Rachel Tucker
Encyclopedia
Rachel Tucker is a Northern Irish
singer and actress who competed as one of the finalists in the BBC
talent show
-themed television series I'd Do Anything
in 2008. She currently stars as the lead role of Elphaba
in the hit musical Wicked
in the West End
.
She then went on to feature in Michael Poyners version of the Rockin Mikado as Katisha. She also featured as a contestant with sister Margaret on Michael Barrymore
's My Kind of Music
singing "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!
". She also competed in the talent show Star for a Night making the final with her performance of "Kids".
Tucker trained at the Royal Academy of Music
She worked with Any Dream Will Do
winner Lee Mead
in the 2005 United Kingdom
tour of the Rock musical
, Tommy as Sally Simpson. In December 2007 Tucker appeared as Dorothy
in the Royal Shakespeare Company
adaptation of The Wizard of Oz at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. The Stage
described her performance as "looking and sounding uncannily like the legendary Garland". For her performance, she was nominated for an award in the 2008 TMA Awards
.
Tucker recorded a version of the civil rights anthem
"Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around" which was used in a television advertisement
for Libresse
in 2005 entitled "March".
, with Tucker having received the lowest number of viewers votes. In the Results show on 4 May they sang "As If We Never Said Goodbye", from the musical Sunset Boulevard
. Andrew Lloyd Webber
chose to save Tucker and eliminate Lark, saying "I have to think as a producer and I do think Rachel was rock solid."
Tucker was once again in the bottom two in week eight, the quarter-final stage of the series. She was in the sing-off for a second time, this time with Niamh Perry
, with Perry having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "Another Suitcase in Another Hall
" from the musical Evita. Lloyd Webber chose to save Tucker and eliminate Perry.
At the semi-final stage, week nine, Tucker was in the bottom two for a third time, together with Samantha Barks
, who had received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "Memory" from the musical Cats
. Cameron Mackintosh
joined the judging panel for this episode. Lloyd Webber chose to save Barks and eliminate Tucker saying, "Last night Cameron and I were both saying that we thought both of you would be fantastic Nancys and now here am I faced with this. But I've got to make a decision and I've got to think of where the show ultimately for Cameron is going to go and I think I have to go with you Samantha. A week after the show, Lloyd Webber said, "The fact is Cameron wanted Rachel to stay. He wanted Rachel and Samantha in the final from the beginning of the series. Rachel did a fantastic performance but I had to face up to the fact that she wouldn't have gone any further. What I may think professionally is sometimes different to what the public want. I saved Rachel three times and she still ended up in the bottom two."
(Love Never Dies) at Andrew Lloyd Webber's private Sydmonton Festival
near his estate in Hampshire
, in which she sang the role of Meg Giry
. On 2 August 2008, in Belfast, she performed at the Gay Pride Festival. She sang a medley which included excerpts from Cabaret
, "All That Jazz
", "Maybe This Time" and "Don't Rain on My Parade
". On 13 September 2008 she performed alongside fellow I'd Do Anything finalist Niamh Perry
at the Proms in the Park, held at Belfast City Hall
as part of the nationwide celebration of the BBC
Last Night of the Proms. The following day she performed at the Andrew Lloyd Webber's Birthday in the Park show in Hyde Park
, London, singing "Light at the End of The Tunnel" from Starlight Express
. In November 2008 Tucker filmed a West End
special of The Weakest Link in which she was voted off first. The show was aired on BBC1 during the 2008 Christmas schedule.
In late 2009, she was a judge on amateur comedy show Find Me the Funny and presented The Friday Show, a six-part entertainment series with Eamonn Holmes
, both for BBC Northern Ireland.
We Will Rock You
, at the Dominion Theatre
, London, under the direction of Christopher Renshaw
. A review of the opening night performance of the show in The Stage
newspaper said of Tucker's debut that she had "found the perfect stage for her large voice. Her rendition of 'No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)
' is one of the highlights of a first act that works on many levels." Tucker was also the first understudy
to Sabrina Aloueche
for the role of Scaramouche, and played the role on many occasions to cover Aloueche's holidays.
in the London production of the hit musical Wicked
. She replaced Alexia Khadime
on 29 March 2010, and stars opposite Louise Dearman
as Glinda
. On 1 August 2011, it was revealed Tucker will stay in the role of Elphaba into 2012. In June 2012, Tucker will succeed Kerry Ellis
as the longest-running actress to play Elphaba in the West End.
