Passion for Wicked rolls on for Lucy

It’s possibly not the best way to start an interview with your phone falling apart, but when Lucy Durack answered her phone, she was met with the sounds of the interviewer frantically scrambling to put his hands-free set back together. After that minor hiccup, however, we settled down to talk about Lucy’s experience in Wicked, the blockbuster musical currently playing at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, in which she plays the coveted role of Glinda.

It’s possibly not the best way to start an interview with your phone falling apart, but when Lucy Durack answered her phone, she was met with the sounds of the interviewer frantically scrambling to put his hands-free set back together. After that minor hiccup, however, we settled down to talk about Lucy’s experience in Wicked, the blockbuster musical currently playing at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, in which she plays the coveted role of Glinda.

“I haven’t taken it for granted at all,” she says of her opportunity, which began in May 2008 when rehearsals started for the Melbourne production.

“I’m a bit of a musical theatre nerd, so of course I’ve always dreamed of the opportunity to play Glinda. I’ve had my eye on the part for a while. I saw the show in London on the West End, and fell in love with it.”

Since its opening in Melbourne, Wicked has played over 800 performances, but the excitement for Lucy hasn’t worn off.

“We’re very lucky, because you never know how long a show is going to run for,” she said. 

“Occasionally you’ll have sore feet or are a bit tired, but the exciting thing about a long run like this, is that there’s an enormous amount you can only learn on the job. It’s been really valuable.”

While it has eased off over time, Lucy admits that most of the pressure of taking the role, made iconic by Kristen Chenowith in the original Broadway production, came from herself.

“I’ve had the chance to see a number of other actors play Glinda in productions around the world, but after thinking about the part for so long, I had my own spin on the character I wanted to introduce,” Lucy said. 

“The creative team on our production gave me the freedom to explore and play, and while obviously there are some demands of the part you have to stick to, I’ve never felt stifled. I’ve always had the freedom to make her my own.”

With the production planning to tour both Brisbane and Adelaide, Wicked has proved a tremendous success in Australia, a fact that Lucy doesn’t find too surprising.

“There are so many reasons why the show has been such as success here. Obviously, the connection with The Wizard of Oz is one reason, but it really is one of those must-see shows, beautifully written, full of spectacle and an amazing score,” she said.

“It also suits people of all ages, even people who don’t usually come to the theatre, as well as the show’s really strong fanbase.”

After chatting for over 15 minutes, it was evident that none of Lucy’s enthusiasm for Wicked has wained over the past two years, or that her love for the show won’t be changing anytime soon.

“I think it’s great for our industry when a show comes along that brings so many people back to the theatre,” she said.

“It’s a beautiful show, with two amazing female characters, and a story anyone can relate to. Hopefully it will encourage them to see all the other great shows opening, like Mary Poppins and Hairspray. And for me, it’s been an amazing, rewarding experience. It’s not an opportunity you get every day.”