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Ainsley Melham

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Ainsley Melham
Born (1991-12-02) 2 December 1991 (age 32)[1]
Bathurst, New South Wales
EducationSt Stanislaus' College,Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)
Occupations
  • Singer
  • Actor
  • Performer
Years active2012–present
Websiteainsleymelham.com

Ainsley Melham (born 2 December 1991) is an Australian actor and theatre performer. He began his career as a member of Australian children's musical group Hi-5 from 2013 to 2016, starring in the television series and performing in international tours. He later found success as a prominent theatre performer in Australia and the United States.

Melham played the title role in the Australian debut of Disney's Aladdin from 2016 to 2018 and later transferred this role to the Broadway production in 2019.[2][3] Melham is also known for his starring roles in Australian productions such as Xanadu and Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, as well as a mid-season replacement for Wicked. He originated the role of Dwayne in the pre-Broadway premiere of Boop! The Musical in 2023.

Melham was nominated for a Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Musical for his role as Aladdin in 2017.

Career

[edit]

Ainsley Melham was born in Australia on 2 December 1991, and raised in Bathurst with his sister Nadia. He graduated from Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA),[4] graduating in 2012. He was also educated at the NIDA Open Program, the Australasian Tap Dance Academy and La Belle School of Dance. At WAAPA, Melham performed in a range of musicals, including Ragtime, Violet, Crazy For You, A Chorus Line, Xanadu, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Into The Woods.[5]

In January 2013, Melham joined the Australian children's musical group Hi-5 as part of a new generation, after successfully auditioning in late 2012.[6] He starred in the documentary style cinematic release, Some Kind of Wonderful, which depicted the audition process, and appeared in three television series of Hi-5 House.[7][8] After touring nationally and internationally for three years, Melham departed from the group in January 2016. He stated that he felt it was time to transition back into his theatre roots after "an incredible experience" with Hi-5.[9]

In March 2016, Melham starred as Sonny Malone in an Australian musical production of Xanadu for Matthew Management and Hayes Theatre Co.[9][10] Later in 2016, he was cast as the title role in Disney Theatrical Company's production of Aladdin in Sydney, Australia. He starred as the title character, Aladdin, and was nominated for a Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Musical.[11] After departing from the Australian cast in late 2018, it was announced that Melham would star in the Broadway production of Aladdin from 19 February 2019 at New Amsterdam Theatre.[12] He rejoined Michael James Scott as Genie, and Arielle Jacobs as Princess Jasmine, the trio who formed the original Australian cast.[12]

In November 2020, Melham played the title role in Pippin at the Sydney Lyric Theatre[13] and in 2022 he played the role of Prince Topher in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.[14][15] Melham was cast as Dwayne in the pre-Broadway world premiere of Boop! The Musical, which began previews in November 2023 at the CIBC Theatre in Chicago.[16][17] In July 2024, he joined the Australian production of Wicked as the Fiyero replacement in Melbourne and Brisbane while original cast member Liam Head was recovering from a knee injury.[18][19]

Theatre credits

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Year Production Role Venue Dates Notes Ref.
2016 Xanadu Sonny Malone Hayes Theatre, Sydney 12 May 2016
2016–2017 Aladdin Aladdin Capitol Theatre, Sydney August 2016 – March 2017 Original Australian cast
2017–2018 Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne April 2017 – January 2018
2018 Lyric Theatre, QPAC, Brisbane February – June 2018
Crown Theatre, Perth July – October 2018
2019 New Amsterdam Theatre, Broadway, New York February – July 2019 Broadway theatre [1][12]
Kiss of the Spider Woman Molina Southbank Theatre, Melbourne 18 November – 28 December 2019 Melbourne Theatre Company
2020 Broadway S'Wonderful Performer Ardrie Park, Malvern East, Victoria 15 February 2020 The Stonnington Classics series [20]
Aladdin Aladdin New Amsterdam Theatre, Broadway, New York Originally scheduled for March 2020 Broadway theatre; did not take place[a]
2020–2021 Pippin Pippin Sydney Lyric Theatre 24 November 2020 — 24 January 2021
2021 Merrily We Roll Along Charley Kringas Hayes Theatre, Sydney 21 October – 4 December 2021
2022 Watershed: The Death of Dr Duncan Lost Boy Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre 2 – 8 March 2022 World Premiere
State Opera South Australia,
2022 Adelaide Festival
Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella Prince Topher Regent Theatre, Melbourne 20 May – 23 July 2022 Opera Australia [21]
Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane 5 August – 3 September 2022 [22]
The Normal Heart Felix Turner Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre 30 September – 15 October 2022 State Theatre Company of South Australia
2022–2023 Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella Prince Topher Sydney Lyric Theatre 23 October 2022 – 29 January 2023 Opera Australia
2023 To Barbra, with Love Performer Canberra Theatre Centre 10 – 11 February 2023
Disney 100: The Concert Performer Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House 23 – 25 February 2023
Disney Princess: The Concert Prince Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai 5 – 7 May 2023 [23]
Boop! The Musical Dwayne CIBC Theatre, Chicago 19 November – 31 December 2023 Pre-Broadway world premiere; original cast [16][17]
2024 Wicked Fiyero Regent Theatre, Melbourne 3 July – 25 August 2024 Melbourne and Brisbane replacement [18]
Lyric Theatre, QPAC, Brisbane 12 September – 24 November 2024 [19]

