How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? is a British television talent series, that was broadcast on Saturday evenings on
BBC One
between 29 July 2006 and 16 September 2006. It documented the search for a new, undiscovered
musical theatreMusical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
performer to play the role of
Maria von TrappBaroness Maria Augusta von Trapp was the stepmother and matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Her story and that of her family's escape from the Nazis after the Anschluss served as inspiration for the musical The Sound of Music.-Biography:Maria Augusta Kutschera was born on a train heading from...
in the 2006
Andrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre, the elder son of organist William Lloyd Webber and brother of the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber...
and
David IanDavid Ian Lane , is a former actor and now a theatre producer who The Stage has called "the most powerful man in UK theatre".-Biography:...
stage production of
The Sound of MusicThe Sound of Music is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
. Presented by
Graham NortonGraham William Walker is an Irish actor, comedian and television presenter. He is known by his stage name Graham Norton.- Career :...
and "masterminded" by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the title of the show was derived from a line in the production's song "
Maria"Maria", sometimes known as "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music....
".
Following a public telephone vote, 23-year-old
Connie FisherConnie Fisher is a British actress and singer, who won the BBC One talent contest, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?...
was chosen as Maria and performed the role in the West End from November 2006 to February 2008. The series also helped the careers of the other finalists, some of whom later took leading roles in West End shows. Semi-finalist
Aoife MulhollandAoife Mulholland is an Irish actress and musical theatre performer from Salthill, Galway on the west coast of Ireland. Aoife is a successful leading lady in London's West End. She has starred as Roxie Hart in Chicago, at the Cambridge Theatre and for 18 months as Maria von Trapp in The Sound...
also took up the role of Maria in April 2007 for two shows a week, after Fisher was advised to reduce her performances to six per week.
The first programme to allow the public to cast a leading role in a West End show, it was initially criticised. However, it won International Emmy and
Royal Television SocietyThe Royal Television Society is a British-based society for the discussion, analysis and preservation of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the one of the oldest television societies in the world...
awards and became the first of a series of collaborations between the BBC and Lloyd Webber, including
Any Dream Will DoAny Dream Will Do, often known as 'Joseph', is a 2007 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. It searched for a new, unknown lead to play Joseph in a West End revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.The show was...
,
I'd Do AnythingI'd Do Anything is a 2008 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom and broadcast on BBC One. It premièred on 15 March 2008...
and
Eurovision: Your Country Needs You. The series also lead to versions and similar series abroad.
Creation
The lead role of
Maria von TrappBaroness Maria Augusta von Trapp was the stepmother and matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Her story and that of her family's escape from the Nazis after the Anschluss served as inspiration for the musical The Sound of Music.-Biography:Maria Augusta Kutschera was born on a train heading from...
in the new West End production of
The Sound of MusicThe Sound of Music is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
, to be staged by
Andrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre, the elder son of organist William Lloyd Webber and brother of the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber...
and
David IanDavid Ian Lane , is a former actor and now a theatre producer who The Stage has called "the most powerful man in UK theatre".-Biography:...
, was to be played by the American actress
Scarlett JohanssonScarlett I. Johansson is an American actress and singer. Johansson made her film debut in the 1994 film North and was subsequently nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Female for her performance in 1996's Manny & Lo...
. Negotiations fell through, and after a four year search for an actress to fill the role, it was revealed in November 2005 that Lloyd Webber had approached the BBC to allow the public to cast the role through a
PopstarsPopstars is an international reality television program and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
-style talent search, the first time that such a format had been used.
The series was devised by BBC creative head
Bea BallardBea Ballard is a British television executive producer. She is Chief Executive of 10 Star Entertainment - a production company set up in 2009 with investment from Fremantle Media. She is the daughter of novelist J. G...
, and was announced by the BBC in April 2006. It would find an undiscovered new talent to perform the role, cast by the public, through a series of live television shows on Saturday nights on
BBC One
hosted by
Graham NortonGraham William Walker is an Irish actor, comedian and television presenter. He is known by his stage name Graham Norton.- Career :...
. The series was named after the first line of the chorus of "
Maria"Maria", sometimes known as "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music....
", a song from the musical.
Expert panel
To assess and train the potential Marias and judge them during the live shows, an expert panel was chosen. The panel comprised:
- Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre, the elder son of organist William Lloyd Webber and brother of the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber...
– musical theatreMusical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
composerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
and producer, co-producer of the new stage production
- David Ian
David Ian Lane , is a former actor and now a theatre producer who The Stage has called "the most powerful man in UK theatre".-Biography:...
– theatre producer, co-producer of the new stage production
- John Barrowman
John Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-born British American singer, actor, dancer, musical performer and media personality, with dual citizenship in the UK and the US....
– musical performerMusical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, dancer, singer and actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
- Zoe Tyler
Zoë Tyler, is an English voice coach, cruise ship singer, performer and reality television show judge.-Early career:Tyler's career began when she joined the cast of Les Misérables, aged 20...
– voice coachA voice teacher or singing teacher is a musical instructor who trains adults and children in the art of singing. This generally involves training in breath control and support, proper tone production, pitch control and musical intonation, proper formation of vowels and consonants as well as...
, singer and performer, vocal coach to the finalists
Lloyd Webber also asked
Denise van OutenDenise van Outen is an English actress and television presenter. Her most notable roles to date are as a presenter on The Big Breakfast, and as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on both the West End and on Broadway....
to participate in the series, but she turned him down, saying that she "felt uncomfortable about being on the panel and giving my criticism". She later became a judge on follow-up series,
Any Dream Will DoAny Dream Will Do, often known as 'Joseph', is a 2007 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. It searched for a new, unknown lead to play Joseph in a West End revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.The show was...
.
Auditions
Open auditions were held around the UK in April and May 2006, open to both professionals and amateurs over the age of 17. The top 200 made it through to the London callbacks where they performed in front of Ian, Barrowman and Tyler to secure one of 50 places at Lloyd Webber's "Maria School", where over four days they would receive vocal and drama training from the expert panel.
