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Elaine Paige Headshot

Elaine Paige

Birth Place: ENGLAND

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BIO

Award winning Elaine Paige, actress, singer, producer, radio presenter, has made a unique and major contribution to the stage musical. She has starred in more smash hit West End & Broadway musicals than anyone else of her generation – Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Billy, Anything Goes, Piaf, Sunset Boulevard, The King & I, Sweeney Todd, The Drowsy Chaperone, Follies, originating the award winning role of Eva Peron in Evita, followed by Grizabella in Cats and Florence in Chess. Elaine has defined musicals, set standards and in 1995 was awarded an OBE for services to Musical Theatre by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.


A thrilling live performer, with appearances in concert all over the world from The WhiteHouse, The Great Hall of the People in Beijing and the Sydney Opera House to the Bolshoi, New York’s Lincoln Center and London’s Royal Albert Hall. Elaine has recorded 22 solo albums, working with producers such as Tony Visconti, Dennis Lambert, Peter Matz and Phil Ramone, and artists such as Freddie Mercury & Queen and Abba. Elaine has featured on 7 cast albums, earned eight consecutive gold and four multi-platinum discs achieving chart topping hits including Memory, Don’t Cry For Me Argentina and I Know Him So Well which have become her signatures.
Further stage work includes Sir Peter Hall’s Theatre Company in The Misanthrope (Piccadilly Theatre,) Feydeau’s Where There’s A Will (Yvonne Arnold Theatre.) In 2014 Elaine celebrated 50 years on stage with a concert at the Royal Albert Hall, I’m Still Here, which was filmed and screened in cinemas worldwide. Christmas 2017 saw Elaine play the evil Queen Rat in the London Palladium’s pantomime spectacular – Dick Whittington, which went on to win an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment & Family and Elaine, won Best Female Baddie at the Great British Panto Awards!
Elaine’s television work includes Beautiful People (BBC); A Murder is Announced (Granada/WGBH,) Where The Heart Is (Granada Television,) her own TV series The Elaine Paige Show (Sky Arts,) Midsummer Night’s Dream (BBC), Home From Home (BBC) Midsomer Murders (ITV) All Star Musicals (ITV) and is currently filming a new BBC drama to air in 2020.
Elaine continues to be one of the star presenters on BBC Radio 2 with her own lunchtime show, Elaine Paige On Sunday, which is now in its 16th year and regularly attracts over 2.5 million listeners each week.
She has been honoured with a number of awards: Society of West End Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical and Variety Club Award for Show Business Personality of the year (1978); Variety Club Award for Musical Artiste (1986); Gold Badge of Merit from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (1994); Order of the British Empire for services to Musical Theatre (1995); Variety Club Award for Best Actress (1995); HMV Lifetime Achievement Award (1996); Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (1999); Variety Club Special Presentation for 40 Years on Stage (2009); Honorary Degree of Doctor Of Letters by the University of East Anglia and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts (2012); Variety Lifetime Achievement Award (2016) and University of Hertfordshire Honorary Doctor of Arts (2017.)
Out of her work schedule Elaine supports various charities close to her heart including The Dan Maskell Tennis Trust, The Children’s Trust Tadworth, EveryChild, The Royal Voluntary Service, Breast Cancer Campaign, Noah’s Ark Hospice, The Lady Taverners, Support Dogs and St Thomas’ Lupus Trust amongst others.

Photos

STAGE CREDITS

[West End]
London Palladium Production, 2017
Queen Rat


[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 2011
Carlotta Campion


[Washington, DC (Regional)]
Kennedy Center Revival, 2011


[West End]
London Production, 2007
Drowsy Chaperone


[Off-Broadway]
New York City Opera Production, 2004
Mrs. Lovett


[Off-Broadway]
2003
Performer [Replacement]

[Replacement]

[West End]
London Production, 2000
Anna Leonowens


[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1994
Norma Desmond [Replacement]

[Replacement]

[West End]
London Revival, 1993
Piaf


[West End]
Original London Production, 1993
Norma Desmond [Replacement]

[Replacement]

