Over The Rainbow – The Wizard Of Oz – London Musical
Posts tagged Bronte Barbe
Not Dorothy – Dani Rayner
Apr 19th
So last weekend’s Over The Rainbow saw one of our favourites for the role of Dorothy in Wizard of Oz facing the sing-off in front of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Dani is the youngest of the Dorothies to reach the finals but has a very strong voice with a unique tonal quality that enabled her to stand out from the crowd as a special talent.
Dani was up against Danielle Hope in the sing-off “Maybe This Time”
Dani Rayner
Unfortunately I think it was apparent inexperience at dancing that let Dani down this week, and she became the third Dorothy to hand over the slippers and leave the sobbing sorority, following Amy Diamond and Bronte Barbe in previous weeks.
On Saturday night’s Over The Rainbow Dani Rayner from Northwich, Cheshire, performed a sharp rendition of the Dreamgirls hit “One Night Only”. Not an easy song for a 16 year old to convey, but Dani’s voice has a maturity that well exceeds her years.
Here’s Dani’s departure set piece:
Not Dorothy: Bronte Barbe
Apr 12th
The search for an ideal leading lady to play Dorothy in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new London production of the Wizard of Oz continued in the BBC’s Over the Rainbow reality TV casting show last weekend.
The latest Dorothy hopeful to hand back her shoes was unexpectedly Bronte Barbe. She was not really expected to go out so early, and Andrew Lloyd Webber had said that both contenders for eviction were in his top five to go all the way and get the part. The public vote disagreed. Linda from London Theatre Breaks blog put her in the top five too:
About Bronte Barbe
Bronte comes from Macclesfield, a quiet, sensible town at the edge of the Peak District. It’s not quite Kansas but I expect it sometimes feels like it to someone like Bronte! She lives there with her Mum, sister and dog. She’s only 18 and she’d been working as a volunteer teacher at her former dance school before the show. She does have some amateur musical theatre experience and she’s got her Grade 8. I think she’ll do well and she could have been Dorothy.
Over the Rainbow Show 5 put an end to Bronte’s Dreams of the Emerald City
One not quite brilliant performance of K.T. Tunstall’s Suddenly I See and Bronte was doomed to be in the bottom two. I thought quite a few of the Dorothies were on dodgy ground on Saturday night’s show. The producers had given them all songs that went against type. Some of the girls pulled it off but I agreed with the public vote that both Bronte and Lauren struggled. I though Sophie struggled even more than either of them though so I was surprised that she survived.
Steph on the other hand was a revelation singing “It’s So Quiet” she seemed to finally get her R&B warbling under control and give us a real musical theatre number. Very nice! Not sure she’s Dorothy but still, very nice.
So why did ALW save Lauren? He said it was down to experience and Lauren is 22 against Bronte’s 18. However I also think Lauren has a stronger voice. She might even be Dorothy if she can just stop mugging to the camera!
Goodbye Bronte
My Favourites for Dorothy
My favourites at the moment, in no particular order (where did I get that idea from?) are:
Jenny Douglas – Good voice & full of life and devilment.
Danielle Hope – Reasonable voice, good stage presence. A strong dancer she has that adolescent quality that Dorothy will need.
Dani Rayner – Lovely voice, looks the part, just a bit worried about her acting skills and very young at only 16.
And almost any of the others – it is as they say, all to play for, and the standard is so high that one slip can be fatal. I’d feel sorry for them but I know how well many previous losers have done! Talent won’t be ignored and for some of them not being Dorothy might be the best career move they’ll ever make! Bronte would make a smashing Glinda for Wicked 
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