However, several additional performers were selected over this fifty contestant limit; one being Briony, who had been rejected initially due to nerves hampering her performance, but who returned for a second chance and was allowed in by Ian. A further four, whom the panel had rejected, were contacted by Lloyd Webber himself as he personally believed them to be potential Marias.
During "Maria School", contestants were eliminated to leave twenty, who were then taken to Lloyd Webber's house, where they performed live in front of fifty people from the entertainment business. Ten finalists were then chosen by the panel and taken through to the live studio finals.
The series started on Saturday 29 July 2006, and the first two programmes followed the audition stages of the competition before revealing the final ten at the end of the second programme.
Live finals
The final ten contestants then competed in the live studio finals held on Saturday nights over six weeks. Each week the contestants sang and performed during the live show, receiving comments from the judges following their performance. The public then got a chance to vote for their favourite Maria, and the two contestants with the least votes performed a sing-off in front of Lloyd Webber, who then decided which Maria to keep in the contest. This was repeated with the top ten, the top nine and the top eight. With the top seven and top five, two were voted off in the program, and there were two different sing-offs.
Lloyd Webber had no say in the final casting decision, when in the concluding edition of the series it was left to the public to choose who should play Maria out of the final two contenders,
Connie FisherConnie Fisher is a British actress and singer, who won the BBC One talent contest, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?...
and
Helena BlackmanHelena Blackman is a British musical theatre actress best known for being the runner-up in the BBC1 Reality TV programme How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?...
. After more than 2 million votes were cast, the winning entrant was revealed as Fisher, who won a six month contract to play Maria in the
West EndThe West End of London is an area of Central London, England, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, businesses, headquarters and the commercial West End theatres. Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
production, performing six out of the eight weekly shows.
The profits from the telephone votes went to a bursary for young performers. Lloyd Webber also donated his fee to the bursary.
Finalists
Ten potential Marias made it through the auditions process to perform during the live shows. One contestant, Emilie Alford, pulled out of the competition at this stage deciding it was not for her, to be replaced by eventual finalist, Siobhan Dillon. She lost out to a place in the final ten following a sing-off against Alford and Laura Sicurello in front of Lloyd Webber, gaining her the nickname "Second Chance Maria".
| Finalist |
Age |
From |
Occupation |
Nickname |
Status |
| Laura Sicurello |
26 |
Milton Keynes Milton Keynes , often abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is also the principal town of the Borough of Milton Keynes. It was formally designated as a new town on 23 January 1967...
|
Police Intelligence Officer |
Police Intelligence Officer Maria |
Eliminated 1st in week 1 |
| Belinda Evans Belinda Evans was born in 1978 in Ash, near Yeovil in Somerset and is a soprano singer. She has a BA in Music, and also has a postgraduate diploma....
|
28 |
SomersetSomerset is a county in South West England. The county town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county. The ceremonial county of Somerset borders the counties of Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west...
|
Singer, voice coach |
Classical Maria |
Eliminated 2nd in week 2 |
| Meliz Serman |
23 |
EssexEssex is a county in the East of England region of the United Kingdom. The county town of Essex is Chelmsford.-History:In pre-Roman Britain the territories of Suffolk and Essex were home to the Trinovantes tribe, which had grown wealthy through intensive trade with the Roman Empire, contemporary...
|
Fashion personal assistant |
Sexy Maria |
Eliminated 3rd in week 3 |
| Simona Armstrong Simona Armstrong is a Romanian born actress and singer who lives and works mainly in the UK. Between 2004 and 2007, she made a few TV acting appearances in the UK, notably in Doctors, Sinchronicity and A Touch Of Frost. On stage Simona has appeared in Fame, Little Shop Of Horrors...
|
28 |
RomaniaRomania is a country located in Southeastern and Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the Danube Delta is located within its territory...
|
Actress, receptionist |
Romanian Maria |
Eliminated 4th in week 4 |
| Leanne Dobinson Leanne Dobinson is an English singer and was a contestant on the BBC1 show, How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? which sought to find the leading lady for the new Andrew Lloyd Webber produced version of The Sound of Music that will open in the West End in autumn 2006...
|
20 |
ColchesterColchester is a town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001 it had a population of 104,390...
|
Unemployed (prev. retail store assistant manager) |
Baby Maria |
Eliminated 5th in week 4 |
| Abi Finley Abigail "Abi" Finley is an actress and Musical Theatre performer from Prestwich, Greater Manchester, England, the daughter of a prominent local Jewish performer....
|
23 |
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
|
Acting and musical theatre student |
Tomboy Maria |
Eliminated 6th in week 5 |
| Aoife Mulholland Aoife Mulholland is an Irish actress and musical theatre performer from Salthill, Galway on the west coast of Ireland. Aoife is a successful leading lady in London's West End. She has starred as Roxie Hart in Chicago, at the Cambridge Theatre and for 18 months as Maria von Trapp in The Sound...
|
28 |
Salthill Salthill is a seaside suburb of Galway city in the province of Connacht in County Galway. This Galway suburb attracts many tourists all year-round. There is a 2km long promenade, locally known as the Prom, overlooking Galway Bay with bars, restaurants and hotels...
|
Acting and musical theatre student |
Irish Maria |
Eliminated 7th in week 5 |
| Siobhan Dillon Siobhan Patricia Dillon is an English actress and singer, who rose to fame when she performed in the British talent show-themed television series How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? on BBC One in 2006...
|
21 |
StaffordshireStaffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
|
Fashion student |
Second Chance Maria/Fashion Student Maria |
Third place |
| Helena Blackman Helena Blackman is a British musical theatre actress best known for being the runner-up in the BBC1 Reality TV programme How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?...
|
23 |
Southampton Southampton is the largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
|
Performer, waitress |
Entertainment Maria/Miracle Maria |
Second place |
| Connie Fisher Connie Fisher is a British actress and singer, who won the BBC One talent contest, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?...
|
23 |
PembrokeshirePembrokeshire is a county in the southwest of Wales.-Geography:Pembrokeshire is a maritime county, bordered by the sea on three sides, by Ceredigion to the north east and by Carmarthenshire to the east...
|
Telesales, actor |
Telesales Maria/Intense Maria |
Winner |
Live shows
The live shows saw the finalists eliminated one by one following both individual and group performances. Once eliminated, the leaving contestant ended the programme by leading a performance of "So Long, Farewell" from
The Sound of Music with the remaining contestants.
