Most recently on stage, Ellie Kingdon toured the UK & internationally playing Sophie Sheridan in MAMMA MIA! alongside Steph Parry as her on-stage mother Donna, and Ellie finished her run in the ABBA musical on tour in June this year. For Ellie’s professional and tour debut, she played Sandy in the UK Tour of Grease, and in 2022, she was in the Ensemble when Grease opened at the Dominion Theatre in the West End, also covering the roles of Sandy, Marty, Rizzo and Jan, and the following year, she returned to the musical as Marty. Ellie has pantomime experience, having played Sleepy Beauty at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, and in 2020, she graduated from the Musical Theatre course at University of Chichester. It has been announced that Ellie is set to reprise her starring role of Sophie in MAMMA MIA!, with her performances beginning at the Novello Theatre in London’s West End on Monday 6th October, and she is currently in rehearsals alongside a cast including Sara Poyzer as Donna Sheridan and George Maddison as Sky. Answering our questions, Ellie talks about playing Sophie in MAMMA MIA!, what the ABBA musical is like to be part of and her time in Grease (including as Sandy on tour).

In June, you finished your starring role of Sophie Sheridan in the UK & International Tour of MAMMA MIA!, what was it like touring with the production and seeing the fan response to the show around the world?

The show is totally universal and we all figured that out very quickly. It’s been touring for 20 years and is loved internationally so being able to bring the show to so many countries this year was amazing. I think the piece continues to work so well because it never changes. The heart is the story and the story is essentially about love in all forms; making the story relatable to anyone, wherever they are in the world.

How did you prepare for taking on the role of Sophie and what was the character like to play?

I actually received the offer before seeing the stage production of the show, so had no idea how busy she was! Sophie never stops and anyone who’s played her will agree. If you’re not on stage you’re hiding behind the set or backstage changing costume. But despite the chaos, I simply love playing her. She goes through an immense journey of self-discovery, something I think every young woman can connect with, discovering what’s actually important to her regardless of what the ‘norm’ is. She’s powerful, silly, stubborn, vulnerable, adventurous and loving.

What was it like finding out you’d booked MAMMA MIA!, and how familiar were you with the musical before auditioning?

I really couldn’t quite believe it. It’s such an iconic show that’s been running for 26 years now and they wanted me! Everyone knows the music of ABBA and I grew up with film… it’s just one of them shows that you never not remember knowing, so I was eager to dive into the story and see what I could personally bring to the show.

What was the ABBA music like to perform and do you have any favourite ABBA songs?

Imagine being paid to sing Waterloo every day… ABBA just knew how to write a song. They’re the catchiest, most uplifting and emotive songs to perform and Catherine Johnson is an absolute GENIUS to create MM using the ABBA soundtrack. You can’t quite believe the songs haven’t been written for the piece it’s that seamless.

I had never heard Under Attack before watching the show and that very quickly became a favourite, especially how they incorporate it into the story. Some of my favourites would definitely include Slipping Through My Fingers, Does Your Mother Know and SOS. One of my favourite moments in the show is when Super Trooper starts; the harmonies are awesome and sets up the whirlwind of the hen do perfectly.

How was it working alongside Steph Parry as your on-stage mother Donna Sheridan and with the rest of the cast?

If one didn’t know, Steph brought her weeks old baby on tour with us, starting in China, and continued to play real-life mum and my on-stage mum for the duration of the tour. I have absolutely no idea how she did it. Travelling for so long playing such a demanding role is hard enough but imagine throwing a newborn into the mix! She simply is another superwoman paving the way for new, existing and aspiring mothers in the industry. Her little boy is just beautiful and how special as a cast that we got to witness all his firsts as one big MAMMA MIA! family! From being passed around at the airports or hotel breakfasts to running around in warm up by the time we finished. Quite astonishing when you look back on it.

What are some of your stand-out highlights from touring with MAMMA MIA! and playing Sophie?

Visiting the countries we went to will always be the biggest highlight for me. The show enabled us to see parts of the world I’d always dreamed of seeing and I will forever be grateful for that opportunity. From China to Hong Kong, Taiwan to Switzerland, Germany to Paris to Abu Dhabi and more. It was WILD! But my biggest highlight would be Dublin, the 20th touring anniversary week playing to 7000 people each night for a week. We felt like rock stars and something very few would experience in their career. Opening the show felt like the biggest moment in my career to date and I’ll remember that feeling forever.

For your professional stage debut, you played Sandy on the UK Tour of Grease, how was it getting into character and telling Sandy’s story?

Sandy is great! I had such a lot to learn on this job with it being my professional debut but I quickly figured out how I wanted to portray her. I didn’t want her to find her inner ‘leather leggings and heels’ version right at the end. I wanted her to always have that throughout the show, just a more subtle version. I really wanted her to be a real person and not a character from the iconic film, but someone that was relatable. I had the best time on that job.

How did you find the experience touring for the first time and learning the musical’s choreography?

