Julie Atherton is a British actress, singer and director. She is best known for originating the role of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production of Avenue Q.[citation needed] and playing Sister Mary Robert in the first UK tour of Sister Act: The Musical. As a singer she released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words, on 2 October 2006. [citation needed]After signing with the Speckulation record label, she released her second album titled No Space for Air in 2010, [citation needed] with her third album released in 2014 and titled 'Rush of Life'.
In June 2006, Atherton became part of the original London cast of Avenue Q when the show transferred from Broadway to the Noël Coward Theatre in the West End. She originated the roles of Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut in the West End production, and continued in the show until 1 December 2007. She returned to the production, which had then moved to the Gielgud Theatre, in December 2008 and continued playing her roles until 3 October 2009.[5]
Subsequently in 2009, she created the role of Charlotte in the new musical Through the Door by British composer/lyricist Laurence Mark Wythe and American bookwriter Judy Freed, at the Trafalgar Studios in a West End production. In 2010 she appeared in the musical Tomorrow Morning at the Landor Theatre in South London, the award winning musical by Laurence Mark Wythe.
From 29 September 2011, Atherton played the role of Sister Mary Robert in the first UK tour of Sister Act the Musical. Sister Act toured throughout the UK and Ireland.
In February 2013 she appeared in Craig Adams' musical Lift, which ran at the Soho Theatre in London. Atherton studied at Mountview with Adams and was one of the first people to be introduced to the musical.[7]
Atherton was included on the album MS. A Song Cycle,[8] a musical theatre album benefitting the MS Society UK. Her song 'How Can I Tell You' was written by American composer Erin Murray Quinlan, with lyrics co-written by Rory Sherman.
Atherton starred as Janet Majors in the world premiere stage production of Shock Treatment, the musical sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, at the King's Head Theatre Pub in Islington.
Atherton is a founding member of the company of Notes From New York, bringing the works of US composers to the West End stage. She has performed in five of the six Notes From New York shows to date and appeared in the one off special Christmas in New York, part of the series, held at the Lyric Theatre on 9 December 2007.
Atherton features as a performer on the album Unwritten Songs with "Portrait of a Princess". The album was launched in April on Speckulation's website.
The song is also featured on Atherton's website and available on Michael Bruce - Unwritten Songs. Atherton has performed it live at the Apollo Theatre twice as well as in the Delfont room, in London's West End.
Other Ventures
Atherton is also a singer and released three solo albums, A Girl of Few Words (2006), No Space for Air (2010) and Rush of Life (2014). She performed at various venues, including her largest solo performance at the Apollo Theatre in London, where she performed hits from her second CD as well as reuniting and performing with Kate Monster and Daniel Boys, and appearing with special guests Richard Fleeshman, Michael Bruce, Lance Horne.
Atherton recently appeared as a headline performer alongside Ruthie Henshall and Aled Jones in Adam Hepkin's The Magic of the Musicals and as part of the Giggin' for Good concert series at the Actor's Church, Covent Garden.
In June 2010, Atherton released the song "There's a Fine, Fine Line" from Avenue Q as a single. The single was a thank-you to her fans from that show.
Track Listing
"There's a Fine Fine Line"
Digital Booklet
Rush of Life
In November 2014, Atherton released her most personal studio album to date, Rush of Life, featuring songs written for her by Dougal Irvine, Craig Adams, Lance Horne, George Maguire and Benedict.