Week one
Following the first week of competition, Laura was the first Maria to be eliminated from the competition. The show performances were:
- Group performances:
- "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?" (from The Sound of Music)
- "I Have Confidence" (from The Sound of Music)
- Individual performances (in order of performance):
- Leanne: "It's Oh So Quiet
"It's Oh So Quiet" performed by Björk is a renamed cover of the Betty Hutton song "Blow a Fuse". It remains her biggest hit, reaching #4 in the UK and spending 15 weeks on the UK singles chart, generating plenty of mainstream airplay...
" (original artist: BjörkBjörk Guðmundsdóttir is a critically acclaimed Icelandic avant-garde singer-songwriter, composer, actress and music producer, whose work includes seven solo albums and two film soundtracks....
)
- Laura: "Torn
"Torn" is a song by the band Ednaswap from their debut album Ednaswap . It was their second single from that album, after "Glow". "Torn" was written by Scott Cutler, Anne Preven, Rusty Anderson and Phil Thornalley during a demo session in 1991 before Ednaswap was formed. The lyrics were written by...
" (Natalie ImbrugliaNatalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress.In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan Willis in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the program, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international...
)
- Abi: "Nobody Does It Better
"Nobody Does It Better" is a power ballad composed by Marvin Hamlisch with lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager. It was recorded by Carly Simon as the theme song for the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. It was the first Bond theme song to be titled differently from the name of the film, although...
" (Carly SimonCarlene Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of a Grammy Award, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work.She is the former wife of another...
)
- Aoife: "Runaway
"Runaway" is the début single by the Irish family band The Corrs. It was released in September 1995, and had middling chart success except in Ireland and Australia, where it peaked at #10. In the UK singles chart, it reached #49....
" (The CorrsThe Corrs are a Celtic folk rock group from Dundalk, Ireland. The group consists of the Corr siblings: Andrea ; Sharon ; Caroline ; and Jim ....
)
- Siobhan: "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!
"Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" is the seventh single released from Shania Twain's 1997 album Come on Over. It was written by Mutt Lange and Twain. "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!," originally released to North American country radio stations in early 1999, was the opening song on both Twain's Come on Over...
" (Shania TwainShania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop artist. Her third album Come on Over is the best-selling album of all time by a female musician and the best-selling album in the history of country music...
)
- Connie: "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
" A Natural Woman" is a 1967 single released by American soul singer Aretha Franklin on the Atlantic label. The record was a big hit for Franklin, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became a standard song for her....
" (Aretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter and pianist commonly referred to as "The Queen of Soul". Although renowned for her soul recordings, Franklin is also adept at jazz, rock, soul, blues, pop, R&B and Gospel music...
)
- Simona: "Over the Rainbow
"Over the Rainbow" is a classic ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in that movie. Over time it would become Garland's signature song.In the film, part of the song is played by the MGM...
" (Eva CassidyEva Marie Cassidy was an American vocalist known for her interpretations of jazz, blues, folk, gospel, country and pop classics. In 1992 she released her first album, The Other Side, a set of duets with go-go musician Chuck Brown, followed by a live solo album, Live at Blues Alley in 1996...
)
- Belinda: "Over the Rainbow
"Over the Rainbow" is a classic ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in that movie. Over time it would become Garland's signature song.In the film, part of the song is played by the MGM...
" (Judy GarlandJudy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years, Garland attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist, and on the concert stage. Respected for her versatility, she received a Juvenile Academy...
)
- Helena: "Crazy Chick
"Crazy Chick" is a pop song written by Sarah Buras, Wirlie Morris, Fitzgerald Scott, produced by Tore Johannson for Charlotte Church's fifth studio album Tissues and Issues . It was released as the album's first single in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2005 as a CD single. The song reached number...
" (Charlotte ChurchCharlotte Church is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood as a classical crossover singer before branching into pop music in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10,500,000 albums worldwide and is said to be worth as much as £20m...
)
- Meliz: "Son of a Preacher Man
"Son of a Preacher Man" is a song recorded by Dusty Springfield in 1968 and featured on the album, Dusty in Memphis. Written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins, "Son of a Preacher Man" was originally offered to Aretha Franklin, who turned it down. It was only upon hearing Springfield's version that...
" (Dusty SpringfieldMary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien OBE , known as Dusty Springfield, was a pop singer and entertainer. Of all the female British pop artists of the 1960s, she made one of the biggest impressions on the American market...
)
- Sing-off:
- Helena and Laura received the least number of viewer votes and were in the sing-off, and performed "No Matter What
"No Matter What" is a song from the 1996 musical Whistle Down the Wind, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman and popularized by the group Boyzone.-Musical version:...
" from the musical Whistle Down the WindWhistle Down the Wind is a musical based on the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Jim Steinman, known for his work with Meat Loaf and Bonnie Tyler.-Stage Premiere:...
.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Helena and eliminate Laura.
Week two
As the mission for this week, the potential Marias performed a scene from the musical with an actor as Captain Von Trapp.
Belinda was the second contestant to be eliminated from the series. The show performances were:
- Group performances:
- "My Favorite Things
"My Favorite Things" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.- The Sound of Music version :The song was first introduced by Mary Martin in the original Broadway production, and sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film adaptation.In the musical the lyrics to the...
" (from The Sound of Music)
- "Don't Rain on My Parade
"Don't Rain On My Parade" is a popular song from the 1964 musical Funny Girl. It was also featured in the 1968 movie version of the musical. The song was written by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne. Both the movie and stage versions feature Barbra Streisand performing the song. It has since become one of...
" (Barbra Streisand Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, film and theatre actress. She has also achieved note as a composer, liberal political activist, film producer, and film director. She has won two Academy Awards, ten Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, and a Peabody all by the age of...
)
- Individual performances (in order of performance):
- Belinda: "Fever
"Fever" is a song credited to Eddie Cooley and "John Davenport" . The song was a rhythm and blues hit for Little Willie John that crossed over and became a pop standard after being transformed, with additional lyrics, by Peggy Lee, on her album All Aglow Again...
