Ashleigh Gray

Ashleigh Gray is a Scottish actress and musical theatre performer best known for playing Elphaba in the London and UK & Ireland touring productions of Wicked.

Gray was born in Fife, Scotland and educated at Newbattle Community High School in Dalkeith. In 2003, she graduated from the Guildford School of Acting, where she received the Margaret Veale Award for Singing and the principals award for Musical Theatre. In 2001, Gray returned to Newbattle High School to give a talk to pupils, during which she was surprised by a TV crew and BBC TV star Jane McDonald who were filming her for a series called Star for a Night.

In 2004, Gray made her professional début as Kim in the UK national tour of the Boy George musical Taboo. She was also a soloist in the concert Notes from New York. Prior to this she played the role of Kirsty in Only You Can Save Mankind at the Edinburgh Festival. In 2006, she appeared in NHS the Musical at the Drum Theatre Plymouth and covered Rizzo and Jan in the UK national tour of Grease. In 2007, Gray performed the role of Emily in the European première of Myths and Hymns and again that year at the Finborough theatre.

On 16 July 2007, she joined the London company of the musical Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, where she performed in the ensemble, performing primarily as Glinda's friend at university Pfanee. She also understudied the role of Elphaba. She played her first performance as the not-so-wicked witch 6 February 2008. She then became Elphaba standby from 9 June 2008, replacing Cassidy Janson. After a lengthy run in the show, she departed at cast change on 27 March 2010, with her final appearance as Elphaba on 12 March. She was replaced by Nikki Davis-Jones. Soon enough, Ashleigh made a special one-night return to the role for the evening performance of 28 October 2010, due to the indisposition of all the current Elphaba's at the time. She then became the emergency cover Elphaba, for the 18 February 2011 performance, in which Davis-Jones, Gray's replacement, left mid-first act due to illness, and the current understudy was not rehearsed.

Gray has also been part of the Notes From New York series including shows at the Trafalgar studios. On 9 December 2007 she also appeared in the Christmas version of the show Christmas in New York, at the Lyric Theatre, singing alongside her Wicked co-star Oliver Tompsett, Julie Atherton and Rachael Wooding. Gray's songs included Grown up Christmas List and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas with Oliver Tompsett. Along with stage musicals, Gray has worked with Oliver Tompsett on his debut album, Sentimental Heart, for which she recorded a duet with him.

On 26 September 2010 Gray joined composer Scott Alan at his concert " Simply The Music of Scott Alan" in London's West End. The concert also featured Louise Dearman, Patina Miller, Sierra Boggess, Jodie Jacobs, Alex Gaumond and Hadley Fraser. Gray performed the song "Please Don't Let Me Go".^{[citation needed]}

On 25 April 2011, Gray hosted her first solo cabaret "Easter With Ashleigh Gray". In which she performed a host of songs from her career, new songs written for her and some of her personal favourite songs. In the summer of 2011 she took part in a workshop and reading of the musical "Girlfriends" by Laurence Mark Wythe. In the summer of 2011 Gray played Miranda in Betwixt! at Trafalgar Studios, a role for which she received several nominations for Best Actress in a Musical.

Gray originated the role of Lorraine Campbell in 'I Dreamed A Dream' the Susan Boyle Musical which toured the UK and Ireland in 2012.