MARIA CHOSEN AS EXPECTED

[allofmylife]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 3:41am

Well, we called this one:

Connie wins Maria talent contest
BBC News

The win secured Connie a starring role in the West End
Call centre worker Connie Fisher has won BBC One's talent search How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?
She went head-to-head with Helena Blackman in the final for the chance to take the lead in Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage revival of The Sound of Music.

After a viewers' vote, the 23-year-old from Wales landed the West End role.

Connie, who has unsuccessfully been auditioning for parts since graduating from theatre school in London, said: "Every night will be an opening night".

She was the bookmakers' favourite to win the six-month contract.

Connie was open-mouthed and close to tears when host Graham Norton announced the result after more than two million votes.

"Just thank you to everybody who's voted," she said, before going on to perform the show's title song for the studio audience.

"I look forward to every performance that I give you. Thank you for making my dreams come true."

She says Julie Andrews, who played the part of Maria in the hugely successful film version of The Sound of Music, is her heroine.

Earlier in the evening, Siobhan Dillon, one of three remaining hopefuls left on the show, was voted off.


The show has been hosted by Graham Norton

Lord Lloyd-Webber launched the televised search for a lead actress after failing to secure Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson for the lead role after holding initial talks.

He has been chairing a panel of judges on the show, whittling down thousands of singers who auditioned down to a final 10 who have been battling it out in live performances for a place on Saturday's final.

Before the result was revealed, he said Connie was his choice for the part.

The musical is set to open at the London Palladium on November 14.

There have been press reports that Lord Lloyd-Webber has already signed up a professional theatre actress to share the leading role with Connie.

[Fiction Writer]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 4:22am

I love Graham Norton.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 4:45am

I literally fall off my chair laughing at his amazing performances on the BBC's "Just A Minute." He is so inventive.

[kombatkoala]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 4:51am

I liked her too! So I'm glad she won.

[jo]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 7:16am

>>>There have been press reports that Lord Lloyd-Webber has already signed up a professional theatre actress to share the leading role with Connie.<<<

Isn't this supposed to be Emma Williams, who was the original Truly Scrumptious in CHITTY ?

I'd love to see her in the role.

[joshy]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 8:08am

Yeah, ALW has confirmed that Emma Williams is the alternate and at this point the plan is for her to do 2 and Connie to do 6 a week. I don't know why articles are still being written as if there's some shadowy cover up about Emma Williams.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 9:52am

Am I totally missing something here? Why is ALW producing this? It's a R&H musical...

Congratulations to the winner, though!

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 10:22am

R&H didn't just produce R&H. They also produced Berlin...etc...

SO ALW doing something similar.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 12:11pm

And he'll make gajillions of pounds from this. What a fantastic marketing scheme.

Updated On: 9/17/06 at 12:11 PM

[CarolynW]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 12:14pm

Really Useful and ALW produced "Bombay Dreams" in London and on Broadway, so this is nothing new for their company.

If you go to his personal website he explains why he decided to do "The Sound of Music." He talks about the alternate for the show.


Yours,

Carolyn
ALW Website

[west end artist1]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 10:39pm

I Was at theatre school with Emma and shes such a gem and i still see her now.Shes so excited about this part.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/17/06 at 11:42pm

I wonder if hiring Emma Williams was more a security net to safeguard whatever happened with the contest. Maria Von Trapp is hardly a role that needs an alternate.

I have a feeling Connie, who is a consumate professional, will end up doing all eight performances. That seems to be HER plan anyway; in all the interviews and in the finale she made a point specifically of saying that she would give her heart and dedication "8 performances a week" at the Palladium. I think that was a subtle way of saying she doesn't think she needs an alternate.

[west end artist1]

Posted: 9/18/06 at 12:04am

Connie issnt doing all 8 shows,according to emma connie will do 6 and emma will do 2 a week.
Thats always been the plan right from the off,At somepoint Emma will take over the role full time(prob after 6 months)

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/18/06 at 12:18am

"Isn't this supposed to be Emma Williams, who was the original Truly Scrumptious in CHITTY ?

"I'd love to see her in the role."

Jo, Lord Andrew kindly requests that you not put your Kiss of Death on this one, too. Thanking you in advance.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/18/06 at 12:44am

I'm sure they will wait until the production opens before making any long term plans. If say, Connie were to open to extraordinary "a star is born" reviews, I doubt they would brush her off after six months so that Williams, a nice actress but not exactly a star, could take over full time. I bet they will wait to see what the critics say and how the reality show actually effect ticket sales before setting anything in stone.

[sharon1]

Posted: 9/18/06 at 10:18am

Michael Bennett
I would never argue with you because you do know tons about the stage but....Emma has starred/co starred in two West End productions and gotten great reviews for her latest limited run, which I have forgotten the name of. She also got terrific reviews for a production of a new musical in Manchester I believe. You may be right about a safety net factor. After all the hype they might need one. At twenty three I believe Connie is still older than Emma. I wish both young women well.
Updated On: 9/18/06 at 10:18 AM

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 9/18/06 at 12:05pm

I finally got to see a few bits and pieces of How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? on the site we shall not mention, and I'm really glad Connie won. She's got the voice and the personality, and she's going to shine as Maria. Aiofe would have been my other choice.

[west end artist1]

Posted: 9/18/06 at 11:24pm

The show in Manchester you are refering to was sex chips and rock and roll.
Emma was also in the uk production of Batboy and has had some fantastic reviews for her work.

As far as i know(coming from emmas mouth)she will def do 2 shows a week and has been told that she will take over the roll in 6 months(subject to change).

[sharon1]

Posted: 9/19/06 at 8:26am

I have also been told the role will be hers in six months

[NickHyper]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 6:49pm

Connie was definitely the best person in the competition. I saw most of the episodes and she really deserved to win.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 6:55pm

"Lord Lloyd-Webber launched the televised search for a lead actress after failing to secure Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson for the lead role after holding initial talks."

- Huh? Scarlett is an amazing actress but, can she sing? Was Weber planning on dubbing her singing voice?

[allofmylife]

Posted: 9/20/06 at 7:53pm

Oh no, she actually sings, and apparently from friends of mine who have heard her (on set it's just one big Broadway appreciation club when she's around) quite well.

It figures. This woman can do anything she sets her mind to. If she avoids the plentiful pitfalls Hollywood constructs, she has a helluva career ahead of her.