Lucy Lawless Plays Evil Queen in Californian Pantomime

Actress Lucy Lawless is currently portraying the evil queen Carabosse in a California-based production of Sleeping Beauty and Her Winter Knight.

Through 4 January, at the Pasadena Playhouse, Lawless plays alongside Ben Giroux (Hart of Dixie), Tamyra Gray (American Idol) and Disney’s Olivia Holt.

Performed in the traditional British pantomime style, the new show encourages audiences to cheer the good guys and, in Lawless’ case, boo the bad.

On Broadway, Lawless played Rizzo in Grease for a month in 1997, and just last year appeared as Mama Morton in the Hollywood Bowl production of Chicago, but a career in theatre has mostly remained elusive for the TV star.

“I would love to do as much as possible. I like the informality of this one because you can really make it your own,” Lawless says. “I’m the evil queen. I get to sing Katy Perry’s Dark Horse, which is just a fantastic and sophisticated pop song. I think I’m going to do a Kate Bush spin on it. It’s incredibly delicious and so lovely to play the bad girl. It’s one of my things that I do.”

Lawless has also been busy filming political thriller The Code for Netflix in her native New Zealand, which kept her from a recurring spot on Parks and Recreation.

In February 2015, Lawless will be in Burbank, California appearing at the final Xena: Warrior Princess convention, which will mark the show’s 20th anniversary.

Original article by Jordan Riefe, The Hollywood Reporter, December 10, 2014.