LUCY DURACK: MRS POPULAR

Musical Theatre favourite Lucy Durack has recently slipped into two new white dresses. One for her wedding last weekend in Perth ( * pictured here ) and the second, a streamlined bubble dress for her role as Glinda in the return season of Wicked. David Spicer discovered just how ‘popular’ the 31-year-old singer and actress has become when he caught up with her and fiancé, accomplished dancer/choreographer Christopher Horsey.

“We met during a rehearsal in 2005. I was brought in to choreograph the dance elements and Lucy was performing,” says Christopher with a grin.

“It was in the car park of Chapel off Chapel,” says Lucy.

Was it love at first sight?

“It was close to that,” he says.

Lucy explained that they ‘got on very well’ but Chris was on his way to London and they didn’t meet again for another two years.

“We were doing 42^nd Street with The Production Company. Chris was very helpful. He is a much better dancer than me and I was quite nervous. As I was playing Peggy Sawyer I had to work very hard on my tap dancing, whereas Chris is brilliant.”

“I was very happy to work with Lucy on some specific steps,” he chips in.

You made your move while you were choreographing her?

“Oh Yeh!”

What was the move?

“I can’t say. It is a tap step. That only unlocks certain girls’ hearts.”

They both laugh. We are backstage at the Parramatta Riverside Theatre in Sydney’s western suburbs. Chris Horsey is one of the stars of a pro-am production of Annie.

Lucy Durack has flown up from Melbourne for 24 hours. She is seeing two matinee performances then afterwards they are meeting up with their bridal party to go through their bridal waltz.

Surely it will be sensational? After all he won the Fred Astaire International Tap & Jazz Championship in New York at the age of 12 and she’s a WAAPA graduate.

“We are actually choreographing it tonight. I’ve got the idea in my head. We have a song that we absolutely love. It is not a waltz but is in 3/4. It has just got everything that spells our love together,” he said.

The next morning Lucy was heading back to Melbourne for a week that sounds terrifying.

She has eight performances of Private Lives with the Melbourne Theatre Company. In her ‘spare time’ she is re-rehearsing Wicked, as she is rejoining the company in Melbourne. She has two full day rehearsals for a concert production of Atlantis, then a meeting with David Harris to rehearse their concert at Taronga Zoo. Separate to that Chris was also heading down to Melbourne to rehearse a concert with her.

“And we are also writing our wedding vows,” he adds.

It was raining outside at the time, so I felt like directing Lucy to go and lie down with a blanket and have a cup of tea. You wouldn’t want to catch a cold before a week like that. Another risk might be forgetting which show you are in.

“Once or twice (I have) come out with something slightly different to the script. The earlier it happens in the season the better because then you can get it out of your system. If that is the worst that can happen we are going to be alright. It tests your improvisation skills. I was lucky to be surrounded by so many actors who could help.”

She says performing in Private Lives has been more enjoyable than anticipated.

“Noël Coward writes so beautifully and to get your mouth around that is such a robust athletic vocal load.”

She also notes that being in a play uses a different headspace than being in a musical.

“There is a lot more creation and input into the production. A lot more talking around the table.”

There is plenty of talking around the table also for their wedding, planned for Perth in April.

It will have plenty of show business pizazz thanks to help from some ‘very talented friends’.

Kellie Dickerson is the wedding’s ‘musical director’ and their favourite show business photographer is flying in from Sydney.

Can you buy tickets?

“No but maybe you can buy the DVD,” says Chris.

In the last week Lucy took possession of two new white dresses. Which was the most important one?

“Of course my wedding dress,” says Lucy.

“I can’t say what it’s like because my fiancé is here, but it is my dream dress.”

She was more forthcoming about the new white dress she’ll slip into on stage in Wicked as Glinda the good witch.

“I had a costume fitting on Valentine’s Day. Getting back into the ‘bubble’ dress is pretty exciting. I have a brand new one. The old one was 20 kilos. This is heaps lighter and more sparkly,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

Chris is getting excited.

“I would not protest if she walked down the aisle in her bubble dress.”

Lucy assures him though that she be won’t be waving any wand around on her wedding day (at least not in public).

All this talk whets her appetite for the return of Wicked.

“I can’t wait to get back into that and doing that opening number, and I’m so looking forward to working with Jemma Rix again. I am also very much looking forward to singing (the song) Popular again.”

On cue our interview with ‘Mrs Popular’ is interrupted by Annie Producer Neil Gooding – dozens of little orphans are desperate to meet Lucy backstage.

Does this sort of reception for Lucy ever make Chris feel like he’s the musical theatre equivalent of Andrew Upton – the husband of Cate Blanchett?

“I was thinking about that today. This Annie cast is all so excited that Lucy is in today. I did think this must happen to Andrew all the time. But I don’t have a problem with the fact that I am not as pretty as Lucy.”

Does he get jealous, though, when someone kisses his beloved on stage? In Legally Blonde the Musical she smooched with three men each night (and one understudy he notes).

“I just don’t look. Although kissing Cameron Daddo, he was my Perfect Match (host) back in the 80’s, kind of made sense. It is a very professional thing so I have no feelings about it,” he said in a not entirely convincing manner.

Sometimes the kiss is on the other lip.

“I don’t love it when Chris is kissing another girl either. It is part of the gig,” said Lucy

“In (the musical) Every Single Saturday he had a romantic partner. I take a leaf out of Chris’s book and try not to get involved in it. If you play a lead character there is a romantic storyline and that is part of the action of it.”

All this talk of kissing and the wedding made me think about what sort of a baby they might one day be blessed with. Surely such a child would have to be a dynamic dancer.

“If we are fortunate to have children, as Chris is one of the greatest tap dancers I have ever seen, we should also give them the opportunity to be a tap dancer if they want to do that,” says Lucy.

“The chances are high we are going to have a child who wants to be involved in the industry. While of course we would prefer them to want them to be a doctor.”

“Or open the batting for Australia,” adds Chris.

“I am sure we will let them do what their heart desires,” Lucy says.

No doubt any child they will be well versed on the downsides of a career in show business.

“The major disadvantage is that we haven’t seen each other much during the last three months. Chris has been in Sydney doingAnnie and loads of corporate choreography and I have been in Melbourne.

“Having said that I grew up with my parents; they still do long distance. I know lots of couples who do long distance and they are fine.”

My sixteen minutes with Lucy and Chris is up. Lucy meets and greets the Annie orphans, Chris warms up for another performance. They walk off hand in hand.

Wicked previews in Melbourne from May 7, before arriving in Sydney on September 20.

Article originally published in the March / April 2014 edition of Stage Whispers

*The wedding photo was taken by Blueprint Studios and published on Facebook by the groom to celebrate his happy day.