WOMAN

THE WOMAN SUPERGROUP FEATURES FOUR OF ROCK MUSICAL THEATRE’S MOST POWERFUL FEMALE VOICES AND ‘WE WILL ROCK YOU’ ALUMNI – MAZZ MURRAY, KERRY ELLIS, GINA MURRAY AND ANNA-JANE CASEY. THEIR SPECIAL 2020 COVER OF ‘I’M A WOMAN’, ON WHICH BRIAN MAY PERFORMED AS WELL AS PRODUCING, WAS RELEASED DURING BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF TWO LEADING WOMEN’S CANCER CHARITIES – TARGET OVARIAN CANCER AND THE CARON KEATING FOUNDATION.

WOMAN have recently teamed up with Brian and The Alpha Family for the ‘Pinkest of Pink’ Alpha Auction charity, where the winner will receive Brian’s custom pink guitar, signed and dedicated to them, and the opportunity to be presented the guitar in person by WOMAN in a private meet and greet at Alpha’s The Best of The West End!

KERRY ELLIS

Kerry Ellis has fast become recognised as the leading lady of West End musicals from her starring roles in London and on Broadway. She has also achieved chart-topping success as a recording artist signed to Universal Decca and has gone onto release six solo recordings in so far including her acclaimed debut album ANTHEMS which featured guest musicians from iconic bands Queen, Foo Fighters and The Darkness.

When looking at Kerry’s career it is difficult to pick out what may be considered the defining moment, as there are so many unique and impressive experiences to choose from. From making her West End debut in MY FAIR LADY to originating the role of Meat in WE WILL ROCK YOU and going on to perform in lead roles in lead roles in LES MISÉRABLES, OLIVER! and CATS, Kerry was also notably the first British actor to play the lead of Elphaba in history making WICKED replacing Idina Menzel and performing on both the West End and Broadway. In fact she was named the favourite West End Elphaba in a public vote organised by Whatsonstage in 2013.

Kerry has also performed in national tours and concert productions of other renowned musicals but this is just her stage career. In 2010, Kerry released her acclaimed album ANTHEMS, produced by Brian May and introducing her to whole new audiences. After extensive touring with Brian May including the release of a live album, in 2017 GLORY DAYS was released as the first full studio recorded album of Ellis and May as a duo and featured original songs written both the duo together. Brian May needs little introduction as the guitarist of Queen, the rock and roll hall of fame member has dominated popular music for almost 50 years and it is perhaps his belief in Kerry and continuing desire to work with her that is testament to what a unique and special talent, Kerry is.

Ellis has performed all over the world singing in some of the most beautiful places imaginable and with some of the most legendary performers possible. From Buckingham Palace with Queen, Proms in the Park, the Olivier Awards with Barry Manilow, the Royal Albert Hall with Kristen Chenoweth, the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland to as far off as the Shanghai’s culture Square; the list goes on and does not cease to exist.

GINA MURRAY

Gina has just starred in Starting Here Starting Now at Waterloo East and recently completed a successful run as Velma von Tussle in the National Tour of Hairspray, and played Donna to critical acclaim in Mamma Mia in Cyprus. Prior to this she returned to the role of Mama Morton in Chicago on the National Tour and in Singapore, having played her in the West End at the Cambridge Theatre in 2008 and 2009, and also on the China Tour.

Gina’s other West End credits include; A Christmas Carol, The Full Monty, Fame, The Roy Orbison Story, Patsy Cline – A Musical Tribute & Carnaby St. Off West End she played Gloria Kramer in the critically acclaimed production of One Touch of Venus and Chloe in Broken Journey, both at the Kings Head Theatre. Her numerous other credits include; The Accrington Pals, Jihad The Musical, Alfie and Fuddy Meers.

Gina played Jo in the feature film Sorted, alongside Matthew Rhys & Tim Curry and subsequently played Kelly in the follow up feature from the same director, entitled The Flirting Club.

She’s also performed on the small screen in various TV programmes, including 2 x series of Witless (BBC), Doctors (BBC), Eastenders (BBC), Judge John Deed (BBC), Teenage Kicks (Sky One), The Bill (ITV) and in several TV commercials including Aldi, Special K, Harper Collins, Littlewoods, TD Ameritrade and many others.

Voice-overs are a big part of Gina’s career; she has recorded many English Language tapes, adverts, computer games and animations including Alice in Alice in Wonderland, Summer Camp and Scary Larry. Gina currently features in NETFLIX cartoons including, Go Go Corey Carson and as Wonderbeam in Starbeam.