Tucker won a 2011 WhatsOnStage.com Award
, in the category of Best Takeover in a Role for her portrayal of Elphaba. She performed "The Wizard and I
" at West End Live 2010, and "Defying Gravity
" at Pride London. On 13 February 2011, she performed "Defying Gravity" as part of a theatre-themed episode of Dancing on Ice
for ITV
. Tucker also sang the same hit song, "Defying Gravity" at West End Live 2011 which was held at Trafalgar Square.
On Saturday 10th September 2011 Rachel was joined on stage by "Stacey Solomon
" to sing "For Good
" at the end of the show. This was in aid of BBC "Children in Need
"'s Pop Goes the Musical, where a whole host of celebrities graced the stages of the West End of London to raise awareness for the charities 2011 appeal.
2008, Tucker was engaged to theatre director Guy Retallack, who is 17 years her senior. The couple married in a ceremony at St. Anne's Cathedral in Rachel's hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Tucker's Facebook
name is Rachel Kelly.
People of Northern Ireland
Northern Irish people or people of Northern Ireland are "all persons born in Northern Ireland and having, at the time of their birth, at least one parent who is a British citizen, an Irish citizen or is otherwise entitled to reside in Northern Ireland without any restriction on their period of...
singer and actress who competed as one of the finalists in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
talent show
Talent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
-themed television series I'd Do Anything
I'd Do Anything (BBC TV series)
I'd Do Anything is a 2008 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom and broadcast on BBC One. It premièred on 15 March 2008...
in 2008. She currently stars as the lead role of 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 hit 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...
in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
.
Early life and career
Tucker grew up singing on the cabaret circuit from the age of 15 with her father, Tommy (Tucker) Kelly and sister Margaret Kelly under the groups name Tucker Kelly and the Kelstar. She was a member of the Arts Youth Theatre during the late 1990s featuring in shows such as Ecstasy and Our Day Out.She then went on to feature in Michael Poyners version of the Rockin Mikado as Katisha. She also featured as a contestant with sister Margaret on Michael Barrymore
Michael Barrymore
Michael Kieron Parker , better known by his stage name Michael Barrymore, is a British comedian who appeared as a presenter of game shows and light entertainment programmes on British television in the 1980s and 1990s. These included Strike It Lucky, My Kind of People, My Kind of Music and Kids Say...
's My Kind of Music
My Kind of Music
My Kind of Music is a game show in the United Kingdom, produced by LWT for ITV from 8 February 1998 to 29 March 2002.The show's main theme, "My Kind of People", where presenter Michael Barrymore sang some of the lyrics when appearing at the very start, was based on the same song by Robert Palmer...
singing "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!
Man! I Feel like a Woman!
"Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" is the seventh single released from Shania Twain's 1997 album Come on Over. It was written by Mutt Lange and Twain. "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!," originally released to North American country radio stations in early 1999, was the opening song on both Twain's Come on Over...
". She also competed in the talent show Star for a Night making the final with her performance of "Kids".
Tucker trained at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
She worked with Any Dream Will Do
Any Dream Will Do (TV series)
Any Dream Will Do, often known as 'Joseph', was a 2007 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. It searched for a new, unknown lead to play Joseph in a West End revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.The show...
winner Lee Mead
Lee Mead
Lee Stephen Mead is an English musical theatre actor, best known for winning the title role in the 2007 West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat through the BBC reality TV casting show Any Dream Will Do...
in the 2005 United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
tour of the Rock musical
Rock musical
A rock musical is a musical theatre work with rock music. The genre of rock musical may overlap somewhat with album musicals, concept albums and song cycles, as they sometimes tell a story through the rock music, and some album musicals and concept albums become rock musicals...
, Tommy as Sally Simpson. In December 2007 Tucker appeared as Dorothy
Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale is the protagonist of many of the Oz novels by American author L. Frank Baum, and the best friend of Oz's ruler Princess Ozma. Dorothy first appears in Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels...
in the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
adaptation of The Wizard of Oz at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. The Stage
The Stage
The Stage is a weekly British newspaper founded in 1880, available nationally and published on Thursdays. Covering all areas of the entertainment industry but focused primarily on theatre, it contains news, reviews, opinion, features and other items of interest, mainly to those who work within the...
described her performance as "looking and sounding uncannily like the legendary Garland". For her performance, she was nominated for an award in the 2008 TMA Awards
TMA Awards
The TMA Awards, established in 1991, are presented annually by the Theatrical Management Association in recognition of creative excellence and outstanding work in United Kingdom theatres...
.
Tucker recorded a version of the civil rights anthem
Civil Rights anthem
Civil Rights anthems is a relational concept to protest song, but one that is specifically linked to the African-American Civil Rights Movement. The songs were often sung during protests or marches related to the movement...
"Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around" which was used in a television advertisement
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
for Libresse
Libresse
Libresse is an international brand of feminine hygiene products owned by SCA, a Swedish pulp and paper manufacturer and consumer goods company. The Company first appeared in 1940s with the first crepe paper towel called Mimosept.The brand are known as...
in 2005 entitled "March".
I'd Do Anything
Tucker was chosen as one of the twelve finalists on the show in which began in March 2008, appearing each week in the live show on Saturday evenings and the Results show which aired each Sunday. She made it to the semi-finals in week nine where she was eliminated on 25 May. In week six she was in the bottom two with Sarah LarkSarah Lark
Sarah Lark is a Welsh singer and actress who rose to fame when she competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008.-Background:...
, with Tucker having received the lowest number of viewers votes. In the Results show on 4 May they sang "As If We Never Said Goodbye", from the musical Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard (musical)
Sunset Boulevard is a musical with book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Based on the 1950 film of the same title, the plot revolves around Norma Desmond, a faded star of the silent screen era, living in the past in her decaying mansion on the...
. Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
chose to save Tucker and eliminate Lark, saying "I have to think as a producer and I do think Rachel was rock solid."
Tucker was once again in the bottom two in week eight, the quarter-final stage of the series. She was in the sing-off for a second time, this time with Niamh Perry
Niamh Perry
Niamh Perry is an Irish singer and actress who competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008 and is currently portraying Fleck in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Love Never Dies.-Background:Born in Bangor, County Down, Perry attended Our...
, with Perry having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "Another Suitcase in Another Hall
Another Suitcase in Another Hall
"Another Suitcase in Another Hall" is a song from the musical Evita with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The song was first a hit in the UK for Barbara Dickson in 1977...
" from the musical Evita. Lloyd Webber chose to save Tucker and eliminate Perry.
At the semi-final stage, week nine, Tucker was in the bottom two for a third time, together with Samantha Barks
Samantha Barks
Samantha Barks is a professional singer and actress who came third in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008.-Background:Samantha was born and brought up on the Isle of Man...
, who had received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "Memory" from the musical Cats
Cats (musical)
Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
. Cameron Mackintosh
Cameron Mackintosh
Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh is a British theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world" by the New York...
joined the judging panel for this episode. Lloyd Webber chose to save Barks and eliminate Tucker saying, "Last night Cameron and I were both saying that we thought both of you would be fantastic Nancys and now here am I faced with this. But I've got to make a decision and I've got to think of where the show ultimately for Cameron is going to go and I think I have to go with you Samantha. A week after the show, Lloyd Webber said, "The fact is Cameron wanted Rachel to stay. He wanted Rachel and Samantha in the final from the beginning of the series. Rachel did a fantastic performance but I had to face up to the fact that she wouldn't have gone any further. What I may think professionally is sometimes different to what the public want. I saved Rachel three times and she still ended up in the bottom two."
Performances on I'd Do Anything
| Show | Song | Original Artist | Result | Bottom Two Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week One | "About You Now About You Now "About You Now" is a 2007 single by English girl group Sugababes, written by Cathy Dennis and producer Dr. Luke for the group's fifth studio album, Change... " |
Sugababes Sugababes The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London... |
Safe | |
| Week Two | "Beautiful Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song) "Beautiful" is a song written by Linda Perry and recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera for Aguilera's fourth studio album, Stripped... " |
Christina Aguilera Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994... |
Safe | |
| Week Three | "Oh, What a Night December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) "December, 1963 " is a hit single by The Four Seasons, written by original Four Seasons keyboard player Bob Gaudio and his future wife Judy Parker, produced by Gaudio, and included on the group's 1975 album, Who Loves You.... " |
Jersey Boys Jersey Boys Jersey Boys is a jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is a documentary-style musical, based on one of the most successful 1960s rock 'n roll groups, the Four Seasons... |
Safe | |
| Week Four | "The Way We Were The Way We Were The Way We Were is a 1973 American romantic dramatic film co-starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, directed by Sydney Pollack. The screenplay by Arthur Laurents was based on his college days at Cornell University and his experiences with the House Un-American Activities Committee.A box... " |
Barbra Streisand Barbra Streisand Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,... |
Safe | |
| Week Five | "I'm with You" | Avril Lavigne Avril Lavigne Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more... |
Safe | |
| Week Six | "For Once in My Life For Once in My Life "For Once in My Life" is a pop song written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records' Jobete publishing company in 1967 . The composition was originally recorded by Jean DuShon, while other artists, such as Tony Bennett and The Temptations, recorded slow ballad versions of the song... " |
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... |
Bottom Two | "As If We Never Said Goodbye" (Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard (musical) Sunset Boulevard is a musical with book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Based on the 1950 film of the same title, the plot revolves around Norma Desmond, a faded star of the silent screen era, living in the past in her decaying mansion on the... ) |
| Week Seven | "You've Got a Friend You've Got a Friend "You've Got a Friend" is a song from 1971, originally written and performed by Carole King. It was included in her album Tapestry of 1971, but was made famous by James Taylor's cover version the same year... " |
Carole King Carole King Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S... |
Safe | |
| Week Eight (quarter-final) |
"I Will Always Love You I Will Always Love You "I Will Always Love You" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.-Dolly Parton version:... " |
Whitney Houston Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among... |
Bottom Two | "Another Suitcase in Another Hall Another Suitcase in Another Hall "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" is a song from the musical Evita with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The song was first a hit in the UK for Barbara Dickson in 1977... " (Evita) |
| Week Nine (semi-final) |
"Cabaret" | Cabaret Cabaret (musical) Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions.... |
Eliminated | "Memory" (Cats Cats (musical) Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot... ) |
After I'd Do Anything
In July 2008, Tucker took part in a private workshop performance of the first act of the sequel to The Phantom of The OperaThe Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux.The music was composed by Lloyd Webber, and most lyrics were written by Charles Hart, with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Alan Jay Lerner was an early collaborator,...