" (Peggy LeePeggy Lee was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer and actress. She first came to prominence in the 1940s with her #1 hits Somebody Is Taking Your Place and Mañana, having a string of successful albums and top 10 hits in three consecutive decades...
)
- Abi: "The Closest Thing to Crazy
"The Closest Thing to Crazy" is the debut single of Georgia-born songstress Katie Melua. It is featured on her hugely successful album, Call Off the Search...
" (Katie MeluaKetevan "Katie" Melua is a Georgian/British singer, songwriter and musician. She was born in Georgia, but moved to Northern Ireland at the age of eight and then relocated to England at the age of 14. Melua is signed to the small Dramatico record label, under the management of songwriter Mike Batt,...
)
- Simona: "Material Girl
"Material Girl" is the second single by singer-songwriter Madonna from her 2nd studio album, Like a Virgin, and was released on January 30, 1985 by Sire Records...
" (MadonnaMadonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
)
- Meliz: "The Voice Within
"The Voice Within" is the fifth and final single from Christina Aguilera's second album, Stripped. Released in 2003, the single peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Aguilera's 11th Top 40 hit. The single also peaked at #9 in the UK and #19 in Australia...
" (Christina AguileraChristina María Aguilera is an American pop musician. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994. Aguilera signed to RCA Records after...
)
- Helena: "Woman in Love
"Woman in Love" is a popular 1980 song performed by Barbra Streisand and taken from her album, Guilty. The song was written by Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb of The Bee Gees....
" (Barbra Streisand Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, film and theatre actress. She has also achieved note as a composer, liberal political activist, film producer, and film director. She has won two Academy Awards, ten Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, and a Peabody all by the age of...
)
- Connie: "Shout" (Lulu
Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, actress, model and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
)
- Leanne: "See the Day" (Dee C. Lee
Dee C. Lee is an English pop singer.-Biography:Diane was a backing vocalist for the pop group Wham! in the early 1980s, but she left the group to work as a solo artist and also to join Paul Weller's band, The Style Council...
)
- Siobhan: "Chains
"Chains" is a song by Australian singer Tina Arena from her album Don't Ask. It was composed by Arena, Pam Reswick and Steve Werfel and produced by David Tyson. "Chains" scaled the charts in the UK to #6, and charted well throughout Europe, earning her numerous awards in the process...
" (Tina ArenaTina Arena is a famous and respected Australian singer, songwriter and musical theatre actress as well as being an important role model for woman in the Australian arts industry...
)
- Aoife: "If My Friends Could See Me Now" (from Sweet Charity
Sweet Charity is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It is based on Federico Fellini's screenplay for Nights of Cabiria...
)
- Sing-off:
- Belinda and Meliz were in the sing-off, and performed "Another Suitcase in Another Hall
"Another Suitcase in Another Hall" is a song from the musical Evita with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The song was first a hit for in the UK for Barbara Dickson in 1977...
" from Evita.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Meliz and eliminate Belinda.
Week three
During the week, David Ian talked to the girls about fitness and stamina, and
Claire SweeneyClaire Jane Sweeney is an English actress, singer and television personality best known for playing the role of Lindsey Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside and her appearance on the first series of the Reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother.-Early life and career:Sweeney trained at the...
gave the girls some advice on looking after themselves and their voices. The mission was a fitness test, with Olympic athlete
Iwan ThomasIwan Gwyn Thomas MBE Iwan Gwyn Thomas MBE Iwan Gwyn Thomas MBE (born 5 January 1974 in Farnborough (London Borough of Bromley) is an Olympic Athlete, who represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Olympic Games in the 400 m, and Wales at the Commonwealth Games. Thomas is the current UK...
, requiring the Marias to complete an assault course. The Marias also attended the première of the film
You, Me and DupreeYou, Me and Dupree is a comedy film released on July 14, 2006. It is directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, written by Mike LeSieur, and produced by Mary Parent, Scott Stuber, and Owen Wilson....
in
Leicester SquareLeicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. The Square lies within an area bound by Lisle Street, to the north; Charing Cross Road, to the east; Orange Street, to the south; and Whitcomb Street, to the west...
.
The third potential Maria to be eliminated was Meliz. The show performances were:
- Group performances:
- "The Lonely Goatherd
"The Lonely Goatherd" is a show tune from the musical The Sound of Music that makes use of yodelling.This song tells the whimsical story of a goatherd whose yodelling is heard from far off and by passers-by, until he falls in love with a girl who wears a pale-pink coat, with her mother joining in...
" (from The Sound of Music)
- "Don't Stop Me Now
"Don't Stop Me Now" is a 1979 hit single by Queen, from their 1978 album Jazz. Lyrics and music were written by Freddie Mercury. It was recorded in August/September 1978 in Nice, France....
" (QueenQueen were an English rock band. Formed in London in 1970 following the demise of the band Smile, Queen consisted of vocalist Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor. The band became popular with audiences via their hit songs, live performances,...
)
- Individual performances (in order of performance):
- Siobhan: "Jump (for My Love)
"Jump " was the opening track of the Pointer Sisters' 1983 album, Break Out.Released prior to the 1984 Summer Olympics games, the song's video featured footage of athletes competing in track and field events. The song was the second of four Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles in a row for the sisters...
" (Girls AloudGirls Aloud are a UK girl group that were created on the ITV1 talent show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. The group, consisting of Cheryl Cole, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh have been successful in achieving a string of 20 consecutive UK Top 10 singles , two UK...
)
- Leanne: "9 to 5
"9 to 5" is the title of a Grammy-winning, number-one song written and originally performed by Dolly Parton for the 1980 film comedy Nine to Five, starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Parton in her film debut....
" (Dolly PartonDolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best-known for her work in country music....
)
- Helena: "Flashdance... What a Feeling
"Flashdance... What a Feeling" is an Academy Award winning song from the 1983 film Flashdance which was performed by Irene Cara.-Song information:...
