Esther Hannaford

Esther Hannaford is an Australian singer and actor who has performed major roles in musical theatre in Australia. Her roles include Penny Pingleton in the original Australian cast of Hairspray, for which she received a Helpmann Award, Ann Darrow in King Kong, and Carole King in Beautiful.

Early life Hannaford grew up in Camberwell in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Her parents were a stay-at-home mother who later had her own clothing label and an electrician father who was a former SAS officer. She is the third of five children.

She took dance lessons from the age of five. As a child, she performed in the 1993 Melbourne season of Scrooge, and also appeared on television talent show New Faces dancing with three of her siblings to a medley of "Glory of Love" and "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)".

Growing up, Hannaford's interest was in contemporary dance, and she did not pursue singing seriously until after high school. She deferred a place in a contemporary dance course to study musical theatre. and was referred to obliquely in Retrograde.

Awards Hannaford has received two national Helpmann Awards and three Melbourne Green Room Awards for her performances in musical theatre, and various other nominations.

2018 Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Musical, Beautiful 2013 Green Room Award for Female Artist in a Leading Role (Music Theatre), King Kong 2011 Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical, Hairspray 2010 Green Room Award for Female Artist in a Featured Role (Music Theatre), Hairspray 2009 Green Room Award for Female Artist in a Leading Role (Music Theatre), Once We Lived Here