L-R: I'd Do Anything's Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Denise Van Outen, Graham Norton, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, Barry Humphries and John Barrowman. Photo copyright of the BBC.
FOLLOWING on the heels of last year’s How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria and Any Dream Will Do, I’d Do Anything again brings together the dream team of talk-show host Graham Norton and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber. This time the duo are on a mission to find new talent for the roles of Nancy and a total of three youthful protégés to play orphan Oliver in the London West End production of the much-loved musical Oliver!
To help choose their Nancy and mentor the hopeful aspiring Olivers, Norton and Webber are joined by Torchwood star John Barrowman, Broadway and West End leading lady Denise Van Outen, producer Cameron Mackintosh and, for the first time, actor and star of musical theatre Barry Humphries, who has appeared in several productions of Oliver! both in the West End and on Broadway. I’d Do Anything premieres Wednesday, October 27th @ 9:00p.m. EST/PST.
From open auditions across the UK, 100 girls are whittled down from thousands to perform before the panel. At the London call backs they have to prove their worth by performing two contrasting songs –a contemporary pop number and one of the Nancy songs from Oliver! – before the panel make their deliberations and reduce the successful group to just over 40 girls. The girls then enter the “Nancy School,” where a team of coaches work with them to hone their vocal, acting, movement and improvisation skills. The rigorous regime of individual scrutiny and group tasks reveals who among them has the sheer guts as well as performing potential to survive to the final selection of just 12 girls.
Meanwhile 50 young boys aged between nine and 14 are selected to work with musical theatre experts before they perform for Webber and Mackintosh. 12 are then chosen to continue onto the televised shows.
Each week the wannabe Olivers will be given a musical task and also perform as a group.They will not face a vote, but must continue to impress Andrew and the panel to guarantee a place in the semi-final. And in time-honored tradition, the Nancys will be vying to make their mark on the panel, but they will also need to gain the UK public’s support to keep them in with a chance of winning the coveted role to play Nancy in the West End production of Oliver!
As noted above, photo copyright of the BBC, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!
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