" (Irene CaraIrene Cara is an American singer and actress. Cara won an Academy Award in 1984 in the category of Best Original Song for co-writing "Flashdance... What a Feeling". She is also known for her recording of the song "Fame", and she also starred in the 1980 film Fame.She married Hollywood stuntman...
)
- Aoife: "Sway
"Sway" is the English version of "¿Quién será?", a 1953 mambo song by Mexican composer and bandleader Pablo Beltrán Ruiz. In 1954 the English lyrics were written by Norman Gimbel and recorded by Dean Martin...
" (Pussycat DollsThe Pussycat Dolls is an American pop quintet. The current musical lineup is composed of Nicole Scherzinger, Melody Thornton, Jessica Sutta, Ashley Roberts, and Kimberly Wyatt....
)
- Meliz: "Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Girls Just Want to Have Fun may refer to:* Girls Just Want to Have Fun, the first major single released by singer Cyndi Lauper* Girls Just Want to Have Fun , starring Sarah Jessica Parker...
" (Cyndi LauperCynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first artist to have four top-five singles released from one album. Lauper has released 11 albums and over 40...
)
- Abi: "Big Spender
Big Spender is a song written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for the musical Sweet Charity. It is sung, in the musical, by the dance hostess "girls"; it was choreographed by Bob Fosse for the Broadway musical and the film...
" (Shirley BasseyDame Shirley Veronica Bassey DBE is a singer who found fame in the late 1950s and has continued a successful career since then worldwide. She is also well-known for recording the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger , Diamonds Are Forever , and Moonraker...
)
- Connie: "My Baby Just Cares for Me
"My Baby Just Cares for Me" is a jazz standard written by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by Gus Kahn. It was one of three hit songs from the 1928 musical Whoopee, starring Eddie Cantor . It is best known as the signature tune of singer and pianist Nina Simone.
-Nina Simone...
" (Nina SimoneEunice Kathleen Waymon, better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist....
)
- Simona: "I Only Want to Be with You
"I Only Want to Be with You" is a song by Mike Hawker and Ivor Raymonde. It was the first solo single released by British singer Dusty Springfield under her long-time producer Johnny Franz...
" (Dusty SpringfieldMary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien OBE , known as Dusty Springfield, was a pop singer and entertainer. Of all the female British pop artists of the 1960s, she made one of the biggest impressions on the American market...
)
- Sing-off:
- Helena and Meliz were in the sing-off, and performed "Take That Look Off Your Face
Take That Look Off Your Face is the title of a hit song by musical theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. Collaborating with lyricist Don Black, it was written for the song cycle show Tell Me on a Sunday in 1978. It was sung and released by Marti Webb in 1980, and became a No.3 hit in the UK charts...
" from Tell Me on a SundayTell Me on a Sunday is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black. A one-act song cycle, it tells the story of an ordinary English girl from Muswell Hill, who journeys to the United States in search of love...
.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Helena and eliminate Meliz.
Week four
Ahead of Saturday night, Andrew Lloyd Webber made a surprise visit to the contestants and worked with each of them to help with their performance.
Simona and Leanne became the fourth and fifth contestants to hear they were not Maria. The show performances were:
- Group performances:
- "Do-Re-Mi
"Do-Re-Mi" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. Within the story, it is used by Maria to teach the notes of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children who learn to sing for the first time, even though their father has disallowed frivolity after...
" (from The Sound of Music)
- Individual performances (in order of performance):
- Helena: "Can You Feel the Love Tonight
250px|thumb|right|Simba and Nala embrace during the "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" sequence."Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is an Academy Award-winning song from Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King, composed by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice...
" (Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single, Candle in the Wind 1997, has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the...
)
- Connie: "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
"Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" is a song introduced by Carol Channing in the original Broadway production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes , which was written by Jule Styne and Leo Robin...
" (from Gentlemen Prefer BlondesGentlemen Prefer Blondes is a musical with a book by Joseph Fields and Anita Loos, lyrics by Leo Robin, and music by Jule Styne, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Loos...
)
- Abi: "Summertime
"Summertime" is the name of an aria composed by George Gershwin for the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess. The lyrics are by DuBose Heyward. The song soon became a popular jazz standard....
" (from Porgy and BessPorgy and Bess an opera, first performed in 1935, with music by George Gershwin, libretto by DuBose Heyward, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward. It was based on DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy and the play of the same name which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward...
)
- Leanne: "Hopelessly Devoted to You
"Hopelessly Devoted to You", written by John Farrar, is a song originally performed by Olivia Newton-John. The song, featured in the film version of Grease, received an Oscar nomination as Best Original Song, losing to "Last Dance" at the 51st Academy Awards...
" (Olivia Newton John)
- Aoife: "You'll Never Walk Alone
"You'll Never Walk Alone" is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Carousel.In the musical, in the second act, Nettie Fowler, the cousin of the female protagonist Julie Jordan, sings "You'll Never Walk Alone" to comfort and encourage Julie when her husband, Billy Bigelow, the...
" (from CarouselA carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
)
- Simona: "It's My Turn
"It's My Turn" is a 1980 song, which was also developed into a film of the same name. The song, written by Carole Bayer Sager and Michael Masser for Diana Ross, was released as a single and became a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number nine...
" (Diana Ross Diana Ross is an American singer and actress. During the 1960s, she helped shape the Motown Sound as lead singer of The Supremes, before leaving the group for a solo career on January 14, 1970...
)
- Siobhan: "Songbird" (Eva Cassidy
Eva Marie Cassidy was an American vocalist known for her interpretations of jazz, blues, folk, gospel, country and pop classics. In 1992 she released her first album, The Other Side, a set of duets with go-go musician Chuck Brown, followed by a live solo album, Live at Blues Alley in 1996...
)
- First sing-off:
- Helena and Simona were in the first sing-off, and performed "Memory
"Memory" is a show tune from the 1981 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats sung by the character Grizabella, a one-time glamour cat who is now a shell of her former self. The song is a nostalgic remembrance of her glorious past and a declaration of her wishes to start a new life...
" from CatsCats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. It introduced the song standard "Memory."...
.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Helena and eliminate Simona.
