Lucy Maunder

Lucy Maunder
GREASE: The No.1 Party Musical media event Sydney, Australia - 24 March 2013. Photographer Eva Rinaldi
Background information
Born	Australia
Genres	Musical Theatre
Occupation(s)	Singer, actor
Website	lucymaunder.com

Lucy Maunder is an Australian cabaret and theatre performer. She originated the role of Lara in the Australian premiere of Doctor Zhivago opposite Anthony Warlow, and has toured with her own cabaret Songs in the Key of Black, releasing an album with the same name. Maunder was recently touring in the national touring company of Grease playing the role of Rizzo. She is currently playing the role of Heather Chandler in the Australian tour of Heathers: The Musical.

Lucy Maunder, the daughter of stage director, Stuart Maunder AM, moved to England when she was five while her father was resident director of the Royal Opera House. Her mother is singer Anne-Maree McDonald.

After an initial desire to become a dancer, Maunder commenced singing at the age of fourteen.

Maunder graduated from Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) with a Bachelor in Music Theatre. In an interview with The Age, Maunder mentioned WAAPA teachers Jenny Lynnd and John Milson as having a profound impact on her. During this period she became close friends with Stephen Mahy whom she would go on to co-star with in Grease.

Maunder played the lead role of Lara in the premiere of Doctor Zhivago at the Lyric Theatre, Sydney on 19 February 2011 with Anthony Warlow as Yurii Zhivago, Taneel Van Zyl as Tonia and Martin Crewes as Pasha. The production was directed by Des McAnuff. A cast album was planned with two songs by Maunder and Warlow being released in 2011. Doctor Zhivago ran from 19 February until 3 April 2011 in Sydney, before travelling to Melbourne in April until 29 May. From there it went to Brisbane for a limited run from 6–31 July, however, its popularity with Brisbane audiences saw the Queensland season extended to 14 August.

Maunder performed in Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens as part of the Sydney Mardi Gras Festival. The song cycle was a collection of free verse poems and songs inspired by stories from the Project AIDS Memorial Quilt.