" and " I'm Not that Girl" from ''Wicked'' and Queen song "No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)" that she and May recorded six years earlier. Ellis left the Broadway company on 9 November 2008 and was replaced by Marcie Dodd. She refers to the transfer from West End to Broadway theatre as "a real honour nda joy"; adding that performing on Broadway was "a dream come true." Ellis returned to the West End production of ''Wicked'' on 1 December 2008 and spent a further five months as Elphaba where, ultimately, she ended her time with the musical. She played her last performance as Elphaba on 9 May 2009 and was succeeded by Alexia Khadime two days later. Upon departure, Ellis had been billed as lead for a total of 116 weeks (omitting absence) in both the London and Broadway companies, making her the longest-serving British actress in the role of Elphaba (until Rachel Tucker later succeeded this feat in June 2012). Furthermore, Ellis and
Dianne Pilkington Dianne Lesley Pilkington (born 7 June 1975) is an English theatre actress and singer. Personal life Pilkington was born in Wigan. She trained at the Guildford School of Acting, graduating in 1997 with the Principal's Award. Pilkington marrie ...
(who played as Glinda alongside her) were the show's longest serving leads. In 2013, she was named the favourite West End Elphaba in a Whatsonstage.com poll asking the public to vote for their favourite actress who had played the role in London. Ellis cited the role of Elphaba as the "most challenging hat she hadever undertaken" stating that it was "a massive journey" to go on at every performance and admits that ''Wicked'' "changed erlife" in terms of boosting her recognition within the entertainment industry. Ellis also represented the musical at the annual '' Royal Variety Performance'' in 2008 where she performed her rock version of the ''Wicked'' song "Defying Gravity" alongside Brian May on guitar at the
London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...
. Whilst still involved in ''Wicked'', Ellis also performed alongside Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal, Josh Groban, Clarke Peters, Marti Pellow and David Bedella in a two-day limited engagement of Chess in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 12 and 13 May 2008. She played the role of Svetlana and upon reflection, stated that to star at the Royal Albert Hall, work with an "amazing" company and sing alongside those particular cast members "was a dream come true." This concert version was later released on DVD and CD and screened on US network television. Following her departure from ''Wicked'', she recorded material with Brian May for her debut album and performed at various live events including her first set of solo musical showcase concerts entitled Kerry Ellis Sings the Great British Songbook at the Shaw Theatre on
Euston Road Euston Road is a road in Central London that runs from Marylebone Road to Kings Cross, London, King's Cross. The route is part of the London Inner Ring Road and forms part of the London congestion charge zone boundary. It is named after Euston ...
in London. She performed on four dates in late June 2009 with the inclusion of Brian May in each night's encore. Of the concerts, Ellis commented, "It's finally something that I can do as me, as opposed to being in a show as a character. It's lovely to be able to sing songs that I really want to sing or which I wouldn't normally get to sing." The showcase paid tribute to some of Ellis' favourite British composers and lyricists including
Take That Take That are an English pop group formed in Manchester in 1990. The group currently consists of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. The original line-up also featured Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. Barlow is the group's lead singer ...
, Duffy, Andrew Lloyd Webber and
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
. Of her "eclectic set" with "velvety rich distinctive vocals," a critic professed, "Ellis is as sexy as any other female pop star out there today and she sings like a true diva," and concluded, "She may have left Oz for good but there is no place like home and for Kerry Ellis that home is most definitely the stage." Ellis also performed on tours celebrating the music of Queen in 2009, including the Symphonic Queen Spectacular across cities in the UK and Champions of Rock across cities in Sweden. She also performed with John Barrowman at the 2009 Henley Festival (which was later broadcast on BBC Radio 2's '' Friday Night is Music Night''), at the 2009
Edinburgh Fringe Festival The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as the Edinburgh Fringe, the Fringe or the Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest performance arts festival, which in 2024 spanned 25 days, sold more than 2.6 million tickets and featur ...
and at Thank You for the Music – a special concert in Hyde Park celebrating the music of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA) in September 2009 – where she delivered the first UK performance of "You Have to Be There", a song from the pair's musical '' Kristina från Duvemåla''. Ellis also performed alongside other musicians at the Royal Albert Hall in November at Women of Rock, a performance dedicated to breast cancer research, and also appeared as a featured artist on a version of " Somebody to Love" on Only Men Aloud!'s second studio album '' Band of Brothers'' (2009); she later performed this song live with the choir at one of their concerts in December 2009 at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.


