Carly Mercedes Dyer (born 10 January) is an English actress. Known for her work in musical theatre, she won a WhatsOnStage Award and received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination.
Early life Dyer was born at the Central Middlesex Hospital in North West London. She graduated from the Arts Educational School (ArtsEd) in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Musical Theatre.
Career After graduating from ArtsEd, Dyer had ensemble and cover roles in High School Musical on Stage! at the Hammersmith Apollo, Hair at the English Theatre Frankfurt, Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre, Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre on the West End, Rock of Ages at the Shaftesbury and Garrick Theatres, on the UK tour Dance 'Til Dawn, and in The Lorax at the Old Vic. She returned to the Shaftesbury Theatre to play Blondie in the 2015 production of Memphis.
The next year, Dyer played Francisca in West Side Story at Salzburg Festival. She appeared in the ensemble of Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre. Dyer played Atropos the Fate in the 2018 London premiere of Hadestown at the National Theatre and Helene in Sweet Charity at Nottingham Playhouse alongside Rebecca Trehearn. This was followed by roles as Charlaine in Ain't Misbehavin''' at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester and Southwark Playhouse and as Henri in The View UpStairs at Soho Theatre. In late 2019, Dyer returned to West Side Story, this time starring as Anita at the Curve Theatre in Leicester.
Dyer was set to portray Jane Seymour in the 2020 tour of Six, but was unable to in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was subsequently cast as Erma in Anything Goes at the Barbican Centre in 2021 as well as the 2022 tour of the production. For her performance, Dyer won a WhatsOnStage Award and was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Also in 2021, she returned to the Curve to play Cassie Ferguson in A Chorus Line in 2021. She would later reprise her role as Cassie in the 2024 West End production of A Chorus Line. She also appeared in the 2022 Gypsy concert at the Alexandra Palace Theatre.
In 2023, Dyer starred as Lynette Fromme in Assassins at Chichester Festival Theatre and Faye Treadwell in the UK and Ireland tour of The Drifters Girl. She featured in the 2024 concert of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. In 2025, Dyer has a role in The Frogs'' at Southwark Playhouse with Kevin McHale.
Personal life In summer 2022, Dyer was diagnosed with uterine fibroids. She subsequently underwent a myomectomy.
Stage Year Title Role Notes 2008 High School Musical Ensemble, cover Taylor McKessie / Martha Cox Hammersmith Apollo 2008 Hair Ensemble / cover Jeanie English Theatre Frankfurt 2009–2010 Chicago Ensemble Cambridge Theatre 2010–2011 Dirty Dancing Featured Singer / Ensemble Aldwych Theatre, London 2011 Rock of Ages Waitress #1 / Dance Captain Shaftesbury Theatre / Garrick Theatre, London 2014 Dance 'Til Dawn Ensemble UK Tour 2015 Memphis Blondie Shaftesbury Theatre, London 2015 The Lorax Ensemble Old Vic, London 2016 West Side Story Francisca Salzburg Festival 2016–2017 Dreamgirls Ensemble / 1st cover Lorelle / Michelle Savoy Theatre, London 2018 Sweet Charity Helene Nottingham Playhouse 2018 Hadestown Fate (Atropos) National Theatre, London 2019 Ain't Misbehavin''' | Charlaine | Mercury Theatre, Colchester / Southwark Playhouse |- | 2019 | The View UpStairs| Henri | Soho Theatre, London |- | 2019–2020 | West Side Story| Anita | Curve Theatre, Leicester |- | 2021, 2022 | Anything Goes| Erma | Barbican Centre, London / UK Tour |- | 2021, 2024 | A Chorus Line| Cassie Ferguson | Curve Theatre, Leicester |- | 2022 | Gypsy| June | Alexandra Palace Theatre, London |- | 2023 | Assassins | Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme | Chichester Festival Theatre |- | 2023–2024 | The Drifters Girl| Faye Treadwell | UK and Ireland tour |- | 2024 | Dirty Rotten Scoundrels| Christine Colgate | Concert |- | 2025 | The Frogs|
|2025-2026 |Singin' in the Rain|Kathy Selden |Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester |- |2026 |High Society'' Liz Barbican Theatre, London
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref. 2022 WhatsOnStage Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Anything Goes Laurence Olivier Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
References
External links Carly Mercedes Dyer at Curtis Brown