STAGES with Peter Eyers

‘You’ll Always Hit the Spot, Big Shot’ - Actor, Presenter, Performer; Todd McKenney - Part 3


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One of Australia’s most versatile performing artists, Todd McKenney is an award winning and critically acclaimed performer on stage and screen. As an actor and the leading man of song and dance in musical theatre productions, he has entertained Australians for 40 years, from the main stage to intimate venues.

It’s not surprising that Todd McKenney is a household name. National exposure came with his delicious portrayal of the acerbic adjudicator on Dancing with the Stars - a television juggernaut that has completed multiple seasons.

Todd’s stage credit roll and career highlights include his most notable role of Peter Allen in the Australian hit production The Boy From Oz, in which he performed over 1000 shows nationally and became one of the longest running and most successful musical productions in Australian history.

Todd’s first professional musical role was in 1983 in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song and Dance. His career followed with lead and headline roles in Cats, 42nd Street, West Side Story, Crazy For You, Born Yesterday, Camelot, Pirates of Penzance, Cabaret, Strictly Ballroom, La Cage aux Folles, Singin’ In the Rain, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Orpheus In the Underworld for Opera Australia, Annie the Musical, Grease, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks and Anything Goes. 

In 2018 he stepped into the stilettos and successfully took on the role of Frank N’ Furter in The Rocky Horror Show in Melbourne. In 2019 Todd stepped out on stage as Australia’s Greatest Showman in the title role of Barnum, and most recently played Lord Farquaad in the hit musical Shrek and Lord Chancellor Sebastian in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

As a dancer, his journey started at the age of three at his mother’s dancing school in Perth, training in jazz, tap, acrobatics and ballroom dancing. He represented Australia in ballroom and Latin American dancing, winning many international dance titles. Amongst his Australian awards for performance in musical theatre he has two Mo Awards, the Variety Club Heart Award, the Glug Award, the Green Room Award, two Australian Dance Awards and a Helpmann Award.

On the small screen Todd has starred in the hit show Winners and Losers on the 7 Network.  He has also appeared as a guest judge on Australia’s Got Talent, hosted on a range of morning Television programs and appeared as an entertaining guest across all networks. On radio Todd co-hosted Sydney’s MIX106.5 breakfast radio program with Sonia Kruger for two years and is a regular guest on the airwaves.

In 2020, Todd played Lewis in the award winning feature film Unsound. On the small screen Todd has appeared in the acclaimed ABC series Significant Others; an engrossing, intelligently crafted six-part series about a missing persons case. 

On a personal level, Todd had the delight of becoming a father in 2007 and his daughter Charlotte is the light of his life. He is a student of Auslan sign language and has worked within the deaf community all around Australia. Todd is also a keen supporter of The Grace Centre For Newborn Intensive Care at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead and the Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

Over the past year, Todd has starred as Wilbur Turnblad in Hairspray the Musical and Sebastian in Cinderella. In 2023 he commences a tour of his one-man show - Todd McKenney sings Peter Allen and lots more! A perfect way to celebrate 40 years on the boards!

For dates and details go to www.toddmckenney.com.au

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).

www.stagespodcast.com.au

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STAGES with Peter EyersBy Peter Eyers

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