''Oliver!'', ''Anthems'', tour and other ventures (2010–2011)

Her return to the stage for the first time almost a year, Ellis replaced Jodie Prenger in the role of Nancy in Cameron Mackintosh's London revival of '' Oliver!'' at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Ironically, Ellis had appeared in the BBC talent show '' I'd Do Anything'' (2009), mentoring potential Nancys (including Jodie Prenger) in the fore-running to the opening of this London revival. She also mentored potential candidates in '' Over the Rainbow'' (2010), BBC's subsequent talent show that searched for a Dorothy Gale for the 2011 musical adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Ellis first played Nancy on 29 March 2010 to positive reviews, starring alongside Griff Rhys Jones (and later Russ Abbot) as Fagin and Steven Hartley as
Bill Sikes William Sikes is a fictional character and one of the main antagonists (alongside Monks) in the 1838 novel '' Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. Sikes is a malicious criminal in Fagin's gang, and a vicious robber and murderer. Throughout much o ...
. She was the second and final actress to play Nancy in the London revival, continuing the role until the end of the show's run on 8 January 2011. Ellis was nominated for the 2010 BroadwayWorld.com UK Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical and the 2011 Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Takeover in a Role but lost to Sheridan Smith as Elle Woods in '' Legally Blonde'' and Rachel Tucker as Elphaba in ''Wicked'', respectively. Fabricated within the space of nine months, '' Anthems'', Ellis' debut studio album, was released in mid September 2010. The album, which was produced by Brian May and recorded at
Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a music recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, London, Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of ...
with a 70-piece orchestra, was described by Ellis as one that "tap into all the different areas that he hasbeen part of" in her career between the years 2000 and 2010. It includes both original songs, songs from musicals and concerts in which she has been involved as well as new arrangements of personal favourites. May stated that " erry and Ive created ..a style that defines a new form of music – a kind of anthemic-orchestral-rock-musical-theatre fusion," while Ellis remarked, "I think 'Anthems'' hasgot a touch of camp to it, really. It's very grand.
t has T, or t, is the twentieth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''tee'' (pronounced ), plural ''tees''. It is d ...
big orchestras and big ballad-y vocals." The album peaked at number 15 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...
. Promotion of the album included Ellis performing (with Brian May) on many television shows like '' Tonight's the Night'', '' The Michael Ball Show'', '' This Morning'' and '' The Alan Titchmarsh Show'', as well as performing live at the BBC Radio Theatre and later, London nightclub, G-A-Y. The weekend prior to the album's release, Ellis was accompanied by May on guitar at BBC's Proms in the Park where she performed songs from ''Anthems'' as well as a medley of Queen songs. Joined by May once again, Ellis performed at The Royal British Legion's ''Festival of Remembrance'' at the Royal Albert Hall in the presence of the
British Royal Family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...
– including
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
. In support of ''Anthems'', Ellis and May embarked on her first headlining concert tour of Great Britain, titled Anthems: The Tour. The tour commenced at the Royal Albert Hall on 1 May 2011 for two special charity performances (benefiting Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research), titled Anthems: The Concert, where Ellis was supported by the City of London Philharmonic, The West End Chorus, performer Adam Pascal and electronic string quartet Escala. Her performances at the Royal Albert Hall both sold out and later garnered her the 2012 Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Solo Performance and a nomination for the 2011 BroadwayWorld.com UK Award for Theatrical Event of the Year (she lost to 25th anniversary celebrations of '' The Phantom of the Opera''). After attending Anthems: The Concert, critic Mark Shenton of ''
The Stage ''The Stage'' is a British weekly newspaper and website covering the entertainment industry and particularly theatre. Founded in 1880, ''The Stage'' contains news, reviews, opinion, features, and recruitment advertising, mainly directed at thos ...
'' hailed Ellis, a "small but fierce and fiery performer," as "this generation's Elaine Paige, with a similarly soaring, scorching voice." He also made reference to her cult following built from her ''Wicked'' days, labelling her "our local green goddess of song." Despite professing he prefers other contemporary musical theatre actresses, "I can't deny the power and following she clearly has." Anthems: The Tour continued at venues throughout Great Britain and finished at RAF Cranwell in July 2011 where the pair headlined a special titled Anthems in the Park. The tour was met with mostly positive reviews with critics praising the meshing of May's sound with Ellis' voice. Previous to this, she performed in various concerts throughout 2010 including The Night of 1000 Voices – which was dedicated to the 80th birthday of composer and lyricist
Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...
– at the Royal Albert Hall in May, A Weekend with the Stars where she performed "Somebody to Love" with Only Men Aloud! at the Wales Millennium Centre, and at an event celebrating the 80th anniversary of the birth of composer
Lionel Bart Lionel Bart (1 August 1930 – 3 April 1999) was an English writer and composer of pop music and musicals. He wrote Tommy Steele's "Rock with the Caveman" and was the sole creator of the musical ''Oliver!'' (1960). With ''Oliver!'' and his work ...
