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Ainsley Melham (born 2 December 1991) is an Australian actor and theatre performer. He began his career as a member of Australian children's musical group Hi-5 from 2013 to 2016, starring in the television series and performing in international tours. He later found success as a prominent theatre performer in Australia and the United States.

Melham played the title role in the Australian debut of Disney's Aladdin from 2016 to 2018 and later transferred this role to the Broadway production in 2019. Melham is also known for his starring roles in Australian productions such as Xanadu and Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, as well as a mid-season replacement for Wicked. He originated the role of Dwayne in the pre-Broadway premiere of Boop! The Musical in 2023, and will reprise the role for its Broadway debut in 2025.

Melham was nominated for a Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Musical for his role as Aladdin in 2017.

Career

Ainsley Melham was born in Australia on 2 December 1991, and raised in Bathurst with his sister Nadia. He graduated from Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), graduating in 2012. He was also educated at the NIDA Open Program, the Australasian Tap Dance Academy and La Belle School of Dance. At WAAPA, Melham performed in a range of musicals, including Ragtime, Violet, Crazy For You, A Chorus Line, Xanadu, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Into The Woods.

In January 2013, Melham joined the Australian children's musical group Hi-5 as part of a new generation, after successfully auditioning in late 2012. He starred in the documentary style cinematic release, Some Kind of Wonderful, which depicted the audition process, and appeared in three television series of Hi-5 House. After touring nationally and internationally for three years, Melham departed from the group in January 2016. He stated that he felt it was time to transition back into his theatre roots after "an incredible experience" with Hi-5.

In March 2016, Melham starred as Sonny Malone in an Australian musical production of Xanadu for Matthew Management and Hayes Theatre Co. Later in 2016, he was cast as the title role in Disney Theatrical Company's production of Aladdin in Sydney, Australia. He starred as the title character, Aladdin, and was nominated for a Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Musical. After departing from the Australian cast in late 2018, it was announced that Melham would star in the Broadway production of Aladdin from 19 February 2019 at New Amsterdam Theatre. He rejoined Michael James Scott as Genie, and Arielle Jacobs as Princess Jasmine, the trio who formed the original Australian cast.

In November 2020, Melham played the title role in Pippin at the Sydney Lyric Theatre and in 2022 he played the role of Prince Topher in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. Melham was cast as Dwayne in the pre-Broadway world premiere of Boop! The Musical, which began previews in November 2023 at the CIBC Theatre in Chicago. In July 2024, he joined the Australian production of Wicked as the Fiyero replacement in Melbourne and Brisbane while original cast member Liam Head was recovering from a knee injury.

Theatre credits

Filmography

Awards and nominations

Notes

1. This production was closed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performing arts, which saw all theatres on Broadway closed until May 30, 2021.

References

1. ^ "Ainsley Melham (Performer)". Playbill. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
2. "Hi-5 Star Ainsley Melham to star in Australian production of Aladdin". The Daily Telegraph. Australia. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
3. "Ainsley Melham: What it means to be Aladdin". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
4. "Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts" (PDF). Ecu.edu.au. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
5. "Principals: Michael James Scott" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
6. McCabe, Kathy (16 March 2013). "Hi-5 new members Ainsley Melham, Mary Lascaris, Dayen Zheng unveiled". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
7. "Get ready for the next generation of Hi-5". Bugg Toys and Licensing. 22 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
8. McCabe, Kathy (18 August 2013). "Hi-5 will head home to Australia for House Party tour after filming new series in Singapore". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
9. ^ Hook, Chris (23 January 2016). "Xanadu: Musical revival in Sydney promises to be a thrilling, scary ride for actors". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
10. / Larry Heath (13 September 2016). "One Jump Ahead – Aladdin's Ainsley Melham on playing the lead role at Capitol Theatre – Arts on the AU". Arts.theaureview.com. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
11. ^ Gartner, Annelies (20 June 2017). "WA shines at Helpmann Awards nominations". The West Australian. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
12. ^ McPhee, Ryan (8 January 2019). "Ainsley Melham and Michael James Scott Will Join Broadway Cast of Aladdin". Playbill. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
13. "Pippin's Sydney Cast Announced Ahead of November Commencement". The Theatre Sphere. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
14. Bergman, Gabi (21 June 2021). "Lead cast announced for Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella". Aussie Theatre. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
15. Viagas, Robert. "Opera Australia's RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA Moved to 2022", Broadway World, September 14, 2021
16. ^ Higgins, Molly; Gans, Andrew (28 September 2023). "BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical Reveals Complete Casting". Playbill. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
17. ^ Gans, Andrew (14 February 2023). "BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical Will Make Pre-Broadway World Premiere in Chicago". Playbill. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
18. ^ "Wicked welcomes Ainsley Melham". Aussie Theatre. Tickets Global. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
19. ^ McLoughlin, Sean (14 September 2024). "Wicked Flies into Brisbane: A Magical Green Carpet Premiere". Aussie Theatre. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
20. "The Classics are back across Stonnington". We Know Melbourne. 20 January 2020. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
21. Gervais, Gigi. "Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA is Coming to Melbourne Next Year", Broadway World, November 14, 20212
22. "Cinderella". Opera Australia. 2022. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
23. Fells, Brannon (3 May 2021). "Disney Princess – The Concert". Disney Concerts. The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
24. Culwell-Block, Logan. "BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical Dates Broadway Bow". Playbill.
25. "Aladdin: Live From The West End" Coming Soon To Disney+". What's On Disney Plus. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
26. "Schedule of Upcoming and Announced Filmed Stage Musicals". Filmed on Stage. 19 February 2022.
27. "2016 Glugs Theatre Award Nominations". Glugs.com.au. 6 December 2016. Archived from the original on 12 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
28. "2016 GLUGS THEATRE AWARDS". Stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 12 January 2019.

External links

• Official website

• Australian male stage actors
• Living people
• 1991 births
• Australian gay actors
• Australian people of Lebanese descent
• Australian people of Italian descent
• Australian children's musicians
• Australian male musical theatre actors
• 21st-century Australian LGBTQ people
• 21st-century Australian male actors