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Todd McKenney

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This article is about Australian entertainer. For the judge from Ohio, see Todd McKenney (politician).

Todd McKenney
Born31 March 1965 (1965-03-31) (age 59)
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Occupations
  • Dancer
  • singer
  • theatre performer
  • TV personality
  • host

Todd McKenney (born 31 May 1965) is an Australian dancer, theatre performer and TV personality. He first got is start on the Chanel 7 television show “Simon’s Battered Sav!” He is best known as a judge on the Australian television talent show Dancing with the Stars.

As a theatre performer, he has appeared in numerous productions, including singer Peter Allen in the theatre production The Boy from Oz.

Early life

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McKenney grew up in Perth, where his father was a jail warden and his mother a dance teacher. They separated when he was 9.[1] He began his entertainment career on a children's television show as Percy Penguin.[1]

McKenney trained in jazz, tap, acrobatics and ballroom dancing. He represented Australia in ballroom and Latin American dancing, and won many international awards.[2]

Career

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McKenney has performed on stage since 1983 in productions including 42nd Street, The Pirates of Penzance, Camelot, La Cage aux Folles, Singin' in the Rain, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert - the Musical.[3] In 1992, he played the role of ballroom dancer Nathan Starkey in Baz Luhrmann's film Strictly Ballroom, alongside his future Dancing with the stars Australia co-star Sonia Kruger, as well as Paul Mercurio.[4]

McKenney rose to fame in 1998 when he created the lead role of Peter Allen in the Australian production of The Boy from Oz.[1] He performed the role 766 times between 1998 and 2000. However, when the production went to Broadway in 2003, Hugh Jackman landed the role over McKenney.[1]

Outside musical theatre, McKenney is best known as a judge on Australia's version of Dancing with the Stars.[3] He has appeared on all fifteen seasons of the show since 2004.[5]

McKenney took on his first non-musical role in 2006, starring as Michael Minetti in the Ensemble Theatre production of Richard Alfieri's two-hander play Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks with Nancye Hayes at the Playhouse Theatre in the Sydney Opera House.[6][7] The play remains the most successful in the Ensemble Theatre's history, and the pair reprised these roles ten years later at the Concourse Theatre, Chatswood, reuniting with Sandra Bates for her final directorial role.[8] McKenney performed his Casting Couch production at the Ensemble's Kirribilli premises in 2016, interviewing Queenie van de Zandt, Georgie Parker, and Simon Burke in different performances.[9]

McKenny in Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks with Nancye Hayes

In 2006, McKenney hosted the television game show You May Be Right, which was cancelled after a month on air.[10] He hosted the breakfast program on Sydney radio station Mix 106.5 with Dancing with the Stars co-host Sonia Kruger, as well as Andy Grace, from January 2008 until September 2009.

On 19 May 2010 and on 27 December 2010, McKenney guest co-hosted The Morning Show alongside Kylie Gillies, while regular male presenter Larry Emdur was on holidays.

In 2011, McKenney portrayed Lord Evelyn Oakley in a limited showing of Anything Goes in Melbourne, alongside Amanda Harrison.[11] In 2012, he played the role of Rooster in the hit musical Annie alongside Anthony Warlow, Nancye Hayes and Alan Jones.[12]

McKenney plays Teen Angel in the 2013-2014 Australian National Touring Company production of the hit musical Grease, starring alongside Bert Newton, John Paul Young, Rob Mills, and Gretel Scarlett. Although he is on stage for less than four minutes,[3] critics have said he "steals the show."[13][14]

In 2005, McKenney released an album, Just a Gigolo. The title track was a duet with Maggie Kirkpatrick. Seven of the twelve tracks were Peter Allen compositions. The album also included "I Don't Care Too Much", a Kander and Ebb song that was dropped from Cabaret. McKenney released a tribute album to Peter Allen on Friday 22 November 2013, called Todd McKenney sings Peter Allen.[15]

In 2019 he headlined a production of Barnum.

In 2022 he was in a production of Cinderella.

Beginning in 2023 he was in a production of Wicked as The Wizard.[16]

Personal life

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McKenney is gay.[17] He has a daughter (who was conceived via IVF), Charlotte Wood, who lives in Melbourne with her mother, Anne Wood.[2] McKenney has said his first girlfriend, at twelve years of age, was dancer and presenter Sonia Kruger.[18]

He is a student of Auslan sign language and has worked within the deaf community all around Australia.[19] Todd is also a keen supporter of The Grace Centre For Newborn Intensive Care[20] at the Children's Hospital at Westmead[21] and the Cerebral Palsy Alliance.[22]

Another of Todd's passions is his greyhounds and for the past four years he has been the face of the Greyhounds As Pets National Adoption Day, and more recently a GAP NSW Ambassador.[23]

During the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2020, Todd McKenney launched a website, Todd Creates,[24] in order for members of the theatrical and entertainment communities to pivot their skills in order to make face masks and continue to earn an income while all theatres were closed. He then forged a partnership with Everyday Market from Woolworths[25] in order for small-medium-sized Australian businesses to have a space to sell their products on the new marketplace, offering an unprecedented opportunity for these businesses to grow.