- Second sing-off:
- Helena and Leanne were in the second sing-off, and performed "I Don't Know How to Love Him
"I Don't Know How to Love Him" is a song originally from the 1970 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice hit rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. The song was originally featured on the #1 album Jesus Christ Superstar which was released in October of 1970. The song is sung by the character Mary...
" from Jesus Christ SuperstarJesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera that became a musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. It highlights the political and interpersonal struggles of Judas Iscariot and Jesus. The rock opera is based on St John's Gospel account of the last week of Jesus' life, beginning with the preparation...
.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Helena and eliminate Leanne.
Week five
This week, the Marias mission was a chemistry test with John Barrowman, which involved Barrowman giving the Marias a surprise kiss.
In the semi-final, the sixth and seventh Marias to be eliminated were Abi and Aoife. The show performances were:
- Group performances:
- "I've Got Confidence" (from The Sound of Music)
- With John Barrowman: "Have You Met Miss Jones?
"Have You Met Miss Jones?" is a popular song that was written for the musical comedy, I'd Rather Be Right. The music was written by Richard Rodgers and the lyrics by Lorenz Hart. The song was published in 1937....
" (from I'd Rather Be RightI'd Rather Be Right is a musical with a book by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, lyrics by Lorenz Hart, and music by Richard Rodgers. The story is a Depression-era political satire set in New York City, about Washington politics and political figures, such as President Franklin Roosevelt...
)
- Individual performances (in order of performance):
- Connie: "If I Can't Have You
"If I Can't Have You" is a disco song written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees.-Origins:"If I Can't Have You" was intended to be included in the follow-up album to Children of the World , but was given to Yvonne Elliman when the Bee Gees became involved in the production of the...
" (from Saturday Night FeverSaturday Night Fever is a 1977 film starring John Travolta as Tony Manero, a young man, coming of age, whose weekend activities are visits to a local Brooklyn discothèque and Karen Lynn Gorney as his dance partner and eventual girlfriend...
)
- Siobhan: "All That Jazz
"All That Jazz" is a song from the 1975 musical Chicago. It has lyrics by Fred Ebb and music by John Kander, and is the opening song of the musical...
" (from ChicagoChicago is a Kander and Ebb musical set in prohibition era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse...
)
- Helena: "My Heart Will Go On
"My Heart Will Go On" is the theme song of the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. With music by James Horner, lyrics by Will Jennings, and production by Walter Afanasieff, it was recorded by Céline Dion. Originally released in 1997 on Dion's album Let's Talk About Love, it went to number 1 all over the...
" (Celine DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion , CC, OQ is a Canadian singer, occasional songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. Born to a large, impoverished family in Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to...
)
- Abi: "Maybe This Time" (from Cabaret
Cabaret is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
)
- Aoife: "Footloose
"Footloose" is a single by Kenny Loggins which spent three weeks at number one, March 31—April 14, 1984 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and was the first of two number-one hits from the motion picture, Footloose...
" (from FootlooseThe movie was loosely based on events that took place in the tiny, rural farming community of Elmore City, Oklahoma. Much of the film was filmed in Utah County, Utah.-Production:...
)
- First sing-off:
- Abi and Aoife were in the first sing-off, and performed "Any Dream Will Do
"Any Dream Will Do" is a popular song written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice for the 1968 musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat...
" from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour DreamcoatJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the second British musical theatre show written by the team of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Its predecessor, The Likes of Us, was not performed until 2005...
.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Aoife and eliminate Abi.
- Second sing-off:
- Siobhan and Aoife were in the second sing-off, and performed "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" from Evita.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Siobhan and eliminate Aoife.
Week six
In the run-up to the final, the three finalists and Lloyd Webber visited
Salzburg' is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Salzburg's "Old Town" with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The city is noted for its...
to visit some of the locations made famous by the
The Sound of Music, including Leopoldskron Palace and
Nonnberg AbbeyNonnberg Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Salzburg, Austria.It was founded ca. 714 by Saint Rupert of Salzburg and is the oldest women's religious house in the German-speaking world...
, to give the finalists a chance to understand the real
Maria von TrappBaroness Maria Augusta von Trapp was the stepmother and matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Her story and that of her family's escape from the Nazis after the Anschluss served as inspiration for the musical The Sound of Music.-Biography:Maria Augusta Kutschera was born on a train heading from...
.
The grand final saw Connie win the competition, with Helena coming second and Siobhan third. The show performances were:
- Group performance:
- Finalists and former Marias: "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" (from The Sound of Music)
- Individual performances (in order of performance):
- Siobhan: "Anyone Who Had a Heart" (Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress, activist, United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, former United States Ambassador of Health, and humanitarian. She is best known for her partnership with songwriters and producers Burt Bacharach and Hal David...
)
- Helena: "Cabaret" (from Cabaret
Cabaret is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
)
- Connie: "As Long as He Needs Me
As Long as He Needs Me is a torch song sung by the character of Nancy in the musical film Oliver!, first introduced in the 1960 musical. It is sung as a love ballad about her criminal boyfriend Bill Sikes. The song expresses Nancy's love for him although he mistreats her...
" (from Oliver!Oliver! is a British musical, with music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
)
- Siobhan: "My Favorite Things
"My Favorite Things" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.- The Sound of Music version :The song was first introduced by Mary Martin in the original Broadway production, and sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film adaptation.In the musical the lyrics to the...
" (from The Sound of Music)
- Helena: "Do-Re-Mi
"Do-Re-Mi" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. Within the story, it is used by Maria to teach the notes of the major musical scale to the Von Trapp children who learn to sing for the first time, even though their father has disallowed frivolity after...
" (from The Sound of Music)
- Connie: "The Lonely Goatherd
"The Lonely Goatherd" is a show tune from the musical The Sound of Music that makes use of yodelling.This song tells the whimsical story of a goatherd whose yodelling is heard from far off and by passers-by, until he falls in love with a girl who wears a pale-pink coat, with her mother joining in...
" (from The Sound of Music)
- Following the elimination of Siobhan, who received the lowest number of viewer votes, the final two performed their favourite song from the series and a duet, and the eight eliminated contestants performed together:
- Helena: "Woman in Love" (Barbra Streisand)
- Connie: "Shout" (Lulu)
- Connie and Helena: "The Sound of Music
"The Sound of Music" is the title song from The Sound of Music, composed by Richard Rodgers to lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was originally sung by Mary Martin in the 1959 stage musical of the same name. It was sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film, with a reprise by the Von Trapp family...
