melanie La Barrie

Biography & Awards

2025 Whatsonstage award for best supporting actress – Hadestown

Melanie is a theatre, television and film actor working in London and NYC.

She is currently performing as the Witch in Into the Woods at the Bridge Theatre. She can also be seen on ITV in Emmerdale as Carol Lambert. Recently, she appeared in Mary Page Marlowe at the Old Vic, starring opposite Susan Sarandon, Andrea Riseborough and Eleanor Worthington-Cox.

Melanie has also appeared as Hermes in the Original West End Cast of Hadestown, for which she won the Whatsonstage Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.

first LP – ‘coming out’

The single ‘I Will Always Be There For You’ becomes a national hit

1998

first play – Clear Water

At an open audition, she secured her first serious role. This show would come to London two years later in 2000, where she would make her debut at the Barbican in London.

2003

First west end show – Ragtime

Melanie is cast as a replacement, learns the show in 1 week and makes her West End debut in the ensemble. Additionally, she covers Sarah’s friend, which she played for one performance. Sadly, the show closes after just 3 months.

2004

First part in a west end show – mary poppins

Mrs Corry is the first of many roles that Melanie would originate in the West End

2023

First Broadway show – & juliet

Melanie appears in & Juliet at the Stephen Sondheim Theater, making her Broadway debut.

2025

Hadestown and the whatsonstage awards

Melanie wins her first major theatre award at the age of 50.

Photos

Portraits by Sergei Sarakhanov

current Show

Into the woods

Melanie is currently appearing as the Witch in the Olivier Award winning production of Into the Woods at the Bridge Theatre. This production was directed by Jordan Fein. The new cast also includes Rachel Tucker as the Baker’s Wife and John Owen Jones as the Narrator/Mysterious Man.

20/ 04

2026

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