(Love Never Dies) at Andrew Lloyd Webber's private Sydmonton Festival
Sydmonton Festival
The Sydmonton Festival is a summer arts festival presented in a deconsecrated 16th century chapel on the grounds of Sydmonton Court, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Hampshire estate...
near his estate in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, in which she sang the role of Meg Giry
Meg Giry
Meg Giry is one of the fictional characters from Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera. In the story she is Madame Giry's oldest daughter....
. On 2 August 2008, in Belfast, she performed at the Gay Pride Festival. She sang a medley which included excerpts from Cabaret
Cabaret (musical)
Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
, "All That Jazz
All That Jazz (song)
"All That Jazz" is a song from the 1975 musical Chicago. It has lyrics by Fred Ebb and music by John Kander, and is the opening song of the musical...
", "Maybe This Time" and "Don't Rain on My Parade
Don't Rain on My Parade
"Don't Rain On My Parade" is a popular song from the 1964 musical Funny Girl. It was also featured in the 1968 movie version of the musical. The song was written by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne. Both the movie and stage versions feature Barbra Streisand performing the song. It has since become one of...
". On 13 September 2008 she performed alongside fellow I'd Do Anything finalist Niamh Perry
Niamh Perry
Niamh Perry is an Irish singer and actress who competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008 and is currently portraying Fleck in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Love Never Dies.-Background:Born in Bangor, County Down, Perry attended Our...
at the Proms in the Park, held at Belfast City Hall
Belfast City Hall
Belfast City Hall is the civic building of the Belfast City Council. Located in Donegall Square, Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, it faces north and effectively divides the commercial and business areas of the city centre.-History:...
as part of the nationwide celebration of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Last Night of the Proms. The following day she performed at the Andrew Lloyd Webber's Birthday in the Park show in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
, London, singing "Light at the End of The Tunnel" from Starlight Express
Starlight Express
Starlight Express is a rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber , Richard Stilgoe and Arlene Phillips , with later revisions by Don Black and David Yazbek . The story follows a child's dream in which his toy train set comes to life; famously the actors perform wearing roller skates...
. In November 2008 Tucker filmed a West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
special of The Weakest Link in which she was voted off first. The show was aired on BBC1 during the 2008 Christmas schedule.
In late 2009, she was a judge on amateur comedy show Find Me the Funny and presented The Friday Show, a six-part entertainment series with Eamonn Holmes
Eamonn Holmes
Eamonn Holmes is an Northern Irish journalist and broadcaster. He is known for his work on UK and Irish television, notably presenting GMTV and This Morning. He is married to TV presenter Ruth Langsford.-Education:...
, both for BBC Northern Ireland.
We Will Rock You
From 22 September, Tucker played Meat in the jukebox musicalJukebox musical
A jukebox musical is a stage or film musical that uses previously released popular songs as its musical score. Usually the songs have in common a connection with a particular popular musician or group — either because they were written by, or for, the artists in question, or were at least...
We Will Rock You
We Will Rock You (musical)
We Will Rock You is a jukebox musical, based on the songs of Queen and named after their hit single of the same name. The musical was written by British comedian and author Ben Elton in collaboration with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor...
, at the Dominion Theatre
Dominion Theatre
The Dominion Theatre is a West End theatre on Tottenham Court Road close to St Giles Circus and Centre Point Tower, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:...