[West End]
London Production, 1989
Reno Sweeney


[West End]
Original London Production, 1986
Florence


[London Fringe]
London Concert, 1984
Performer


[West End]
Original London Production, 1983


[West End]
Original London Production, 1981
Grizabella


[West End]
Original London Production, 1978
Eva Peron


[West End]
Original London Production, 1974
Rita


Awards and Nominations

Drama Desk Awards - 2012 - Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

Elaine Paige, Follies


winner
Drama Desk Awards - 2004 - Outstanding Actress - Musical

Elaine Paige, Sweeney Todd

Olivier Awards - 1996 - Best Actress in a Musical

Elaine Paige, Sunset Boulevard

Olivier Awards - 1994 - Best Actress in a Musical

Elaine PaigePiaf

Olivier Awards - 1990 - Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actress in a Musical

Elaine Paige, Anything Goes

Olivier Awards - 1986 - Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actress in a Musical

Elaine Paige, Chess


winner
Olivier Awards - 1978 - Performance of the Year in a Musical

Elaine Paige, Evita

Videos

News


The Iconic Rock Musical HAIR Shines Anew in a Grand Brazilian Revival
by Claudio Erlichman - Nov 13, 2025

The iconic rock musical Hair is back in a bold new Brazilian production directed by Charles Möeller and Claudio Botelho. Opening at São Paulo’s BTG Pactual Hall, the show celebrates the spirit of the 1960s counterculture — peace, love, and rebellion — through powerful anthems like Aquarius and Let the Sunshine In. With a cast of 30 led by Rodrigo Simas and Eduardo Borelli, this vibrant staging fuses rock, poetry, and raw emotion to explore freedom, identity, and protest in a turbulent era. Nearly six decades after its debut, Hair still pulses with youthful defiance and idealism, inviting audiences to sing, reflect, and feel the rhythm of a revolution that never truly ended.
Mountview Celebrates Names Dame Elaine Paige, Eddie Marsan OBE, and Giles Terera MBE As First Vice Presidents
by A.A. Cristi - Nov 7, 2025

Mountview, one of the UK’s leading drama schools, will celebrate its 80th anniversary by appointing Dame Elaine Paige DBE, Eddie Marsan OBE, and Giles Terera MBE as its first-ever Vice Presidents.
Samantha Barks Adds Extra Cathedral Tour Date at Adelphi Theatre
by Stephi Wild - Sep 18, 2025

Due to demand, a pre-tour London date has been added to the Samantha Barks Cathedral Tour. Audiences can expect the same intimate, stripped back, candle-lit vibe at London's Adelphi Theatre.
Review: ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S TELL ME ON A SUNDAY at FreeFall Theatre
by Drew Eberhard - Sep 17, 2025

A rarely done musical, Tell Me On a Sunday, features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black. “...Sunday...” is primarily a one-woman show, and most notably made famous by Bernadette Peters and Marti Webb. In this 70-minute One-Act Song Cycle, we meet an ordinary English Girl who, from Muswell Hill, finds herself traveling to America in search of love. Her misadventures begin in New York City, see her traveling to Hollywood, and finally back to Manhattan, where it all began.
Video: Dame Elaine Paige Praises EVITA Revival: 'It's Fantastic'
by Josh Sharpe - Aug 7, 2025

Dame Elaine Paige, who played Eva Perón in the original production of Evita on the West End, recently shared her thoughts about the revival, now running at London's Palladium Theatre. Watch her interview with the UK's This Morning here.
Dame Elaine Paige and Bernadette Peters Will Return to Host WEST END WOOFS
by Stephi Wild - Jul 28, 2025

Following the success of last year's WEST END WOOFS (AND MEOWS), stage icons Dame Elaine Paige and Bernadette Peters will return to co-host their third annual live event at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden.
Review: EVITA at The Muny is a Mesmerzing Masterclass in Production Aesthtics
by James Lindhorst - Jul 20, 2025

EVITA at The Muny is an auditory and visual feast. Hear Katerina McCrimmon, Paulo Szot, Omar Lopez-Cepero, and the rest of this talented ensemble sing the Webber and Rice score in superb operatic fashion. Be mesmerized by a breathtaking masterclass in production aesthetics and designing for the theatre and enjoy Director Josh Rhode’s splendid new vision of the resilient, ambitious, and revered Eva Peron.  
Review: A Stirring EVITA at Reagle Music Theatre Of Greater Boston
by R. Scott Reedy - Jul 15, 2025

What did our critic think of EVITA at Reagle Music Theatre Of Greater Boston? In act two of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical “Evita,” a beleaguered Eva Perón pleads “You Must Love Me.”
Full Cast Set For THE QUEEN IS MAD at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
by Stephi Wild - Jun 18, 2025

