Actor Spotlight: Cynthia Erivo

Erivo was born in Stockwell, London to Igbo Nigerian immigrant parents. She started her acting career in British television programmes such as Chewing Gum and The Tunnel, and made her stage debut in Marine Parade at the Brighton Festival, later starring in her first musical role in I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky at Theatre Royal Stratford East.

She made her West End debut in The Umbrellas of Cherboug at the Gielgud Theatre in 2011, and won a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical and a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album for her portrayal of Celie Harris Johnson in The Color Purple at Menier Chocolate Factory in 2013. She also played Sister Mary Clarence / Deloris Van Cartier in a UK tour of the musical Sister Act in 2011, and originated the role of Chenice in I Can’t Sing! In the West End, which opened at the London Palladium in 2014.

On film, Erivo is best known for playing Elphaba in Wicked and Wicked: For Good, the film adaptations of the beloved musical, both which earned he a nomination for a Golden Globe for Best Actress. She’s also starred in crime thrillers like Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale, and played Harriet Tubman in the biopic Harriet.

Most recently onstage, she performed as Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl. Erivo is also a singer, and has released singles as well as solo albums in 2021 and 2025.

Dracula opens at the Noel Coward Theatre on February 7th - don’t miss your chance to see the wildly talented Cynthia Erivo in this truly unique performance, so you can witness her multifaceted acting skills and powerful stage presence for yourself.

If you're looking for more stars on the London stage in 2026, we've got a guide with all the information you'll need here.