On April 7, 2017, he was banned from driving for three months and fined $375 with a charge relating to drink-driving.[26][27] He was pulled over on George St in Sydney's CBD at 10.50pm on March 7, after police noticed the headlights of his car were off. He was breath-tested and blew a reading of 0.05.

In 2019, while speaking on a Melbourne LGBTQI+ podcast, McKenney revealed he had been in a relationship with his sister's husband, Simon Gallaher, prior to their marriage: "She married my ex-boyfriend and is still married to my ex-boyfriend but just has never mentioned it to me. It's weird isn't it? I don't think I've ever spoken about it publicly."[28][29]

Awards and nominations

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Helpmann Awards

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The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia since 2001.[30]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2001 Todd McKenney – The Boy from Oz Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Musical Won [31]
2009 Todd McKenney – Priscilla Queen of the Desert – the Musical Best Male Actor in a Musical Nominated [32]
2012 Todd McKenney – Annie Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical Nominated [33]
2015 Todd McKenney – Anything Goes Best Male Actor in a Musical Nominated [34]
Todd McKenney – La Cage aux Folles Nominated

Mo Awards

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The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Todd McKenney won three awards in that time.[35]

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only)
1998 Todd McKenney Male Musical Theatre Performer of the Year Won
1999 Todd McKenney Male Musical Theatre Performer of the Year Won
2004 Todd McKenney Versatile Variety Performance of the Year Won

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Gill, Raymond (19 May 2012). "Lunch with Todd McKenney". The Age. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  2. ^ a b Broun, Shirley (16 October 2013). "Todd McKenney - the new Teen Angel". On With The Show. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  3. ^ a b c Blake, Elissa (13 October 2013). "At home with Todd McKenney". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  4. ^ Butler, Joshua (24 March 2014). "Albion Park dancer gets to team up with Baz". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  5. ^ Symonds, Kirsty (24 August 2012). "Dancing with the Stars judge Todd McKenney returns to Perth for 'Annie'". Perth Now. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  6. ^ Hallett, Bruce (13 February 2006). "Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  7. ^ Huntsdale, Justin (17 February 2016). "Theatre legends Todd McKenney and Nancye Hayes unite for heart-warming play". ABC News. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  8. ^ Hook, Chris (3 February 2016). "Ten years later, McKenney and Hayes bring Six Dance Lessons play back for another spin on stage". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  9. ^ Apfelbaum, Ben (13 October 2016). "Queenie van de Zaandt joins Todd McKenney on the Casting Couch @ The Ensemble". Sydney Arts Guide. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  10. ^ Knox, David (20 March 2009). "Panel Beaters". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  11. ^ Herbert, Kate (22 July 2011). "Review:Anything Goes". Herald Sun. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  12. ^ Roach, Vicky (27 June 2011). "Todd McKenney, Alan Jones, Anthony Warlow star in new production of Annie the musical". news.com.au. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  13. ^ Bailey, John (6 December 2013). "Todd McKenney steals limelight as teen angel". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  14. ^ Godfrey, Bruce (13 August 2014). "Theatre Review: Grease". Glam Adelaide. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  15. ^ "Todd McKenney Sings The Songs Of Peter Allen For Fanfare". Noise11.com. 17 November 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  16. ^ Mary Varvaris (5 October 2023). "Wicked Broadway Musical Heading To Melbourne In March 2024". TheMusic.com.au. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Devastating fallout from Todd McKenney's family kiss and tell".
  18. ^ "Todd McKenney | Word for Word". joy.org.au. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018.
  19. ^ "Patrons". Auslan Stage Left. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  20. ^ "Todd Mckenney". The Children's Hospital at Westmead. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  21. ^ "Artsday / Todd's masks support industry – and children". Canberra CityNews. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  22. ^ "Theatres '12 months away' from rebooting after COVID, says Todd McKenney". 7NEWS. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  23. ^ "GAPNSW - Todd McKenney". Gapnsw.com.au. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  24. ^ "Todd McKenney expands his online marketplace for Aussie creatives". 7NEWS. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  25. ^ "Woolworths teams up with Todd McKenney's Todd+Creates: See the range here". au.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  26. ^ "Todd McKenney collapses in park after party". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  27. ^ "How not to kill a celebrity public park drug story, by Todd McKenney". Crickey.com.au. 28 April 2008.
  28. ^ "Simon Gallaher and wife split following Todd McKenney's bombshell revelation". News.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  29. ^ "All eyes on Todd's tipples". 19 June 2008.
  30. ^ "Events & Programs". Live Performance Australia. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  31. ^ "2001 Helpmann Awards Nominees & Winners". Helpmann Awards. Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  32. ^ "2009 Helpmann Awards Nominees & Winners". Helpmann Awards. Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  33. ^ "2012 Helpmann Awards Nominees & Winners". Helpmann Awards. Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  34. ^ "2015 Helpmann Awards Nominees & Winners". Helpmann Awards. Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  35. ^ "MO Award Winners". Mo Awards. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
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