Cherelle Jay "CJ" O'Donnell is an English-Sri Lankan actress, singer, dancer, and teacher. She was an alternate in the 2019-21 West End Production of Six the Musical, from 15 October 2019 to 14 November 2021.[1] She was also a swing in the 2021-22 UK Tour, beginning on 11 February 2022. She left the show on 26 February 2022, playing her final show as Anna of Cleves. [2]
Cherelle also temporarily took over the role of Anna of Cleves from 27 May to 14 July 2021.
Roles[]
Timeline[]
| Production | Timespan | Temporary Principal | First Covers | Second Covers | Third Covers |
| 2019-21 West End Production | 15 October 2019 – May 2021 15 July – 14 November 2021 |
Anne Boleyn | Jane Seymour | Catherine of Aragon | |
| Anna of Cleves | Catherine Parr | Katherine Howard | |||
| 27 May – 14 July 2021 | Anna of Cleves | Anne Boleyn | Jane Seymour | Catherine of Aragon | |
| Catherine Parr | Katherine Howard | ||||
| 2021-22 UK Tour | 1 February - 6 March 2022 | Anne Boleyn | |||
| Jane Seymour | |||||
| Anna of Cleves | |||||
| Catherine Parr |
Performance Dates[]
| Role | Debut Performance | Final Performance |
| West End 2.0: 19 October 2019[3] UK Tour 3.0: 19 February 2022[4] |
West End 2.0: 9 November 2021 UK Tour 3.0: 19 February 2022 | |
| West End 2.0: 8 December 2019[5] UK Tour 3.0: 18 February 2022[6] |
West End 2.0: 18 July 2021 UK Tour 3.0: 18 February 2022 | |
| West End 2.0: 17 October 2019[7] UK Tour 3.0: 11 February 2022[8] |
West End 2.0: 10 November 2021 UK Tour 3.0: 26 February 2022 | |
| West End 2.0: 17 November 2019[9] UK Tour 3.0: 16 February 2022[10] |
West End 2.0: 21 August 2021 UK Tour 3.0: 26 February 2022 |
Stage Credits[]
| Stage Credits | |||
| Year | Production | Role | Theatre |
| 2011 | Some Like it Hip Hop | Oprah/Soozy/Tweets, Swing/Ensemble | ZooNation Dance Company, UK Tour |
| 2014 | I Can't Sing! | Ensemble | Paramount/Stage Entertainment |
| 2015 | Into the Hoods | Ensemble | ZooNation Dance Company |
| 2016 | Eurobeat: Moldova | Dhara Poppins | Pleasance Theatre Edinburgh |
| 2017-19 | Everybody's Talking About Jamie | Swing/Cover Pritti Pasha/Fatimah | Apollo Theatre |
| 2019-21, 2022 | Six | Alternate Boleyn/Cleves, Swing | Arts Theatre, Lyric Theatre, Vaudeville Theatre, UK Tour |
Trivia[]
- Cherelle is the creator and co-owner of a dance company called Heels & Feels.
- Cherelle has the same birthday as Casey Esbin.
- In 2018, Cherelle and Jessica Niles both appeared as extras in the film Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
- In 2024, Cherelle is set to appear as a dancer in Disney's musical film Snow White, a live action remake of the 1937 original.[11]
- Cherelle was in the same production of Everybody's Talking About Jamie as Courtney Bowman.
- Coincidentally, Cherelle acted as Courtney's understudy in both shows.
- Cherelle auditioned for Six twice before she booked it.
- When Cherelle auditioned the third time, she was called back for Anne Boleyn, Anna of Cleves, and Catherine Parr.[12]
- Originally, Cherelle really wanted to play Catherine Parr, but after she saw the show she loved Anne Boleyn's "quirkiness and how teasing and playful she was".[12]
- Cherelle made her debut in the show as Anna of Cleves.
- Anna is also Cherelle's favourite queen.
- Cherelle is the only 2019-21 West End alternate to not debut as an emergency cover before her contract.
- The only queen Cherelle has gone on for mid-show is Catherine Parr.[13]
- Cherelle sang as Anna of Cleves in the Worldwide Six video.
- Cherelle performed as Catherine Parr at West End Live 2021.
- Cherelle is the second alternate to temporarily portray the principal role of Anna of Cleves, the first being Nicole Kyoung-Mi Lambert.
- Cherelle is the second Sri Lankan actress to be in Six, the first being Shimali de Silva.
- On 1 August 2021, Cherelle played Anne Boleyn alongside Zara MacIntosh, Hana Stewart, Liv Alexander, Bryony Duncan, and Collette Guitart in the first all-alternate show in Six's history.[14]
Gallery[]
 |
"But I didn't look as good as I did in my pic..." To view the Cherelle Jay gallery, click here. |
References[]
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/B3pOgCMHrMV/
- ↑ https://sixcostumerefs.tumblr.com/post/659306435918905344/some-additional-alt-dates-and-posts-about-the-rest
- ↑ https://twitter.com/WestEndCovers/status/1185546583754055680
- ↑ https://twitter.com/WestEndCovers/status/1495123341878992907
- ↑ https://twitter.com/WestEndCovers/status/1203622748825608194
- ↑ https://twitter.com/WestEndCovers/status/1494736840787648514
- ↑ https://twitter.com/WestEndCovers/status/1184812587315351552
- ↑ https://twitter.com/WestEndCovers/status/1492140178131107840
- ↑ https://twitter.com/WestEndCovers/status/1196097682479230977
- ↑ https://twitter.com/WestEndCovers/status/1494040272614866945
- ↑ https://www.spotlight.com/8014-6750-9602
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 https://www.rachaeldickzen.com/blog/2020/5/25/10-things-i-learned-from-six-alternate-cherelle-jays-workshop-and-qampa
- ↑ https://twitter.com/WestEndCovers/status/1223658485021315073
- ↑ https://twitter.com/WestEndCovers/status/1421780534376681475
[]
| West End |
| Cancelled Drive-In UK Tour Productions |
|
| ||||||||||||||||
| UK & International Tour |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||