at the Hackney Empire where she sang the ''Oliver!'' song " As Long as He Needs Me". The last two performances were later broadcast in December on British television channel S4C and on BBC Radio 2 respectively. She also lent her voice to a version of the song " Wind Beneath My Wings" that features the
Central Band of the Royal Air Force The Central Band of the Royal Air Force is an Royal Air Force, RAF regular band and is part of Royal Air Force Music Services. The motto of the band is ''Aere Invicti'' (Latin for "Invincible with the Brass"). History The Central Band of the R ...
on their album ''Reach for the Skies'' and appears on a version of the song " Come What May" with Alfie Boe on his album '' Bring Him Home''. Among other participants from the London theatre community, Ellis additionally lent her voice to "inspirational" videos that were released upon to video-sharing website
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
for the " It Gets Better" campaign – a project created by columnist
Dan Savage Daniel Keenan Savage (born October 7, 1964) is an American author, media pundit, journalist, and LGBTQ community activist. He writes Savage Love, an internationally syndicated relationship and sex advice column. In 2010, Savage and his husband, ...
in response to school bullying and a rash of suicides among young LGBT people aiming to "provide hope to youth struggling with their identity." With John Partridge, Ellis also presented the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical at the 2010 Laurence Olivier Awards. She also continued to perform in various concerts throughout 2011, including her return to the leisure resort where she first started working, Potters Leisure Resort, to perform in the One Night Musicals Spectacular, which saw Ellis in combination with "musical variety from Potters Theatre Company and other leading West End singers" in February. In March, she duetted with performer Barry Manilow on the '' Finian's Rainbow'' song "Look to the Rainbow" at the 2011 Laurence Olivier Awards in addition to returning to London nightclub G-A-Y, performing " Love It When You Call", " I Know Him So Well", "Diamonds are Forever" and the remixed version of her rock version of the song "Defying Gravity". April saw Ellis became a patron – alongside
Bonnie Langford Bonita Melody Lysette Langford (born 22 July 1964) is an English actress, dancer and singer. She came to prominence as a child star in the 1970s, when she had a notable role in the TV series '' Just William''. In the 1980s, she played companio ...
– to
Guildford Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, England, around south-west of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The nam ...
's Performance Preparation Academy (PPA). The school now offers annual scholarships in both Ellis' and Langford's names. In May, she judged in the 2011 Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year competition in addition to performing "Cabaret" and "
Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" is a popular song written by Jean Schwartz, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. The song was introduced by Al Jolson in the Broadway musical '' Sinbad'' and published in 1918. Probably the ...
" at the Mermaid Theatre as part of the BBC Radio 2 special ''Friday Night is Music Night'' in a special concert celebrating the music of the BBC's radio programme '' Desert Island Discs'' and appearing at gay nightclub Cruz 101 to perform "Love It When You Call", "Somebody to Love" and the remixed version of her rock version of the song "Defying Gravity" in celebration of the club's 19th birthday. With Brian May, she accepted an invitation to fly a training
sortie A sortie (from the French word meaning ''exit'' or from Latin root ''surgere'' meaning to "rise up") is a deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops, from a strongpoint. The term originated in siege warf ...
with the Red Arrows on 16 June: Ellis on Red 1 with Squadron Leader Ben Murphy (the leader of the Red Arrows) while May flew on Red 7 with Flight Lieutenant Ben Plank. The same month, the pair performed " Born Free" at the 2011 Born Free Foundation Gala Dinner at the Savoy Hotel to celebrate the 80th birthday of its founder Virginia McKenna and teamed up again to perform at the 2011
Goodwood Festival of Speed The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual motorsports festival featuring modern and historic motor racing vehicles taking part in a hillclimbing, hillclimb and other events, held in Goodwood House, West Sussex, in late June or early July. Th ...
in July. In August, she kicked off the 20th English Premier League for the
FA Community Shield The Football Association Community Shield (formerly the Charity Shield) is Football in England, English football's annual match contested at Wembley Stadium between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA ...
by performing the British national anthem at
Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium, currently branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE Limited, EE for sponsorship reasons, is an association football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Sta ...
and also became a patron to Emil Dale's School of Performing Arts in Hitchin while September saw her performing at the opening launch concert of the new Diamond Theatre in
Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
and returning to London's Savoy to sing at the 65th birthday celebrations of
Freddie Mercury Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991) was a British singer and songwriter who achieved global fame as the lead vocalist and pianist of the rock band Queen (band), Queen. Regarded as one of the gre ...
. She also returned to the Shaw Theatre in London on 30 September and 1 October, accompanied by musician Craig Adams, to perform in a pair of solo concerts titled An Audience with Kerry Ellis in addition to appearing at the 40th anniversary celebratory concert of the Broadway musical '' Godspell'' at the Palace Theatre, Manchester in late October. Aside her professional endeavors, Ellis married her long-term boyfriend James Townsend on 8 September 2011 following their engagement in November 2010.


