Kerry Ellis Records Two Songs From 'Wicked'

Kerry Ellis, the award-winning star of the London production of WICKED and Broadway's newest Elphaba, has recorded two songs from WICKED, Defying Gravity and I'm Not That Girl.  With full approval of WICKED's composer Steven Schwartz, the tracks feature new rock arrangements by Brian May, musician/songwriter of Queen.  Mr. May also produced the recordings.  The tracks are being released as a CD/EP on May's own Duck label and are also available for sale at The Gershwin Theatre and online at iTunes, as well as, by special arrangement, from Dress Circle in London.  The recordings feature the Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins on drums and Brian May on guitars.

Brian May first worked with Kerry Ellis when she originated the role of "Meat" in the Queen/Ben Elton musical We Will Rock You.  "Kerry Ellis is the most exciting singer to emerge from England in a very long time.   If you think this is too extravagant a claim, listen to these tracks," says Brian May.  "She is unique because she sings musical theatre in a way which transcends the genre, fusing drama, warmth, passion, and pure rock.  In the two WICKED tracks, Kerry reinterprets songs already familiar to some audiences. She is completely faithful to the original versions, but in a style which opens exciting new doors - she rocks out, with a little help from myself on guitar and Taylor Hawkins on drums, and a huge orchestra, under the direction of Steve Sidwell."

Currently starring as Elphaba on Broadway, Kerry Ellis recently concluded a triumphant run in the West End production of WICKED, where she received unanimous rave reviews and the 2008 Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for her performance.  Her other credits include Fantine in Les Misérables in the West End and Ellen in the UK national tour of Miss Saigon.  Kerry also created the role of Meat in the originAl West End cast of the Queen/Ben Elton musical We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre and took part in the Queen's Golden Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace.  In 2001, Kerry understudied the role of Eliza Doolittle in Trevor Nunn's production of Lerner & Loewe's My Fair Lady at The National Theatre and Drury Lane.  Other credits include the national tour of Magic of the Musicals and Mary in Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.  Recent workshops include Way Beyond Blue, written by Imogen Stubbs and directed by Trevor Nunn, and the title role in Helen of Troy, directed by Gary Griffin.  Kerry was recently seen opposite Josh Groban, Idina Menzel, and Adam Pascal in the London concert of Chess at Royal Albert Hall.

Declared "A Cultural Phenomenon" by Variety, WICKED currently has productions in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Stuttgart, Melbourne and on a North American tour.  Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman.  The production is directed by Joe Mantello with musical staging by Wayne Cilento.  WICKED is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.com/wicked.  For more information, visit www.wickedthemusical.com.  Kerry Ellis stars in WICKED for the next 5 months at the Gershwin Theatre, 222 West 51st Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue.

Photo Credit Tristram Kenton