Nicola Hughes
Encyclopedia
Nicola Hughes is an English dancer, singer and actress of Antigua
n descent.
Hughes’ first principal theatre role was in The Who's Tommy
, playing the Acid Queen at the Shaftesbury Theatre
in 1996. She followed this up by playing Donna Douglas in The Goodbye Girl
at the Albery Theatre, and then Lola in Damn Yankees
at the Adelphi Theatre
, playing opposite Jerry Lewis.
From 1998-1999, Hughes starred as Velma Kelly in the West End revival of Chicago
at the Adelphi Theatre, taking up the role from Ute Lemper. Hughes’ other leading roles in the West End include Zarita in Simply Heavenly at the Trafalgar Studios and Fosse at the Prince of Wales Theatre, for which she received her first Laurence Olivier Award
nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.
Her most recent West End performance was playing Bess in Sir Trevor Nunn's The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
, between November 2006 and June 2007, for which she was again nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Other theatre roles have included Yum Yum in The Hot Mikado
at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury; Bloody Mary in South Pacific
at the Grange Park Opera; Follow My Leader, a satirical political revue written by Alistair Beaton, at the Birmingham Rep and the Hampstead Theatre; Zarita in Simply Heavenly at the Young Vic; The Lady in Blues In The Night
at the Birmingham Rep; Ain't Misbehavin'
at Derby Playhouse; Helene in Sweet Charity
at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley and Notes Across a Small Pond at the Bridewell Theatre.
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
n descent.
Hughes’ first principal theatre role was in The Who's Tommy
The Who's Tommy
The Who's Tommy is a rock musical by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff based on The Who's 1969 double album rock opera Tommy, also by Pete Townshend, with additional material by John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Sonny Boy Williamson.-Productions:...
, playing the Acid Queen at the Shaftesbury Theatre
Shaftesbury Theatre
The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End Theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The theatre was designed for the brothers Walter and Frederick Melville by Bertie Crewe and opened on 26 December 1911 with a production of The Three Musketeers, as the New...
in 1996. She followed this up by playing Donna Douglas in The Goodbye Girl
The Goodbye Girl
The Goodbye Girl is a 1977 American romantic comedy-drama film. Directed by Herbert Ross, the film stars Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Quinn Cummings, and Paul Benedict...
at the Albery Theatre, and then Lola in Damn Yankees
Damn Yankees
Damn Yankees is a musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the New York Yankees dominated Major League...
at the Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
, playing opposite Jerry Lewis.
From 1998-1999, Hughes starred as Velma Kelly in the West End revival of Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
at the Adelphi Theatre, taking up the role from Ute Lemper. Hughes’ other leading roles in the West End include Zarita in Simply Heavenly at the Trafalgar Studios and Fosse at the Prince of Wales Theatre, for which she received her first Laurence Olivier Award
Laurence Olivier Awards
The Laurence Olivier Award is presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre. Named after the renowned British actor Laurence Olivier, they are given for West End shows and other productions staged in London...
nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.
Her most recent West End performance was playing Bess in Sir Trevor Nunn's The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess is an opera, first performed in 1935, with music by George Gershwin, libretto by DuBose Heyward, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward. It was based on DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy and subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward...
, between November 2006 and June 2007, for which she was again nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Other theatre roles have included Yum Yum in The Hot Mikado
The Hot Mikado
*For the 1939 musical, see The Hot Mikado *For the 1986 musical, see Hot Mikado...
at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury; Bloody Mary in South Pacific
South Pacific (musical)
South Pacific is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story draws from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific, weaving together characters and elements from several of its...
at the Grange Park Opera; Follow My Leader, a satirical political revue written by Alistair Beaton, at the Birmingham Rep and the Hampstead Theatre; Zarita in Simply Heavenly at the Young Vic; The Lady in Blues In The Night
Blues in the Night
"Blues in the Night" is a popular song which has become a pop standard and is generally considered to be part of the Great American Songbook. The music was written by Harold Arlen, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer, for a 1941 film begun with the working title Hot Nocturne, but finally released as Blues...
at the Birmingham Rep; Ain't Misbehavin'
Ain't Misbehavin'
Ain't Misbehavin' is a musical revue with a book by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby, Jr., music by Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller, and lyrics by various writers...
at Derby Playhouse; Helene in Sweet Charity
Sweet Charity
Sweet Charity is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon. It is based on Federico Fellini's screenplay for Nights of Cabiria...
at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley and Notes Across a Small Pond at the Bridewell Theatre.