Jemma Rix
Encyclopedia
Jemma Rix is an Australian theatre performer, currently starring as Elphaba
in the Australian touring production of Wicked
. Previously, she played the role during the Sydney season, served as standby
in Melbourne, and performed in the 30-minute show at Universal Studios Japan
. She was an original cast member of the Australian premiere production.
Jemma then moved to Osaka, Japan, after being cast as the Bride of Frankenstein in The Monster Rock and Roll Show at Universal Studios Japan. In July 2006 she was cast as Elphaba
in the USJ mini version of the Broadway musical Wicked
, which required her to perform parts of the show in Japanese. Throughout the audition process, she met and performed for Stephen Schwartz
, Winnie Holzman
and Marc Platt
. She performed in this role for a year before returning to Melbourne.
Rix was then cast as the standby for Elphaba in the Australian premiere of Wicked which opened in Melbourne
on 12 July 2008 and ran through 9 August 2009. The show was then transferred to Sydney
, opening on 12 September 2009. Due to the illness of lead star Amanda Harrison
, Rix had many opportunies to perform the role of Elphaba, and on 9 February 2010, after an extended leave of absence, Harrison announced that she would not be returning to the show. The role was then offered to Rix, who continued to share it with Australian theatre actress Pippa Grandison
. They starred alongside Lucy Durack
in the role of Glinda
. Rix generally performed in four of eight shows a week, with the remaining four played by Grandison and later, Patrice Tipoki.
Rix continued to be the first billed Elphaba, featuring on displays outside the theatre and appearing at most events and press interviews. These included the 2008 Carols by Candlelight, Melbourne's Federation Square and Town Hall, 2009 Australian Ethnic Business Awards
, 2009 QANTAS Business Awards, AFL pre-match entertainment performances, the ANZ Rob Guest Endowment Fund Concert, the Kerri-Anne Kennerley morning TV show, Sydney's Carols In The Domain 2009, the 2010 Telethon, and the 2010 Carols by Candlelight. Wicked closed in Sydney on 26 September 2010, with Rix playing Elphaba.
She again plays the role of Elphaba on the show's first Australian Tour, which, after delays due to flooding, began in Brisbane
on 25 January 2011. Rix generally plays six of eight performances a week, with Wednesday matinees and Saturday matinees being played by Laura Bunting. The tour ends on 11 September 2011 in Perth
. Rix again features opposite Durack as Glinda.
In 2011, she was nominated for a Helpmann Award for "Best Leading Actress in a Musical" for her portrayal as Elphaba in Wicked.
Jemma will again play Elphaba on the Asian tour of Wicked, set to begin in Singapore
from 7 December 2011. After a limited enegagement there, the tour will visit Seoul
, Taipei
and New Zealand
by 2013. Australian understudy Suzie Mathers will star alongside her as Glinda.
Elphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little...
in the Australian touring production of Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
. Previously, she played the role during the Sydney season, served as standby
Understudy
In theater, an understudy is a performer who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a regular actor or actress in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or emergencies, the understudy takes over the part...
in Melbourne, and performed in the 30-minute show at Universal Studios Japan
Universal Studios Japan
, located in Osaka, is one of four Universal Studios theme parks, owned and operated by USJ Co., Ltd. . The park is similar to Universal Orlando Resort, since it contains many of the same rides. Most visitors are Japanese tourists or tourists from other Asian countries such as Taiwan, Hong Kong,...
. She was an original cast member of the Australian premiere production.
Biography
Jemma was born on the Central Coast of NSW. Here, she participated in numerous amateur musical theatre productions from the age of 4. She began to perform throughout Sydney as the lead singer of a pop band at the age of 18. Rix then moved to Melbourne at the age of 21 to devote herself to musical theatre and was cast in a number of commercial projects.Jemma then moved to Osaka, Japan, after being cast as the Bride of Frankenstein in The Monster Rock and Roll Show at Universal Studios Japan. In July 2006 she was cast as Elphaba
Elphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little...
in the USJ mini version of the Broadway musical Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
, which required her to perform parts of the show in Japanese. Throughout the audition process, she met and performed for Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz may refer to:*Stephen Schwartz , American musical theater and film lyricist and composer*Stephen Suleyman Schwartz , journalist, political author, and historian...
, Winnie Holzman
Winnie Holzman
Winnie Holzman is an American dramatist, screenwriter and poet. She created the ABC television series My So-Called Life, which earned her an Emmy Award nomination for writing in 1995...
and Marc Platt
Marc Platt
Marc Platt is a British writer. He is most known for his work with the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who.After studying catering at a technical college, Platt worked first for Trust House Forte, and then in administration for the BBC...
. She performed in this role for a year before returning to Melbourne.
Rix was then cast as the standby for Elphaba in the Australian premiere of Wicked which opened in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on 12 July 2008 and ran through 9 August 2009. The show was then transferred to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, opening on 12 September 2009. Due to the illness of lead star Amanda Harrison
Amanda Harrison
Amanda Harrison is an Australian musical theatre performer who will be originating the role of Paula in the World Premiere of An Officer and a Gentleman in Sydney 2012.-Early years:...
, Rix had many opportunies to perform the role of Elphaba, and on 9 February 2010, after an extended leave of absence, Harrison announced that she would not be returning to the show. The role was then offered to Rix, who continued to share it with Australian theatre actress Pippa Grandison
Pippa Grandison
Pippa Jody Grandison is an Australian musical theatre performer. She currently lives in Sydney, with husband Steve Le Marquand and daughter Charlie.-Career:...
. They starred alongside Lucy Durack
Lucy Durack
Lucy Durack is an Australian musical theatre performer most recognised for playing Glinda in the Australian production of Wicked.-Biography:...
in the role of Glinda
Glinda
Glinda is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the most powerful sorceress of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country south of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.- Literature :Baum's 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
. Rix generally performed in four of eight shows a week, with the remaining four played by Grandison and later, Patrice Tipoki.
Rix continued to be the first billed Elphaba, featuring on displays outside the theatre and appearing at most events and press interviews. These included the 2008 Carols by Candlelight, Melbourne's Federation Square and Town Hall, 2009 Australian Ethnic Business Awards
Ethnic Business Awards
Ethnic Business Awards is a business award held in Australia to recognize the achievement of migrant business owners. Held annually since 1988, they are Australia’s longest running business award on television....
, 2009 QANTAS Business Awards, AFL pre-match entertainment performances, the ANZ Rob Guest Endowment Fund Concert, the Kerri-Anne Kennerley morning TV show, Sydney's Carols In The Domain 2009, the 2010 Telethon, and the 2010 Carols by Candlelight. Wicked closed in Sydney on 26 September 2010, with Rix playing Elphaba.
She again plays the role of Elphaba on the show's first Australian Tour, which, after delays due to flooding, began in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
on 25 January 2011. Rix generally plays six of eight performances a week, with Wednesday matinees and Saturday matinees being played by Laura Bunting. The tour ends on 11 September 2011 in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. Rix again features opposite Durack as Glinda.
In 2011, she was nominated for a Helpmann Award for "Best Leading Actress in a Musical" for her portrayal as Elphaba in Wicked.
Jemma will again play Elphaba on the Asian tour of Wicked, set to begin in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
from 7 December 2011. After a limited enegagement there, the tour will visit Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
by 2013. Australian understudy Suzie Mathers will star alongside her as Glinda.