Molly Lynch

Molly Lynch is an Irish actress, singer and musician who is best known for playing Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady and Cathy Hiatt in The Last Five Years.

Early life and education

Lynch grew up in the Frankfield area of Douglas in Cork.{{Cite news |date=2018-06-07 |title=A Question of Taste: Actress and singer Molly Lynch |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-30847303.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2024-09-17 |newspaper=Irish Examiner |language=en}} Her paternal grandfather was Irish singer Pat Lynch, and her maternal grandfather, Con McGowan, was an opera singer.{{Cite news |title='Women are very vulnerable in this industry' |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/stage/women-are-very-vulnerable-in-this-industry-1.3284354 |access-date=2024-09-17 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}} She trained at the Cork School of Music, graduating with a BA in music in 2012{{Cite web |last=MTU |first=Munster Technological University- |title=From MTU Cork School of Music to London's West End: Molly Lynch's Journey in Music and Theatre |url=https://www.mtu.ie/news/mtu-cork-school-of-music-molly-lynch-alumna/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=www.mtu.ie |language=en}} and also trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London in 2013–2014.

Career

Lynch made her West End debut in the ENO production of Carousel with Alfie Boe and Katherine Jenkins in 2017 at London Coliseum.{{Cite web |last=Mukisa |first=Shirley |date=2016-11-25 |title=Rodgers and Hammerstein's iconic Carousel comes to the London Coliseum |url=https://www.eno.org/news/rodgers-hammersteins-iconic-carousel-comes-london-coliseum/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=English National Opera |language=en-GB}}

In 2017 Lynch joined the cast of Sunset Boulevard as Betty Schaefer. The show also included Ria Jones as Norma Desmond and Danny Mac and went on a UK tour, after opening at the Curve theatre in Leicester.{{Cite web |date=2017-07-03 |title=Further casting announced for UK tour of Sunset Boulevard |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/further-casting-announced-for-uk-tour-of-sunset-boulevard_44027/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |language=en-US}} In 2020 the Curve announced the streaming of the show as part of "[https://www.curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/sunset-boulevard-in-concert-at-home/ Curve - at Home]", when the theatre had to remain closed to the public due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Lynch was part of The Light in the Piazza at the Royal Festival Hall in 2019, as a member of the ensemble and understudy for the role of Clara (played by Dove Cameron). Cast for the show included: Renée Fleming, Dove Cameron, Alex Jennings and Rob Houchen.{{Cite web |title=The Light In The Piazza – London |url=https://www.scenario-two.com/portfolio/the-light-in-the-piazza-london/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Scenario Two |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=The Light In The Piazza Tickets {{!}} Starring Dove Cameron {{!}} London, UK |url=https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/14716-the-light-in-the-piazza-tickets |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=London Theatre |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=The Light in the Piazza Tickets {{!}} Royal Festival Hall {{!}} West End Theatre |url=https://www.westendtheatre.com/61779/shows/the-light-in-the-piazza/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=www.westendtheatre.com |language=en-GB}} The musical transferred to the LA Opera for a short run in October 2019.{{Cite web |last=Fowler |first=Nikki |date=2019-10-14 |title=Dove Cameron Lights Up the Stage Opposite Renée Fleming in 'The Light in the Piazza' at LA Opera {{!}} Glitter Magazine |url=https://glittermagazine.co/2019/10/14/dove-cameron-lights-up-the-stage-opposite-renee-fleming-in-the-light-in-the-piazza-at-la-opera/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=glittermagazine.co |language=en-US}}

Lynch then played the role of Cathy in the two-people Jason Robert Brown musical The Last Five Years at the Southwark Playhouse in 2020. The show closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March/April and re-opened in October of the same year.{{Cite magazine |last=Meyer |first=Dan |date=September 1, 2020 |title=Molly Lynch and Oli Higginson Will Return to The Last Five Years in London |url=https://playbill.com/article/molly-lynch-and-oli-higginson-will-return-to-the-last-five-years-in-london |magazine=Playbill}} Alongside Lynch, actor Oli Higginson joined her in the unique version of the show, where both actors were accompanying songs playing various instruments.{{Cite web |date=2020-01-24 |title=The Last Five Years at Southwark Playhouse cast to include Molly Lynch and Oli Higginson |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/the-last-five-years-at-southwark-playhouse-cast-to-include-molly-lynch-and-oli-higginson_50758/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |language=en-US}} The musical finally transferred to the Garrick Theatre in the West End in 2021 for a limited one-month run before closing in the same year.{{Cite web |date=2021-09-13 |title=The Last Five Years prepares for West End transfer |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/the-last-five-years-prepares-for-west-end-transfer_54887/ |access-date=2024-09-17 |language=en-US}}

In December 2024 Lynch starred as Eliza Doolittle in the Leicester Curve's production of My Fair Lady, directed by Artistic Director Nikolai Foster.{{Cite web |author=Stephi Wild |date=August 15, 2024 |title=Molly Lynch Will Lead Curve's Production of Lerner and Loewe's MY FAIR LADY |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/uk-regional/article/Molly-Lynch-Will-Lead-Curves-Production-of-Lerner-and-Loewes-MY-FAIR-LADY-20240815 |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=BroadwayWorld}}