This three-actor musical takes inspiration from the true story of Joanna of Castile. When Joanna unexpectedly inherited the Spanish throne in 1504, her father & husband conspired to usurp her power by convincing the world she was insane.
West End Star Elaine Paige to be Given Damehood
by Emmy Rice - Jun 14, 2025

Elaine Paige, best known for her role as Eva Peron in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Evita, will be given Damehood. She will be given the distinction for her work in the music industry, as well as her charity work. 
CHESS Returns to Broadway: Everything You Need to Know About the Iconic Musical
by Sidney Paterra - Jun 1, 2025

It's been over three decades since a fully performed production of Chess has been seen on a Broadway stage. While many of its songs have become beloved standards, the show's plot remains largely unknown to audiences. With months until performances begin, study up on everything you need to know about Chess. 
Review: CATS at Paramount Theatre Aurora, IL
by Tina St. Angelo Wetzel - May 11, 2025

The newest production – and it is new in every way – at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora is Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats. Director Trent Stork and a cast of 31 will leave you breathless with this new interpretation.
IRISH AFFAIR at National Opera House Adds Extra Performance
by Stephi Wild - May 8, 2025

With only one month to go until Irish Affair takes to the stage of the O'Reilly Theatre, the producers have decided to open the dress rehearsal to the public on Thursday, 26 JUNE at 7.30pm.
George Young Brings SINGIN' AND SWINGIN' To 54 Below In June
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 24, 2025

54 BELOW will present George Young in Singin' and Swingin' on June 19th at 7:00pm. Mr. Young, an accomplished entertainer, brings his musicianship and vocal dexterity in celebration of Juneteenth and all that this day represents. 
A Month After Her Norma Desmond Debut, Rashidra Scott Is Still Grateful
by Caitlin Hornik - Apr 10, 2025

In the same season that Audra McDonald is tackling the behemoth of Rose in “Gypsy;” that Adrienne Warren is Broadway’s first-ever Cathy in “The Last Five Years;” that Lencia Kebede is the first Black woman to play Elphaba full-time in “Wicked” — Rashidra Scott is making history of her own.
STARLIGHT EXPRESS, OLIVER!, and More Will Perform at the 2025 Olivier Awards
by Stephi Wild - Mar 31, 2025

Final details have been announced for the Olivier Awards 2025, which will take place this Sunday 6 April at the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Beverley Knight and Billy Porter. Learn more here!
Rachel Zegler Will Lead Jamie Lloyd's EVITA at the London Palladium
by Stephi Wild - Mar 14, 2025

Rachel Zegler will star in Evita at the London Palladium this year. The stage and screen star will make her London theatre debut in the show, which is directed by Jamie Lloyd, and begins this June.
Sir Tim Rice Believes Surtitles Should Be Used More Often in Stage Productions
by Stephi Wild - Feb 11, 2025

Sir Tim Rice has stated that he believes that more stage musicals should make use of surtitles to help audiences fully appreciate what is being said on stage.
A History of EVITA and the Women Who Have Played Eva Perón
by Stephi Wild - Feb 2, 2025

With the Jamie Lloyd production of Evita in the works, we're revisiting some of the most iconic Evas to grace the stage and screen, from Elaine Paige to Patti LuPone, most recently Auli'i Cravalho, and of course, Madonna.
Ariana DeBose No Longer In Talks To Lead EVITA in London Due to Scheduling
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jan 29, 2025

Ariana DeBose is no longer in talks to star in Evita in London “due to scheduling.” Learn more about about the upcoming production of Evita at The London Palladium here.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Elaine Paige been in?

Elaine Paige has appeared on Broadway in 2 shows.

How many West End shows has Elaine Paige been in?

Elaine Paige has appeared on London's West End in 11 shows.

What was Elaine Paige's first West End show?

Elaine Paige's first West End show was Billy which opened in 1974

What awards has Elaine Paige been nominated for?

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Follies, Outstanding Actress - Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Sweeney Todd, Best Actress in a Musical (Olivier Awards) for Sunset Boulevard, Best Actress in a Musical (Olivier Awards) for Piaf , Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actress in a Musical (Olivier Awards) for Anything Goes, Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actress in a Musical (Olivier Awards) for Chess and Performance of the Year in a Musical (Olivier Awards) for Evita.

What awards has Elaine Paige won?

Elaine Paige has won the Outstanding Actress in a Musical award at the Drama Desk Awards for her role in Sweeney Todd. She also received the Performance of the Year in a Musical award at the Olivier Awards for her performance in Evita.

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