WICKED Star Louise Plowright Passes Away at Age 59

Actress Louise Plowright, perhaps best known for her role as Madame Morrible in WICKED, lost her battle with pancreatic cancer this week at the age of 59.

After the actress had been diagnosed with cancer, a crowdfunding campaign was set up to raise money for her treatment. The site's Facebook page reported the sad news today, posting:

Dear wonderful supporters of Louise.
I am so sorry to have to let you know that an hour ago we lost Louise to that horrid disease. All of her family were with her.
The world has lost a truly special person, prodigiously talented, and a friend to all.
Can I thank all of you who joined us in this battle and who helped Louise to have hope.

The British actress trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and first came to prominence playing abrasive hairdresser Julie Cooper in the television soap opera EastEnders from 1989 to 1990. Subsequent major roles on TV include Linda Harvey in Families and Michelle Thorn in Footballers' Wives: Extra Time.

As a stage singer-actress she appeared in a number of regional and touring productions of musicals, including April in Hot Shoe Shuffle, Julie Johnston in Bad Girls - The Musical, and, Phyllis Rogers Stone in Follies, and most recently Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Numerous West End Concert Performances included 'Living On An Island' at THE TALK Of London. She also appeared in various regional theatre pantomimes. In the summer of 2009 she appeared in Oklahoma! at the Chichester Festival Theatre as Aunt Eller/ In 2010 she returned to the Chichester Festival Theatre to star in the revival of 42nd Street.

She made her West End theatre debut in 1999, originating the role of Tanya in the hit musical Mamma Mia!, the following year she took on the leading role of Donna, which she played for four years.

On October 29, 2012, she replaced Julie Legrand as Madame Morrible in the hit musical Wicked in the West End. However, due to ill health, the actress was forced to withdraw from the production.

Photo credit: Dan Wooller/Rex/Rex USA/BEImages