''The Voice UK'', ''The War of the Worlds'' and ''RENT'' (2012–2013)

In January 2012, Ellis auditioned for the debut series of '' The Voice UK'', a reality television singing competition. The show saw Ellis giving a blind audition in front of its four coaches. She sang " Son of a Preacher Man" but it failed to progress her further after none of the coaches turned round to select her to be in their groups. Her audition aired on BBC One in March; the panel reacted with positive feedback. Tom Jones consoled her: "You seem like you've already made it," referring to her theatrical career, while Danny O'Donoghue stated, "I thought you did a really phenomenal job, I really did. I can't fault that, all I can fault is myself for not turning around. I am looking for a specific type of girl singer and you're not it but you will be for 99% of the UK I am sure." Her name later trended on social networking site
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
. She has continued to perform, appearing at a charity concert of '' Children of Eden'' alongside other West End performers at London's Prince of Wales Theatre in January which provoked Mark Shenton to label Ellis and Louise Dearman as "the twin goddesses of West End musical voices." Ellis paired with Brian May and singer Irene Fornaciari at the 2012 Sanremo Music Festival on the songs " I (Who Have Nothing)" and "We Will Rock You" in February. The same month, she closed the 2012 Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Awards with May and also performed with him at the launch of Pride of Cape Town in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
in March. There, she also shot a documentary to highlight her charity work with the Born Free Foundation. After becoming patron of the Wattisham Military Wives Choir, she went solo in the one-off concerts Coming Home and on the Edge towards the end of March and start of April and also led her own BBC Radio 2 ''Friday Night is Music Night'' special with guests Brian May,
Ramin Karimloo Ramin Karimloo (; ; born ) is a Canadian actor, singer, and songwriter known for his work on the West End theatre, West End and Broadway theatre, Broadway theatre. He has played the leading roles in both of the West End's longest running musica ...
and Jonathan Ansell. Other appearances saw her sit on the celebrity judging panel for West End Eurovision 2012 and perform in Scott Alan's concert at New York's Birdland in April in addition to returning to The Night of 1000 Voices at the Royal Albert Hall, judging contestants for the Craig Barbour Award at the Soho Theatre, and playing at a Marco Bicego London jewellery exhibition in May. The same month, she flew to
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
in Italy to perform with Italian Queen tribute band Killer Queen, but returned to England to sing with Brian May at concert titled Rock Against Cancer in
Devizes Devizes () is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It developed around Devizes Castle, an 11th-century Norman architecture, Norman castle, and received a charter in 1141. The castle was besieged during the Anarchy, a 12th-cent ...
. In June, Mark Shenton listed Ellis on his article about his "favourite leading musical ladies" in West End theatre, complimenting her for bringing "a different kind of pop passion to her voice that has stood her in good stead for est Endshows." June also saw her being filmed at Pinewood Studios for the film adaptation of the musical ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' (, ) is a 19th-century French literature, French Epic (genre), epic historical fiction, historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published on 31 March 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. '' ...
'' (2012), where she plays an uncredited wench in the "Master of the House" number which features
Sacha Baron Cohen Sacha Noam Baron Cohen ( ; born 13 October 1971) is an English comedian, actor and performance artist. Known for his creation and portrayal of the fictional satirical characters Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral General Haf ...
and
Helena Bonham Carter Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May 1966) is an English actress. Known for her roles in Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters and independent films, particularly period dramas, List of awards and nominations received by Helena Bonham Carter ...