Filmography

[edit]
Film roles
Year Title Role Note
2013 Hi-5 Some Kind of Wonderful Self
TBA Aladdin: Live from the West End Aladdin Awaiting release; filmed in August 2019[24][25]
Television roles
Year Title Role Notes
2013–16 Hi-5 House Presenter Series 1 to 3

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
2016 Glugs Theatrical Awards Best Actor in Musical Theatre Ainsley Melham as Aladdin in Aladdin Nominated [26]
Most Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer Won [27]
2017 Helpmann Awards Best Male Actor in a Musical Nominated [11]

Notes

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  1. ^ This production was closed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performing arts, which saw all theatres on Broadway closed until May 30, 2021.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Ainsley Melham (Performer)". Playbill. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Hi-5 Star Ainsley Melham to star in Australian production of Aladdin". The Daily Telegraph. Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  3. ^ "Ainsley Melham: What it means to be Aladdin". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  4. ^ "Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts" (PDF). Ecu.edu.au. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  5. ^ "Principals: Michael James Scott" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  6. ^ McCabe, Kathy (16 March 2013). "Hi-5 new members Ainsley Melham, Mary Lascaris, Dayen Zheng unveiled". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Get ready for the next generation of Hi-5". Bugg Toys and Licensing. 22 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  8. ^ McCabe, Kathy (18 August 2013). "Hi-5 will head home to Australia for House Party tour after filming new series in Singapore". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  9. ^ a b Hook, Chris (23 January 2016). "Xanadu: Musical revival in Sydney promises to be a thrilling, scary ride for actors". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  10. ^ / Larry Heath (13 September 2016). "One Jump Ahead – Aladdin's Ainsley Melham on playing the lead role at Capitol Theatre – Arts on the AU". Arts.theaureview.com. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  11. ^ a b Gartner, Annelies (20 June 2017). "WA shines at Helpmann Awards nominations". The West Australian. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  12. ^ a b c McPhee, Ryan (8 January 2019). "Ainsley Melham and Michael James Scott Will Join Broadway Cast of Aladdin". Playbill. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  13. ^ "Pippin's Sydney Cast Announced Ahead of November Commencement". The Theatre Sphere. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  14. ^ Bergman, Gabi (21 June 2021). "Lead cast announced for Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella". Aussie Theatre. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  15. ^ Viagas, Robert. "Opera Australia's RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA Moved to 2022", Broadway World, September 14, 2021
  16. ^ a b Higgins, Molly; Gans, Andrew (28 September 2023). "BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical Reveals Complete Casting". Playbill. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  17. ^ a b Gans, Andrew (14 February 2023). "BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical Will Make Pre-Broadway World Premiere in Chicago". Playbill. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Wicked welcomes Ainsley Melham". Aussie Theatre. Tickets Global. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  19. ^ a b McLoughlin, Sean (14 September 2024). "Wicked Flies into Brisbane: A Magical Green Carpet Premiere". Aussie Theatre. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  20. ^ "The Classics are back across Stonnington". We Know Melbourne. 20 January 2020. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  21. ^ Gervais, Gigi. "Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA is Coming to Melbourne Next Year", Broadway World, November 14, 20212
  22. ^ "Cinderella". Opera Australia. 2022. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  23. ^ Fells, Brannon (3 May 2021). "Disney Princess – The Concert". Disney Concerts. The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  24. ^ "Aladdin: Live From The West End" Coming Soon To Disney+". What's On Disney Plus. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  25. ^ "Schedule of Upcoming and Announced Filmed Stage Musicals". Filmed on Stage. 19 February 2022.
  26. ^ "2016 Glugs Theatre Award Nominations". Glugs.com.au. 6 December 2016. Archived from the original on 12 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  27. ^ "2016 GLUGS THEATRE AWARDS". Stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
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