Seabourn Conversations, Featured Speaker
Kerry Ellis has fast become recognized as the leading lady of West End musicals from her starring roles in London and on Broadway. She has also achieved chart-topping success as a recording artist signed to Universal Decca with her debut album, “Anthems.”
Kerry originated the role of Meat, in Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and was the first British Elphaba in the West End smash, “Wicked,” for which Kerry won the 2008 Whatsonstage.com Award for “Best Takeover in a Role.” She then immediately transferred to Broadway and played Elphaba at the Gershwin Theater for six months, where she won the Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite Female Breakthrough Performance, before returning to London for six months in 2009.
Her many other leading role credits include Nancy in “Oliver!” at Theatre Royal Drury lane, Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady,” Ellen in “Miss Saigon” and Fantine in “Les Miserables.”
Kerry’s first major CD release was the amazing “Wicked in Rock,” a collaboration with long-time friend and Queen guitarist, Brian May. This led to her being signed to Universal as a solo recording artist and her debut album “Anthems” was released in 2010 on Decca Records.
The success of the album, which reached No.15 in the UK album chart, and No.10 in the UK pop club charts (for “Defying Gravity”), led to a major tour Anthems: The Concert throughout 2011, which kicked off at the Royal Albert Hall. She has performed internationally promoting the album, including performances at the Royal Variety Performance, at the Laurence Olivier Awards, duetting with Barry Manilow on BBC Television and Radio, at G.A.Y., on “Loose Women,” “Alan Titchmarsh Show,” “BBC Breakfast,” at the Henley Festival alongside John Barrowman, the Queen’s Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace, continuing to a run of “An Audience With Kerry Ellis” at the Shaw Theatre.