" (from The Sound of Music)
- Former Marias: "Edelweiss
"Edelweiss" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. It is named after the edelweiss, a white flower found high in the Alpine hills. The song is sung by Captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp as he rediscovers music and a love for his children...
" (from The Sound of Music)
- After being announced as the series winner, Connie concluded the series with a performance of "The Sound of Music".
After the series
Following the final, Lloyd Webber was criticised after it was revealed that actress
Emma WilliamsEmma Williams is a British actress. After, going to North Halifax Grammar school and studying at the Stage84 stage school in Bingley, West Yorkshire, she has had a successful career in both TV, film and on stage....
had been hired to perform the two performances per week Fisher would not. Prior to The Sound of Music opening Williams "withdrew her services", reportedly because her role had been downgraded from four shows per week to two, leaving Fisher to perform all eight shows unless indisposed.
With £10 million in advance ticket sales, the £4 million production opened at the
London PalladiumThe London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster.Ian Dury and Cass Elliot played their last shows at the Palladium.-Building:...
on 15 November 2006 to positive reviews, leading to a £1.1 million increase in ticket sales in one day. In January 2007, Fisher was chosen by the London Critics' Circle to win their award for best newcomer, sharing the prize with
Andrew GarfieldAndrew Garfield is a BAFTA award-winning English actor, who has appeared in radio, theatre, film, and television, including the 2007 releases Lions for Lambs and Boy A.-Personal life:...
. Reducing her performances to six per week in March 2007 following an order to rest her voice, her run in the show was extended until 23 February 2008, when actress
Summer StrallenSummer Peta Vaigncourt-Strallen is an English actress who has performed various roles on stage and screen. She recently portrayed the role of Maria Von Trapp in Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The Sound of Music at the London Palladium....
took over the role following a tie-in with the
Channel 4Channel 4 is a UK public-service television broadcaster which began working on November 2, 1982. Although commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station owned now and operated by the Channel Four Television...
soap
HollyoaksHollyoaks is a long-running television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
. Fisher has also made numerous appearances on stage and on television, released two albums, and performed the lead role in the ITV1ITV1 is the generic brand, that is used by twelve franchises of the ITV Network in England, Wales, the Scottish Borders, the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their eleven...
drama Caught in a Trap
on 26 December 2008. She will reprise her role as Maria in a UK tour of the production in July 2009.
Several of the other final ten contestants have taken on leading roles in musicals following the series. Aoife MulhollandAoife Mulholland is an Irish actress and musical theatre performer from Salthill, Galway on the west coast of Ireland. Aoife is a successful leading lady in London's West End. She has starred as Roxie Hart in Chicago, at the Cambridge Theatre and for 18 months as Maria von Trapp in The Sound...
was cast in December 2006 as Roxie Hart in the West End musical ChicagoChicago is a Kander and Ebb musical set in prohibition era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse...
, and took on the role of Maria in the West End production for two shows per week in April 2007 after Fisher's reduction in performances. In July 2007 Siobhan DillonSiobhan Patricia Dillon is an English actress and singer, who rose to fame when she performed in the British talent show-themed television series How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? on BBC One in 2006...
started in the role of Patty Simcox in the musical GreaseGrease is a 1972 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.The show takes its name from the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class kids as they navigate the complexities of love,...
, and fellow finalist Helena BlackmanHelena Blackman is a British musical theatre actress best known for being the runner-up in the BBC1 Reality TV programme How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?...
played Nellie Forbush in a UK tour of South PacificSouth Pacific is a 1949 musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story draws from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning, 1948 novel, Tales of the South Pacific, weaving together characters and elements from several of...
.
A follow-up programme How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? – Connie's Story
aired on 27 December 2006 and followed Fisher during rehearsals for her new role up to and including the opening night. Fisher and several other finalists appeared in a special programme on 24 December 2007 with the winner and finalists from Any Dream Will DoAny Dream Will Do, often known as 'Joseph', is a 2007 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. It searched for a new, unknown lead to play Joseph in a West End revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.The show was...
titled When Joseph Met Maria.
Reception
Lloyd Webber was initially criticised for wanting casting the role through a television talent search, and he and the BBC were also criticised by the actors union Equity. They stated that they believed their members would find the series "demeaning to their profession" and that it was not a "proper way" to choose a performer.
The series opened to mostly negative reviews from the press, with the
Daily MailThe Daily Mail is a British daily tabloid newspaper. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper, The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982. Scottish and Irish editions of the paper were launched in...
stating that the series was a "trainwreck". In response to the criticism, Lloyd Webber told The TimesThe Times is a daily national newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register....
that:
"This programme is providing a platform for musical theatre that it has never had before. The only people upset with Maria are a few precious luvvies who think things should be done a certain way."
Lloyd Webber and the BBC were also criticised for giving the production "11 hours of free publicity on prime-time television" and that the series could be "considered commercial advertising". The
BBC TrustThe BBC Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and aims to act in the best interests of licence fee payers....
's Editorial Standards Committee disagreed, saying that the corporation retained "editorial control of the programme" and avoided "disproportionate prominence for Lloyd Webber and the production".
The first programme attracted 5.1 million viewers with a 32% audience share, with 4.9 million viewers (30% share) watching the first of the live finals, and 4.7 million (23% share) viewing the results programme. The series dropped to a low of 4.4 million viewers (24% share) against the third series of
The X FactorThe X Factor is a British television music talent show, contested by aspiring pop singers drawn from public auditions. It is broadcast on the ITV network in the United Kingdom and on TV3 in Ireland, with spin-off "behind-the-scenes" shows The Xtra Factor and The X Factor 24/7 screened on ITV2 and TV3...
on ITV1ITV1 is the generic brand, that is used by twelve franchises of the ITV Network in England, Wales, the Scottish Borders, the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their eleven...
