Australia’s Jemma Rix celebrates 1000 performances as Elphaba in Wicked

Australian music theatre performer Jemma Rix is celebrating an incredible milestone this evening as she performs the coveted role of Elphaba in Wicked for the 1000th time. That’s a LOT of defying gravity!

Jemma Rix as Elphaba in WICKED. Image by Belinda Strodder
Jemma Rix as Elphaba in WICKED. Image by Belinda Strodder

Rix, who was cast as Elphaba standby in Australia’s debut season at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre in 2008 took over the role from Amanda Harrison and has performed as the Wicked Witch of the West in Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea, Singapore and also in an abridged version of the show at Universal Studios, Japan.

In 2011, her performance as the green skinned Elphaba earned her a Helpmann Award nomination for Best Leading Actress in a Musical.

The show is currently playing a return season at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre as part of the blockbuster musical’s 10th anniversary celebrations and AussieTheatre understands that tonight’s show is number 1713 for the Australian production.

Jemma Rix currently stars alongside darling of the stage Lucy Durack as Glinda the Good, Steve Danielsen as playboy prince Fiyero, and music theatre veteran Reg Livermore as the Wizard of Oz.

Wicked will transfer to Brisbane’s Lyric Theatre QPAC from February 15, 2015.

Jemma herself took to social media this evening to celebrate her milestone!

Congratulations from the team at AussieTheatre.

Check out our special interviews with Jemma Rix on our exclusive WICKED BLOG thanks to Chris Scalzo!

Jemma Rix – Up Close and Personal part 1

Jemma Rix – Up Close and Personal part 2

Erin James

Erin James is AussieTheatre.com's former Editor in Chief and a performer on both stage and screen. Credits include My Fair Lady, South Pacific and The King and I (Opera Australia), Love Never Dies and Cats (Really Useful Group), Blood Brothers (Enda Markey Presents), A Place To Call Home (Foxtel/Channel 7) and the feature film The Little Death (written and directed by Josh Lawson).

Erin James

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