After 40 years in the business, icon, Todd McKenney looks back on an extraordinary career to share his highlights with Woman’s Day.
Song and dance, 1983
An 18-year-old Todd was asked to accompany the son of his boss to an audition for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song And Dance.
He ended up getting the role himself!
“It was for the part of an acrobat and I was an acrobat back then, so it suited me perfectly,” he reflects on his first big break.
“Plus, it was all dancing, so it was really right up my alley. It ran for a year, and really changed my life.”
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42nd Street was the young star’s big Broadway break.
(Credit: Supplied)42nd Street, 1989
Five years later, Todd landed his first lead in this hit musical. He recalls, “I’d seen it on Broadway and when the lead sang We’re In The Money, I remember sitting in that auditorium thinking, ‘I’d love to do that one day.'”
Strictly Ballroom, 1992
Todd made the leap from the stage to the screen in the role of ballroom dancer Nathan Starkey in Baz Luhrmann’s iconic film alongside his future Dancing With The Stars co-star Sonia Kruger.
“I’d auditioned for Paul Mercurio’s role with Baz and didn’t get it, and then I had another job, so I did that,” explains Todd.
However, fate soon intervened, and when the actor who nabbed the role pulled out, Todd was called in.
“[They said] what are you doing tomorrow, which was great because suddenly I’m dancing what they called the ‘fruity rumba’ with Sonia, aka Tina Sparkle,” he recalls.
He played Teen Angel in 2013’s Grease.
(Credit: Supplied)Crazy For You, 1997
Todd auditioned in Sydney for this boy-meets-girl musical before being flown to New York to work with the American director.
“He didn’t like me!” says Todd.
“He wanted his American guy to come in but then, on opening night, the guy did his ACL in and they asked me if I could go on the next day. I’d sat watching the rehearsals for five weeks, but I hadn’t learned anything, so I literally stayed up all night long and read the script.” The next night, he did his first show!
The Boy From Oz, 1998
Perhaps the stage role he’s most synonymous with, Todd made the role of Peter Allen in the Australian production of The Boy From Oz his own.
“I was a huge fan of Peter’s and was friendly with Lynne, his sister,” he says.
Todd performed more than 1000 shows, and it soon became one of the longest-running musical productions in Australian history.
However, when it went to Broadway in 2003, Hugh Jackman landed the role.
“It would have been nice to go to Broadway with it, but luckily I have a lot of respect for Hugh – he said if I asked him not to accept it, he wouldn’t, which I thought was really decent,” says Todd.
Another career highlight? Musical Annie in 2011.
(Credit: Supplied)Singin’ in the Rain, 2001
This proved to be one of the most physically demanding shows of Todd’s career to date.
He recalls, “We were recreating the dance routines from the movie, which were always designed to be filmed and shot and then never danced again… by the end of the show I used to limp to the car to drive home!”
Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, 2006
Later turned into a movie starring Jacki Weaver, this play saw Todd star with Nancye Hayes and foray into drama.
“This was another role that changed my life – one that taught me how to act,” he says.
Todd calls Lord Farquaad “the funniest role I’ve done”.
(Credit: Supplied)Shrek the Musical, 2020
Todd played tiny, ruthless Lord Farquaad in this lavish multimillion-dollar musical adaptation of the hit kids’ films.
“I had hip replacement surgery scheduled and I knew that the character would be on his knees throughout the show, so it was going to be a bit of a big ask,” he says.
Thankfully, he recovered from surgery in six weeks and was able to make the part his own.
“It killed me because I was on my knees at 56 years old, running from one side of the stage to the other, but hearing an audience lose themselves made it all worth it!”
Wicked, 2023
Todd’s role as the iconic Wizard in the upcoming hit ties in with his 40-year stage anniversary.
“I’m stepping into Bert Newton’s shoes – who was a great mate – so I’m thinking about him a lot. I feel honoured,” says the triple threat.
“To be in such an iconic role is a real thrill,” Todd says of his role in Wicked.
(Credit: Supplied)