. She has also paired with Craig Adams on his new musical ''Defect''; she recorded a demo with Oliver Tompsett entitled "If Only You Could Know" for the musical in June. Throughout July, Ellis appeared in an interview-and-song series, These Are A Few of My Favourite Songs, at London's Soho Theatre, performed with the winners at the live final of #searchforatwitterstar – an online Twitter talent competition, sang as a special guest at musical concert ''West End Men'' with Lee Mead in both
Jersey Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...
, Guildford and
Guernsey Guernsey ( ; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; ) is the second-largest island in the Channel Islands, located west of the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy. It is the largest island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, which includes five other inhabited isl ...
, and sat on the judging panel for the gala finale of Talent 2012 at the Garrick Theatre – a competition on the search for the next West End musical theatre star. In August, Ellis was made the official patron of St. George's Youth Theatre in
Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth ( ), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside resort, seaside town which gives its name to the wider Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. Its fishing industry, m ...
, the Vice President of the Newmarket Operatic Musical and Dramatic Society (later their patron) and the first official patron of West End Stage, a London-based theatrical summer school, in addition to chatting with David Bedella at the After Show with David Bedella at the Alleycat in London's Soho. In September, she performed with Brian May at both the Freddie for a Day launch event at London's Savoy Hotel, Wildlife Rocks at the
Guildford Cathedral The Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit, Guildford, commonly known as Guildford Cathedral, is the Anglican cathedral in Guildford, Surrey, England. Richard Onslow, 5th Earl of Onslow, Earl Onslow donated the first of land on which the cathedral ...
and at The Sunflower Jam at London's Royal Albert Hall in addition to sitting on the judging panel at London dog show Pup Aid. The following October, she led a week of solo concerts at the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square with a small band and a number of special guests in addition to singing at an event entitled A Night at the Musicals at the Wales Millennium Centre, part of the 2012 Cardiff Music Festival. The same month, she flew to
Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
to participate in a string of concerts entitled Ultimate Broadway at the city's Culture Square Theatre. These concerts featured other performers from the West End and celebrate both classical and contemporary Broadway hits. Ellis also embarked on her second headlining concert tour with Brian May, The Born Free Tour, performing dates in and around the home counties from 5 to 19 November. The same month, the pair performed at the Make-A-Wish Foundation Winter Ball at The Dorchester in London. In December, they also paired up again to perform for a Christmas special of '' Weekend Wogan'', which was broadcast later in the month on BBC Radio 2. She was also named an official patron of the Academy for Theatre Arts in Newcastle-under-Lyme in the same month. In January 2013, she was also made an official patron of the British Dance Arts Federation (BDAF). Ellis returned to her theatrical roots on the New Generation tour of ''The War of the Worlds'', performing the role of Beth, at arenas around Europe from November 2012 to January 2013. The sold-out performance at
The O2 Arena The O2 Arena, commonly known as The O2, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the centre of The O2 entertainment district on the Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London, England. It opened in its present form in 2007. It has the third-highest seat ...