, which started the week before. The X Factor
continued to gain higher viewing figures as the weeks progressed, with the final of Maria? attracting 5.5 million viewers (28% share) for the main show and 7.7 million (35% share) for the results show.
Following the conclusion of the series on a ratings high and positive reviews for Fisher following her opening night, the series was followed by a number of similar series from both the BBC and other broadcasters in the UK and abroad. It was also credited with helping London theatres reach record ticket sales and attendances in 2007 and, according to
The IndependentThe Independent is a British newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly's Independent News & Media. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily newspapers. The daily edition was named National...
, for "persuading a new, younger audience to see the shows in the flesh".
The series was shown on BBC AmericaBBC America is an American television network, owned and operated by BBC Worldwide Americas, and available on both cable and satellite.-History:...
in the United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from June 2009. It was described as being "refreshing in its simplicity" in a "landscape that lately seems dominated by audition-heavy musical competitions" by LA TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California since 1881. It is distributed throughout the Western United States. It is the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States and the fourth-most widely distributed newspaper in the United States...
critic Mary McNamara, but Brian Lowry of VarietyVariety is a weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the Daily...
didn't feel that it would be successful in the U.S.
Awards
The series won three awards, and received nominations for another two:
- 2007 International Emmy Awards: winner – non-scripted entertainment
- 2006 Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based society for the discussion, analysis and preservation of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the one of the oldest television societies in the world...
Awards: winner – best entertainment programme
- 2007
Broadcast Awards: winner – best entertainment programme
2007 British Academy Television AwardsThe 2007 British Academy Television Awards were held on Sunday 20 May at the London Palladium Theatre in London. They were broadcast live on BBC One in the UK...
: nominated – best entertainment programme
2007 Broadcasting Press GuildThe Broadcasting Press Guild is a British association of journalists who specialise in writing and broadcasting about television, radio and the media generally....
Awards: nominated – best comedy/entertainment
Follow-up and international series
The success of the series lead to it becoming the first of a series of West End themed talent contests produced by the BBC in collaboration with Lloyd Webber. 2007 saw
Any Dream Will DoAny Dream Will Do, often known as 'Joseph', is a 2007 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. It searched for a new, unknown lead to play Joseph in a West End revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.The show was...
search for a new male lead to play Joseph for a production of Lloyd Webber's and Tim RiceSir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice is an English Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, author, radio personality and television gameshow panellist....
's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the second British musical theatre show written by the team of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Its predecessor, The Likes of Us, was not performed until 2005...
. This was followed in 2008 by I'd Do AnythingI'd Do Anything is a 2008 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom and broadcast on BBC One. It premièred on 15 March 2008...
, which searched for a new lead to play Nancy and three young performers to play OliverOliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress is Charles Dickens' second novel. It is about a boy named Oliver Twist, who escapes from an workhouse and meets a gang of pickpocketers in London...
in a production of the musical Oliver!Oliver! is a British musical, with music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
. The BBC also collaborated with Lloyd Webber to find a performer for Britain's entry into the Eurovision Song Contest 2009The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
through Eurovision: Your Country Needs You
.
On 20 August 2006, it was reported that Lloyd Webber had taken legal action against David Ian. Lloyd Webber reportedly wanted to take the format to the United States to cast a Broadway theatreBroadway Theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, is the theatre associated with the 40 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York in Manhattan, New York City...
production of GreaseGrease is a 1972 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.The show takes its name from the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class kids as they navigate the complexities of love,...
. Lloyd Webber discovered that Ian had already brought the idea to NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
, who announced they will look for unknowns to play Sandy Dumbrowski and Danny Zuko, via reality TV show Grease: You're the One that I Want!
with Ian and BBC WorldwideBBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. In the year to 31 March 2009 it made a profit of £86m on a turnover of £1.04bn, mainly affected by the administration of...
, leaving Lord Lloyd-Webber furious. Ian said "I don't understand the problem. Andrew has no connection with the stage show Grease
, which I have successfully produced in the UK. There is a new production of Grease
on Broadway in the spring of 2007, that's why I've been asked to judge on You're The One That We Want
." This was followed in the UK with the ITV1ITV1 is the generic brand, that is used by twelve franchises of the ITV Network in England, Wales, the Scottish Borders, the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their eleven...
series Grease Is the WordGrease Is the Word is the UK version of NBCs Grease: You're the One that I Want!. It was announced on December 20 2006 by ITV, it was to air in Spring/Summer 2007...
, with Ian as a judge. It aired against Any Dream Will Do
in 2007.
Op zoek naar EvitaOp zoek naar Evita was a 2007 talent show-themed television series produced by the AVRO in the Netherlands. It documented the search for a new, undiscovered musical theatre performer to play the role of Eva Peron in the 2008 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Evita.The show was hosted by Frits Sissing...
(Looking for Evita
) was produced in the NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
in 2007, followed by Op zoek naar JosephOp zoek naar Joseph was a 2008 talent show-themed television series produced by the AVRO in the Netherlands. It searched for a new, unknown lead to play Joseph in a 2009 Dutch revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.The show was hosted by Frits...
(Looking for Joseph
) in 2008 and Op zoek naar Mary PoppinsOp zoek naar Mary Poppins will be a 2009 talent show-themed television series produced by the AVRO in the Netherlands and broadcast on AVRO.It will premiered in late August 2009...
(Looking for Mary Poppins
) in 2009. In 2008, a CanadianCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
version of the show with the same titleHow Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? was a talent competition program that aired in Canada on CBC Television. It premiered on June 15, 2008 at 8pm EDT, and concluded on July 28, 2008...
, searched for a Maria for an upcoming TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
production of The Sound of Music
; this show was initiated by Lloyd Webber, and was aired on CBC TelevisionCBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.-Overview:CBC Television provides a complete 24-hour network schedule of news, sports, entertainment and children's programming, in most cases feeding the same programming at the same local times...
. In 2009, VtmThe abbreviation VTM may refer to::* Vampire: The Masquerade, a popular role-playing game* Video Training Module, a video produced by 3D Buzz for the purpose of education in a variety of different computer-related media including CG software such as Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, and programming...
aired a FlemishThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
version titled (Looking for Maria).
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