I actually joined the company when they had already opened, in their second venue, I believe. They needed an alternate Sandy due to complications in the company and so within four days I had auditioned for the job, received an offer and made my way to Canterbury to start my own private rehearsals in a side room whilst the current cast continued. I learnt the show in three days and a week later I was on! The company were great and welcomed me with open arms. I began playing the role full-time during the run and had the best time. Touring the UK comes with its own challenges but there are definitely many beautiful places to see.

The choreography was immense. Arlene Phillips and Richard Roe devised the piece in a way that choreographically forced you to enter the depths of the 1950s and what these kids faced socially, as well as performing the most iconic numbers like Greased Lightnin’ and You’re the One That I Want.

You then made your West End debut in 2022 when Grease opened at the Dominion Theatre, how was it performing in the Ensemble and what did you enjoy most about working on Grease?

Being in the Ensemble was a different beast. There was a lot more dancing involved including the hand jive which Sandy doesn’t do. I covered Sandy, Marty, Rizzo and Jan so I had a lot to learn! I loved the thrill of being thrown on, I loved the challenge of the workload and learning most of the Pink Ladies’ tracks. It really highlighted to me how amazing covers are and how we simply couldn’t run without them. The best bit for me was starting from scratch and being able to be a part of a rehearsal process this time which taught me many things, and also being more involved with the company. Sandy can be quite an isolating track due to the nature of the piece so it was nice to be with my fellow castmates more.

How was it returning to the show for another run at the Dominion Theatre in 2023, this time playing Marty, and how different were both characters to play?

Marty was my favourite character in Grease. She’s really an amalgamation of both sides of Sandy but in one person. She’s vulnerable and desperately wants to be loved but also a sexy free spirit who thrives on independence; unless she has the opportunity to be with her Pinks. In my personal opinion, Freddy, My Love is one of the best songs in the show for someone to sing. You get to belt and riff with a hand-held mic and every night I felt like a pop star, especially to the large Dominion audiences! I remember once playing Marty in Act 1 and Sandy in Act 2 and it was one of the most thrilling shows of my career to date.

What was it like performing in pantomime at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury as the titular character in Sleeping Beauty and how was it interacting with the family audience?

Canterbury was my first and only panto to date and I loved it! It’s such a silly gig but the production value of pantomimes across the country nowadays is huge! The schedule is relentless, 13 shows a week, every day a double show day and sometimes three shows a day. It’s an absolute marathon but there wasn’t one show where I wasn’t laughing or smiling myself. The families love it and it’s always lovely to be a part of someone’s family traditions that year. The team were also amazing and I was very lucky with the cast and Evolution for having me.

You graduated from the Musical Theatre course at the University of Chichester in 2020, was there anything that encouraged you to attend and how was your time as a student?

I actually lived in the same town as the university so it made sense for me to go. I auditioned for a few London drama schools and luckily a couple of offers came in but things aligned more for Chichester, and I’m so grateful they did! If I’m honest, I didn’t really know what I was looking for in my next chapter of training and didn’t really have any guidance as to what schools I should be applying for, but looking back I think I thrived being in a university. I was able to study stage management alongside my MT degree, ‘majoring’ in DSMing and sound; so I feel like I really got the most out of my time at Chichester. It’s also how I met my agent and I don’t know where I’d be without him, so everything happens for a reason!

How did you get into acting/performing and was it always something you wanted to do professionally?

I began amateur dramatics when I was four, following my sister who I looked up to massively. I’d never wanted to do anything else and although being encouraged to have a plan B, I couldn’t. I knew I had to jump at the industry head first and deal with the consequences later if it didn’t work out. Luckily it paid off and I’m just holding onto it for as long as I can!

What are some of your favourite theatre shows to watch, and which would you like to see that you haven’t done so as yet?

One of my favourite pieces of theatre I’ve ever seen was Sylvia at The Old Vic. It left such an imprint on me and I always refer back to it in moments like these. It also highlighted a love for Beverley Knight and because of this, I recently watched the two-woman play Marie and Rosetta at Chichester which was wonderful! The Curious Case of Benjamin Button I thought was also one of the most beautifully exquisite pieces of theatre the West End has seen in a while.

I’m desperate to see Hadestown and would love to catch the revival of Into the Woods coming to the Bridge Theatre.

How do you like to spend your free time?

With my family for sure. I have nine nieces and nephews so I love being home and seeing them as much as possible! My home home is on the seaside by the South Downs so I love walking, I love cooking and reading and prioritising me time; I think it’s really important in the job we do. Oh and coffee…

What are you hoping the rest of this year brings for you?

This year is an exciting one as I’m currently rehearsing to open as Sophie Sheridan in the West End! Not in my wildest dreams did I think I would be lucky enough to be here but I am savouring each day. I hope to feel more connected with the hustle and bustle of the industry now being back in the West End. I aim to prioritise health, friendships, peace and fun this year. I really want to make the most of being back in my favourite show surrounded by my gorgeous friends also working in London, and take advantage of the stability that also gives me.

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