was recorded and was released in cinemas in April and will be on DVD in November. Ellis also performed the role of Mimi alongside '' Superstar'' finalist Rory Taylor in the 20th anniversary concert production of the musical '' RENT'' that toured the UK, opening on 25 April 2013 at The Opera House in Manchester before playing theatres in London, Liverpool, Newcastle, Cardiff, Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Glasgow and Leeds. It finished at The Cliffs Pavilion in Southend-on-Sea on 5 May 2013. She also appeared on select dates in the musical concert ''The West End Men'' led by Lee Mead at London's Vaudeville Theatre from 25 May to 22 June. Other performances in 2013 include her leading a week of cabaret shows at The Pheasantry in London in February and at Tiger Tracks, a three-week tiger conservation event, performing a free outdoor charity gig at St Pancras railway station with Brian May in March. In April, she returned to the After Show with David Bedella at the Alleycat in London's Soho to chat with David Bedella. In May, she led her own solo concert, entitled Kerry Ellis in Concert, at the London Palladium for one night only with various special guests including Brian May and West End performers, in addition to performing at the Guildford School of Acting choir's concert with Ruthie Henshall, returning to West End Eurovision to present the West End Wilma Volunteer of the Year award and also headlining the 9th annual Spotlight Ball. In June, she performed in front of
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge Catherine, Princess of Wales (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton; 9 January 1982), is a member of the British royal family. She is married to William, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne. Born in Reading, Berkshire, Readi ...
at the naming ceremony of the newest addition of the
P&O Princess Cruises P&O Princess Cruises plc was a shipping company that existed between 2000 and 2003, operating the P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia, A'Rosa Cruises, AIDA Cruises and Ocean Village (company), Ocean Village branded cruise lines ...
' fleet, Royal Princess, before going back on the road to do a second leg of The Born Free Tour in the UK and Ireland with Brian May. The pair then took The Born Free Tour to mainland Europe in July in addition to performing at the 47th Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland followed by a performance at the 2013 Guitare en scène festival 2013 in the east of France. In August, she performs in West End Anthems, a musical theatre revue, at the Glow venue in Bluewater in Kent and will be a special guest at An Intimate Evening with Ruthie Henshall at London's
Cadogan Hall Cadogan Hall is a 950-seat capacity concert hall in Sloane Terrace in Chelsea, London, Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England. The resident music ensemble at Cadogan Hall is the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ( ...
and a special guest at The Velma Celli Show at the Hippodrome Casino, London. Ellis returned to the Hippodrome Casino in September, as a special guest at Christina Bianco's Diva Moments concert. The same month, she also performed with Michael Ball and Gina Beck in Summertime, a musical theatre event celebrating the music of
George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned jazz, popular music, popular and classical music. Among his best-known works are the songs "Swan ...
, at London's Kenwood House, in addition to talking to Edward Seckerson in his Singular Sensations series at Charing Cross Theatre, London, and playing an acoustic set with Brian May at the Hope 4 Apes charity ball, hosted by Sir David Attenborough, at The Savoy, London. She also appeared in TransAtlantic, a concert mix of new musical theatre at St James Theatre, London, singing a duet with Rory Taylor in September. In October, she performed at Inspiration Awards for Women at Cadogan Hall, London. Ellis will also perform at A Night at the Musicals when it returns to the Wales Millennium Centre as well as appearing as a special guest in a Christmas Spectacular at the Royal Albert Hall in December. Throughout these endeavours, Ellis worked on new music with Brian May; she released a live album '' Acoustic by Candlelight'' with him on 17 June 2013. Prior to its release, the pair released a cover of "Born Free" as a single on 5 November 2012 and a new song "The Kissing Me Song" on limited edition 7" vinyl for Record Store Day on 20 April 2013 and as a single on 17 June 2013. A DVD of the tour will also be available by Christmas 2013. She also provided vocals for "The Badger Swagger", a song with Brian May and Slash in support of Team Badger, a coalition of organisations teaming up to fight the planned cull of badgers in the UK, which was released on 3 June 2013, and also for a charity single with Viva! (Vegetarians International Voice for Animals), which will be released in time for Christmas 2013. Ellis gave birth to a baby boy, Alfie Ellis-Townsend, on 25 October 2013.


