On 12th May, Lucie Jones is hosting two concerts at Cadogan Hall at 2:30pm and 6:30pm with Fourth Wall Live, with tickets available from the Cadogan Hall website, and she made her New York City cabaret debut at 54 Below in March. In September 2023, Lucie finished her run as Fantine in Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre, having performed in the role at the 2021 Staged Concert, and over recent years, she has starred as Elphaba in Wicked in the West End, reprised her role of Jenna Hunterson on the UK Tour of Waitress the Musical, and workshopped 13 Going On 30: The Musical at the Battersea Arts Theatre in the role of Jenna Rink. Lucie is part of Pippin – 50th Anniversary Concert, which is playing at Theatre Royal Drury Lane yesterday and today, and she has booked a musical theatre job for this summer, and alongside her acting career, she runs Lucie Jones Academy. Also a radio host, Lucie presents a weekly show on Magic at the Musicals/Magic FM, and she hosted The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals backstage coverage for BBC Radio 2. Speaking with Lucie, we found out about her upcoming concerts at Cadogan Hall on Sunday 12th May with Fourth Wall Live, starring as Fantine in Les Misérables and Elphaba in Wicked in the West End, reprising her role of Jenna Hunterson for the Waitress the Musical UK Tour and running Lucie Jones Academy.

You are performing two concerts at Cadogan Hall in London on Sunday 12th May, how are you preparing for them?

I have a very long playlist of songs that I would love to sing at some point, so in prep for this show, I spent time going through those and finding some that would work for me right now. I always like to add a few songs that nobody has heard me sing before, and this setlist is no different. I’ve been playing around with these songs for a while now and can’t wait to get together with the band the week before the show for some rehearsal!

What can the audiences expect from the shows and have you decided on the setlist as yet?

The setlist is finalised but I am a last minute adder! My band thankfully have all worked with me before and are ready for anything. This show is slightly different to the last few solo shows I have done. I have had loads of time to choose songs and invite my guests etc.

What are you looking forward to for working with Fourth Wall Live for these shows and how did the concert come about?

FWL have been producing some amazing events over the last few years, they have really established themselves as the top of their game. I jumped at the chance to work with them.

What has it been like seeing the fan response to the announcement of the shows so far?

I love chatting to people about what they want to hear at these sort of gigs, whether it be online or in person. I take suggestions and requests before putting my setlist together and this one is no different. I am always blown away by people’s response to these shows, it is quite overwhelming.

Who do you think will enjoy watching your live concert at Cadogan Hall and what is the venue like to perform at?

I have performed at the venue twice – once in a streamed concert during lockdown so with zero in person audience, and once shortly after lockdown with a socially distanced audience with David Hunter. It will be lovely to perform there with a full house! It’s a varied setlist… it reflects my taste in music. It is eclectic! I love it when people come away having learned and fallen in love with a new song because we chose it and performed it at a gig.

How was it making your New York City cabaret debut at 54 Below on Wednesday 13th March?

NYC was UNBELIEVABLE. I was so scared! I gig a lot and am very comfortable on stage but there was something about going over to New York that made me question the strangest things. It was all imposter syndrome – as soon as the concert started I relaxed and I had a brilliant time. The house was full and they responded so well. It was a very special experience.

In September, you finished your run as Fantine in Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre, what was Fantine like to play and how different did you find performing as the character in the full musical opposed to Les Misérables: The Staged Concert in 2021?

I love playing Fantine, she is an iconic musical theatre role that has been played by some of my favourite actors of all time. It’s an honour to have stepped into her shoes even once, let alone as many times as I have. The Staged Concert was brilliant and a big learning curve.

How did you find the experience playing Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked and how was it getting into costume/character?

It was a dream to play Elphaba since I was very young so getting green every day was MIND-blowing! I loved the process of getting into character, I had spent so many years hoping and preparing for this show and role it never got old.

What was it like performing the show’s musical numbers and how did you feel on your final show?

The songs are iconic. It was never lost on me how special the music is and I loved getting to know the music inside and out. The final show was overwhelming – I have never heard a response from an audience in a musical like we did as a company that night. It was an incredible feeling to have as a company, we felt extremely lucky.

You reprised your role of Jenna Hunterson for the UK Tour of Waitress the Musical, how was it returning to play her on tour?

I was not ready to give Jenna up when lockdown hit in 2020 so I was thrilled when the opportunity came up to reprise the role on tour. Jenna’s story is one that I was incredibly keen to share so taking Waitress on the road and reaching even more people was a dream. Loved it.

At the end of last year, you played Jenna Rink in the workshops of 13 Going On 30: The Musical at Battersea Arts Centre, how was this?

13 Going On 30 is one of my favourite films so when the meeting came up for the role of Jenna (so many Jennas in my life!), I was beside myself. I sobbed reading the scenes for the first time and was thrilled when I booked the role. The show is brilliant and has exceeded all my expectations of what the musical could be. I am so stoked we got to share the workshop performances with an audience. It means they have now been a part of the creative process – their reactions informed our decisions day to day and it was really exciting.

Can you tell us about Lucie Jones Academy and what is it like to run?

LJA came from me falling in love with teaching during lockdown. I knew I wanted to continue teaching in the “real world” when it returned, so I created a workshop-based educational opportunity for people wanting to enter the musical theatre industry. I have been running workshops teaching on and offstage disciplines to people all over the country and am so thrilled with the response. It is a real labour of love and so much work but it is entirely worth it. To bring West End professionals into an environment where they can support, shape and educate people in a trusted environment, is all I could have hoped for. It has turned out to be so much more!

As a radio presenter, you have a weekly show on Magic at the Musicals/Magic FM and hosted the backstage coverage at The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals for BBC Radio 2, what do you enjoy most about presenting on the radio and what are some of your favourite highlights so far?

The show on Magic is my weekly highlight most weeks. I love the radio! The show is so fun and just celebrates the world of musical theatre – there’s nothing not to love!

What are you hoping the rest of 2024 brings for you and do you have any projects coming up that you can tell us about?

I am doing a very exciting musical theatre job over the summer – can’t wait to get back on stage in this particular show. I’ve just done Pippin in the West End, which was so much fun too. More Academy, more radio, lots of gigs and loads of fun.

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