Over The Rainbow – The Wizard Of Oz – London Musical
Posts tagged Lauren
The Wizard of Oz – in Cardiff
Jun 1st
The Wizard of Oz is such a classic musical for any theatre company to put on that is stands to reason there will be a production of some sort current at almost any time of year.
From June 1st Wales’ leading amateur theatre company, Orbit, celebrates its 41st year with the opening night of a week-long run of its own version of The Wizard of Oz at the New Theatre in Cardiff.
Dorothy is sung by Nicola Caldwell and the Wales Online reporter Dave Owens spoke to her about the role:
Nicola Caldwell:
I’m 22 years old, I come from Penarth and I’ve just qualified from university as a primary school teacher.
Probably the biggest role I’ve done is Les Miserables in London’s West End for the 20th anniversary, which was fantastic. They chose 3,000 kids under 18 to apply, I was 17 at the time, and had done a school edition of the show. Out of the 3,000 who auditioned and sent tapes off, 35 got in. And I was one of the lucky ones!It’s every little girl’s dream, to play Dorothy, isn’t it, to wear the red ruby slippers and sing Over The Rainbow? It’s such an honour. It’s the archetypal dream role.
On the runner-up, Welsh girl Sophie Evans, and the winner, Danielle Hope?
Nicola:
Actually I liked the girl who finished third, Lauren Samuels. She was my favourite. She was really bubbly and very magnanimous and gracious when she went out.
The Wizard of Oz is showing at the New Theatre in Cardiff from 1st 5th June
Wizard of Oz – Orbit Theatre Company
By L. FRANK BAUM
With Music and Lyrics of the MGM motion picture score
by HAROLD ARLEN and E.Y. HARBURG
Background Music by HERBERT STOTHART
Book Adaptation by JOHN KANE from the motion picture screenplay
Tuesday 1st to Saturday 5th June 2010
New Theatre
Park Place
Cardiff
Book Online via The New Theatre, Cardiff
Best Acting Dorothy?
May 22nd
There’s been a lot of focus on the singing and dancing performances of the remaining Dorothys but which one would really be best suited to playing the part night after night in Wizard of Oz?
One of the recent missions was about maintaining the Kansas accent and here you can see each of four contestants in a scene from Wizard of Oz that allows us to really evaluate their abilities as actors.
Now Andrew Lloyd Webber seemed to be bowled over by Danielle, so we get a clue here perhaps as to who he would like to see the public vote for tonight, but he also praises Lauren’s professionalism and wonders if she can pull out just a little bit more from inside her own emotion for us. Personally, I found the Danielle performance just a tad drawn out and over done, but there’s no doubt she would make a smashing Dorothy, as would any of them really.
Over the rainbow – Mission
After watching them each have a go at the real acting, who do you think comes out of this mission in the best position for tonight’s vote?
Steph Fearon Not Dorothy
May 17th
Sadly, it was Steph Fearon’s time to go. All three Over The Rainbow judges agreed, the public had voted her into the bottom two and Andrew Lloyd Webber saved Lauren instead. Steph herself looked almost relieved by the decision, and was clearly thrilled to bits by the standing ovation she received from the vast studio audience. So now we are down to the final three Dorothys to be ranked by public vote only in the final episode of Over The Rainbow next Saturday.
Steph’s Performance of Rule The World:
The Sing off, Sunday
Another Suitcase in Another Hall from Evita
Goodbye Steph
“I’m disappointed not to have gone that little bit further but at the end of the day I wanted whatever the public wanted,” said Steph.
Steph Fearon, admits she would love to star in the West End musicals The Lion King, Wicked or Sister Act, and also said that Andrew Lloyd Webber had asked to meet her later this week to discuss her future.
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