Todd McKenney keeps telling himself that he’s going to slow down, but there’s precious little sign of that this year.

He is currently taking time away from Wicked, in which he plays the Wizard, to co-star in The Odd Couple with his close friend Shane Jacobson. During the Sydney season, he will also perform in a new cabaret show called Todd McKenney: Peter Allen and Me at the Ensemble Theatre, which means that on a couple of Wednesdays, he will front an 11am show at the Ensemble, then race to the Theatre Royal Sydney for the matinee and evening performances of The Odd Couple.

He returns to Wicked when it opens in Brisbane in September, but he will take a week off to perform on the BRAVO Cruise of Performing Arts, which does a round trip from Sydney to Nouméa in October.

“Slowing down doesn’t pay the mortgage,” he quips.

Todd McKenney. Photo © Hugh Stewart

“I’m actually better mentally when I’m working too,” he adds more seriously. “I’m just not a sit-and-do-nothing sort of...