| Biography | Scarlett Strallen (born 3 July 1982) is an English stage actress, best known for her work in musical theatre productions in the West End and on Broadway.
Strallen played the title role in the West End production of Mary Poppins opposite Gavin Lee as Bert, at the Prince Edward Theatre from 2005 (as a replacement to original cast member Laura Michelle Kelly) to 2006, when she left to join The Royal Shakespeare Company's musical production of The Merry Wives of Windsor in Stratford. She returned to Poppins in 2007, replacing Lisa O'Hare, and stayed with the production until it closed in January 2008. For her performance as Mary Poppins, Strallen was nominated for the Best Takeover Role Award at the 2006 Theatregoers' Choice Awards. Strallen was invited to play the role in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins in 2008, replacing Ashley Brown and stayed with the show until October 2009, when she was replaced by Laura Michelle Kelly. She then temporarily played the part again in the Sydney production from November to December 2011. Strallen reprised the role of Mary Poppins with two other actresses who had also performed the role, Lisa O'Hare and Caroline Sheen, for the special benefit concert of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe's songs, "A Spoonful of Stiles and Drewe", at Her Majesty's Theatre.[1]
Strallen has also performed in the ensembles of the West End productions of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Witches of Eastwick and Mamma Mia!. She had expressed interest in the West End production of Wicked, but could not audition due to her involvement with Mary Poppins. She has received two Olivier Award nominations, in 2006 for her portrayal of Josephine in HMS Pinafore, performed at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and in 2012 for her role in Singin' in the Rain.
Strallen has also appeared on a number of audio books down the years. One of her first, as a child, was as Matilda Wormwood in an audio dramatisation of Roald Dahl's Matilda in 1990, released on audio cassette as part of the Roald Dahl Theatre Collection, dramatising a selection of the author's most popular children's books. She also appears in plays for BBC Radio 4.
Recently Scarlett played Cassie in the West End revival of A Chorus Line. The production started in February 2013 and was directed by the original choreographer Bob Avian, with John Partridge, and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt also starring. At present she can be seen playing the role of Cunegonde in the Menier Chocolate Factory production of Candide (from November 23, 2013) to February 22nd 2014. |