Concerts, new album, return to ''Wicked'', ''Cats'' (2014–present)

In the first quarter of 2014, Ellis performed in ''West End Anthems'' at the Watford Colosseum and also returned to 20th anniversary concert tour of ''RENT'' for dates across the UK in January and February. She also went back on the road with Brian May on The Candlelight Concerts tour between February and March as well as returning to London's Pheasantry, performing in A Night in the West End with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, singing in a solo concert Live at the Gaiety Theatre on the Isle of Man, and performing at An Evening of Movies and Musicals with Joe McElderry in Scotland. Ellis also launched a Pledge page, with a variety of VIP packages and Ellis gifts to try to fund her new album. Her new album, '' Kerry Ellis'' was released on 14 September 2014. On 12 July 2014, Ellis joined ''Wicked''s original Broadway Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth in a duet of "For Good" during her one night only solo concert at the
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...
. On 14 July 2014, it was announced that Ellis would once again rejoin the West End production of ''Wicked,'' replacing Willemijn Verkaik as Elphaba at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. She played a limited 12-week engagement from 4 August 2014 through 25 October 2014. In December 2014, Ellis released a double album, together with fellow musical theatre stars, Louise Dearman and Ben Forster, of Alexander S. Bermange's three-person musical, ''The Route to Happiness''. This was made available as a deluxe 2-CD set and to download. In February 2015, Ellis took over from Nicole Scherzinger as Grizabella in ''
Cats The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...
'' at the
London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...
. On Sunday 27 September, she performed in the previously announced one-night-only concert with fellow West End Star and friend Louise Dearman at the Prince Edward Theatre. She gave birth to her second child, a boy called Freddie, on 30 November 2015. In 2017, Ellis starred as Alice in the UK tour of '' Wonderland''. In August 2018, Ellis played at the Glamis Proms at Glamis Castle, the childhood home to Her Majesty, Elizabeth The Queen Mother. On 18 December 2019, Ellis performed " Rise Like a Phoenix" in the opening of the '' Miss World 2019'' pageant. Ellis sang " Defying Gravity" as the finale of Musicals: The Greatest Show, a socially distanced show with no audience, performed at the London Palladium, broadcast on BBC1 on 7 February 2021. In February 2022, it was announced that Ellis would play Reno Sweeney in the UK/Ireland tour of '' Anything Goes'', which also played at London's Barbican Theatre for the summer of 2022, until September 3. In July 2024, it was announced that Ellis would portray Cruella de Vil in the UK and Ireland tour of '' 101 Dalmatians''. Ellis appeared during the tour’s runs at the New Theatre Oxford and Theatre Royal, Brighton. She was the final star cast member announced for the penultimate and concluding performances of the tour, scheduled from 3 December 2024 to 5 January 2025. From 31 January to 1 February, 2025, Ellis performed a concert at 54 Below in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.


Work and credits


Theatre

;Workshops


Concerts

;Musical concerts ;Solo concerts


Film


Television


Discography

;Solo recordings ;Cast recordings ;Other recordings


Awards and nominations

Throughout her career, Ellis has accrued a total of five wins from thirteen nominations in various audience choice awards for her theatrical and musical work.


References


External links

*
Kerry Ellis Web
– a fan website * *
Kerry Ellis
on Spotlight
Kerry Ellis
on Creative Artists Management (CAM) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ellis, Kerry 1979 births Decca Records artists English mezzo-sopranos English musical theatre actresses English stage actresses Living people The Voice UK contestants Actors from Mid Suffolk District Musicians from Suffolk Actresses from Suffolk