Alumni and Supporters

Bachelor of Arts (Music Theatre), 2002

From a shy Year 1 “scratchy” violinist to the hugely Pop-u-lar performer she is today, Lucy Durack’s journey is one that inspires us to face our fears and do it anyway.

“My first experience on stage…playing Rattle Rattle Dump Truck on a scratchy violin in Year 1… I was so nervous, I didn’t want to do it. And then I got up and did it. When I finished, I started to cry, and my mum [said], ‘Why are you crying?’…It was because I just wanted to go back up there. The stage bug had bitten me.”

Then, at eleven, Lucy was cast in the children’s chorus of the Western Australian Opera’s production of Carmen, alongside just eleven others, and her love of singing really took flight.

“I was very shy growing up, but I loved to sing, and I’m sure if there were any other kids in the mix [at the audition for Carmen], I wouldn’t have gotten in. Twelve of us were chosen to be in the children’s chorus, and I just thought it was the most amazing thing.”

Her interest in musical theatre was piqued at her secondary school, John XXIII College in Mount Claremont, thanks to the school’s strong arts program and to Head of Drama George Tsakisiris, who shared mixtapes of his favourite Broadway musical songs. This opened a doorway that led Lucy straight to WAAPA.

“[Mr Tsakisiris] told my mum and me about WAAPA, and we went along [to the open day], and our eyes were just falling out of our heads. I saw some musical theatre students rehearsing a Max Lambert musical, and I didn’t even know we had Australian musicals at that point. I was just like, ‘What is this place?’ It very quickly became my dream to go to WAAPA.”

Lucy loved every moment at WAAPA, from the many hours she dedicated to her dance and singing skills to the op-shop fancy-dress-up parties with those in her cohort she still calls friends. She also recalls how her mum provided a home away from home for many of her peers from interstate.

“I can barely believe it happened. My goal was to play Glinda, anywhere. I remember listening to Defying Gravity for the first time and then Popular. I just put all my eggs in that Wicked basket - I was just kind of obsessed with it. I played Glinda for over four and a half years, just over 1300 performances, and it was just everything. I never, ever got sick of it, because I just love the show so much. It's still probably my favourite musical.”

Lucy adds that this sense of camaraderie at WAAPA transcends and continues well after graduation, uniting alumni across different year groups and specialisms.

“I always think it's such an intense and amazing experience going to WAAPA. I feel like we have this shared experience that immediately bonds you [with] this shared history and heritage. I always feel really proud to meet other grads because [WAAPA] still is a very important thing to me.”

Once Lucy sets her mind to something, she is driven to achieve it – whether that’s applying for WAAPA (and getting in), landing her first professional role in Mamma Mia! while still in her final year at WAAPA, or winning the legendary role of Glinda in Wicked.

“I can barely believe it happened. My goal was to play Glinda, anywhere. I remember listening to Defying Gravity for the first time and then Popular. I just put all my eggs in that Wicked basket - I was just kind of obsessed with it. I played Glinda for over four and a half years, just over 1300 performances, and it was just everything. I never, ever got sick of it, because I just love the show so much. It's still probably my favourite musical.”

Since hanging up her Glinda wand, goal-orientated Lucy hasn’t slowed down. She always has several projects on the go at once, from starring in the ABC comedy, Ground up, to turning her hand to producing with several exciting new shows in the works, to managing her many Glee Clubs for both adults and kids. Yet, she still finds time to return to where it all began – WAAPA and ECU! Lucy will be astounding us again with her talent as the headline act at Aluminate 2026.

Celebrate a Night of Stars with Lucy and other outstanding ECU alum, book your tickets for Aluminate 2026.