, London, under the direction of Christopher Renshaw
Christopher Renshaw
Christopher Renshaw is a British theatre director. He was educated at Reading School in Reading, Berkshire, where his father taught German, and Magdalen College, Oxford....
. A review of the opening night performance of the show in The Stage
The Stage
The Stage is a weekly British newspaper founded in 1880, available nationally and published on Thursdays. Covering all areas of the entertainment industry but focused primarily on theatre, it contains news, reviews, opinion, features and other items of interest, mainly to those who work within the...
newspaper said of Tucker's debut that she had "found the perfect stage for her large voice. Her rendition of 'No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)
No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)
"No-One But You " is a song recorded by the remaining three members of the British rock band Queen following the death of singer Freddie Mercury. Guitarist Brian May – the writer of the song – and drummer Roger Taylor share lead vocals...
' is one of the highlights of a first act that works on many levels." Tucker was also the first understudy
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...
to Sabrina Aloueche
Sabrina Aloueche
Sabrina Aloueche is an English musical theatre actress. She is best known for playing the character 'Scaramouche' in the Queen musical We Will Rock You.-Biography:...
for the role of Scaramouche, and played the role on many occasions to cover Aloueche's holidays.
Wicked
Tucker is starring as ElphabaElphaba
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 London production of the hit 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...
. She replaced Alexia Khadime
Alexia Khadime
Alexia Khadime is an English actress and mezzo-soprano, known for her roles in British musical theatre and television. Alexia's break came in 2004 when she was cast as Nala in the British rendition of the musical The Lion King at Lyceum Theatre, London...
on 29 March 2010, and stars opposite Louise Dearman
Louise Dearman
Louise Dearman is a British musical theatre performer, currently playing the role of Glinda in the West End production of Wicked. She has a number of other professional stage and television credits, such as Eva Perón in Evita, and released her debut solo album, You and I, in 2005.-Early...
as 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...
. On 1 August 2011, it was revealed Tucker will stay in the role of Elphaba into 2012. In June 2012, Tucker will succeed Kerry Ellis
Kerry Ellis
Kerry Jane Ellis is an English stage actress and singer who is best known for her work in musical theatre and subsequent crossover into music...
as the longest-running actress to play Elphaba in the West End.
Tucker won a 2011 WhatsOnStage.com Award
Theatregoers' Choice Award
The Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Awards are organised by the theatre website Whatsonstage.com and recognise the performers and productions of British theatre with emphasis on London's West End. Nominations and eventual winners are selected by the theatre-going public....
, in the category of Best Takeover in a Role for her portrayal of Elphaba. She performed "The Wizard and I
The Wizard and I
"The Wizard and I" is a musical number from the hit musical Wicked. It is primarily a solo number for the character of Elphaba, though the character Madame Morrible also sings in the introduction to the song.-Context:...
" at West End Live 2010, and "Defying Gravity
Defying Gravity (song)
"Defying Gravity" is the signature song from the musical Wicked, composed by Stephen Schwartz, originally recorded by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth on November 10, 2003, and released on December 16, 2003...
" at Pride London. On 13 February 2011, she performed "Defying Gravity" as part of a theatre-themed episode of Dancing on Ice
Dancing on Ice
Dancing on Ice is a British television show co-hosted by Christine Bleakley and Philip Schofield, in which celebrities and their professional partners figure skate in front of a panel of judges. The format, devised by LWT and Granada Television, has been a prime-time hit in eight different...
for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. Tucker also sang the same hit song, "Defying Gravity" at West End Live 2011 which was held at Trafalgar Square.
On Saturday 10th September 2011 Rachel was joined on stage by "Stacey Solomon
Stacey Solomon
Stacey Solomon is a British singer, television presenter, model and reality TV star. She rose to fame during her time on the sixth series of The X Factor, coming third overall on the show...
" to sing "For Good
For Good
"For Good" is a musical number from the hit musical Wicked. It is sung as a duet between Elphaba and Glinda, as a farewell to each other. The song's music and lyrics were written by composer Stephen Schwartz.-Context:...
" at the end of the show. This was in aid of BBC "Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
"'s Pop Goes the Musical, where a whole host of celebrities graced the stages of the West End of London to raise awareness for the charities 2011 appeal.
Recordings
- "Rain On Me" on the album More with Every Line - The Music of Tim Prottey-Jones (December 2010)
Personal life
On Valentine's DayValentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
2008, Tucker was engaged to theatre director Guy Retallack, who is 17 years her senior. The couple married in a ceremony at St. Anne's Cathedral in Rachel's hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Tucker's Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
name is Rachel Kelly.