Gina co-wrote and starred in her own comedy show in Hollywood at Comedy Central Studios called Here Comes Treble alongside her sister, West End star Mazz Murray, with whom she trained at Redroofs Theatre School.

The two sisters have collaborated again, but this time to form acoustic rock/pop group, WOMAN. Their powerful and distinctive vocals give them a totally unique sound. WOMAN released their first album called WOMANVILLE and is available to purchase on iTunes now. Gina and Mazz both write songs for the group and have recently had the honour of touring with Earth, Wind & Fire and Billy Ocean, appearing at the Royal Albert Hall, amongst other prestigious venues across the UK. In 2020 WOMAN achieved a UK iTunes Rock number one with rock legend Brian May and their single I’M A WOMAN (all proceeds went to The Caron Keating Foundation and Target Ovarian Cancer). Gina has also travelled Bahrain, Oman and Paphos singing for the British Royal Navy and Marine Corps. Earlier this year, Gina proudly featured in the Theatre Cafe and Mazz’s Stagey cookbook And 5,6,7 EAT.

Gina is currently working on her debut solo album – so watch this space!

For more information, please visit www.womantheband.com / www.intertalentgroup.com

MAZZ MURRAY

Most recently, Mazz played Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black’s smash hit Sunset Boulevard at the Alexandra Palace Theatre in London to huge critical acclaim, and she was also a part of The Show Must Go On which was recorded live for Sky Arts.

Mazz made her theatre debut playing Patsy Cline in The Roy Orbison Story and has starred in many West End and UK productions, including Mama Morton in the recent production of Chicago (Phoenix Theatre), Tanya in Mamma Mia (West End), A Girl Called Dusty, Rent, Smokey Joe’s Café, Fame, Only the Lonely, Boogie Nights and Pippin. One of Mazz’s most notorious roles was with rock supergroup Queen in their musical We Will Rock You, starring as Killer Queen for nine years in the West End.

Film credits include Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Santa Claus: The Movie and Hope & Glory.

Television credits include Footballers’ Wives, The Bill, EastEnders, The Man from Auntie, Eye Spy and The Quest.

A new project she undertook during the pandemic was a new theatre cookbook named And 5, 6, 7, EAT which she created alongside The Theatre Cafe with a portion of proceeds going towards the charity Acting for Others. The cookbook is available to buy at www.thetheatrecafe.co.uk

Music Recordings include Sweet Charity, Chicago and Fiddler on the Roof. She is part of the rock group Woman – in 2020 they hit number 1 in the rock charts with their single “I’m A Woman” which they recorded with the legendary Brian May in aid of breast and ovarian cancer charities Caron Keating Foundation and Target Ovarian Cancer. The band also toured with Earth Wind and Fire and Billy Ocean.

Mazz released her debut solo album, Midnight Mazz in 2018 and has recently released her brand-new album Midnight Mazz – Here We Go Again which is a collection of ABBA love songs. Her albums are available at www.theatre-shop.com and www.mazzmurray.com

ANNA-JANE CASEY

ANNA-JANE CASEY has been performing professionally for over 30 years in all areas of the arts. She hails from Lancashire and moved to London at 16 to play RUMPLETEASER in CATS and has remained at the top of her game ever since. Notable roles played in the West End include VELMA KELLY in CHICAGO, BUFFY and DINAH in STARLIGHT EXPRESS, ANITA in WEST SIDE STORY, FRANKIE FRAYNE in ON YOUR TOES, LADY OF THE LAKE in SPAMALOT, MAVIS TURNER in STEPPING OUT and MRS BURKE in GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY.

Other lead roles around the UK include the title roles in SWEET CHARITY, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN and PIAF as well as ANNIE CLARKE in CALENDAR GIRLS, MABEL in MACK AND MABEL, SHELLY PORTER in THE BAND PLAYED ON and VIOLET BUTTERFIELD in FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS.

Her TV credits include SILENT WITNESS, CORONATION STREET, EASTENDERS, DOCTORS and FAMILY GUY and she can often be heard on BBC2’s FRIDAY NIGHT IS MUSIC NIGHT as well as the BBC PROMS concert season. She has been the featured soloist singer with most major orchestras throughout the UK and Europe and also performs her own cabaret on a regular basis. She is also one quarter of ‘WOMAN” who’s single “I’M A WOMAN” featuring Brian May went to number 1 on the ITunes UK rock charts in 2020.

The Royal Albert Hall has been a “second home” for her for the last 10 years with her version of TAP YOUR TROUBLES AWAY in the JOHN WILSON BROADWAY PROM garnering close to 1 million views.