Lee Mead from "Any Dream Will Do"
The theatre is an often overlooked form of entertainment. Many of us will pour over film adaptations of musicals but never see it performed on a stage. Then along came the unlikely saviour: TV. Reality TV shows based on musicals have been huge over the past few years and have brought a whole new audience to musical theatre. Here we celebrate not only our favourite musicals but the stars who brought them to our TV screens.
Grease is the Word
Ah the magic that is Grease. For years every function has been blessed with the Grease Medley and many of us at one point or another have pretended we were Sandy as we sang into our hairbrushes. Then some genius turned it into a reality TV show. How brilliant. The simple idea was to take singing hopefuls, pitch them against each other and let the terrible British public squash one of their dreams each week.
Winners Susan McFadden and Danny Bayne are still currently performing in the West End as Sandy and Danny and have gotten rave reviews for thier efforts. Not only did this programme provide the West End with two new bright stars, reunited a nation with a love of the musical but also brought 90's singer Anthony Kavana back to our screens. How could TV possibly get better!
Any Dream Will Do
Well I'll tell you how, in the form of Any Dream Will Do. Up until now Jospeh brought up images of Jason Donovan, it wasn't the sexiest of musicals to say the least. Then came a show where lots of young men who have probably sung a few women into their beds in their time, competed against one another.
Only problem was, who was our favourite? So many to choose from, it was difficult to say who we wanted to win. It was a toss up between the gorgeous Ben James-Ellis (who came in fourth) and the equally gorgeous Lee Mead who took the role and one of the judges. Lee Mead will be releasing an album shortly and the role of Joseph is to be taken up by none other than Gareth Gates this month.
Hairspray: The School Musical
Luckily for us the young Ben didn't disappear and landed the role of teenage heart throb Link Larkin in Hairspray, at Shaftesbury Avenue Theatre. He also present online editions of Sky1's Hairspray the School Musical.
The idea for the show was simple; take a bunch of school kids, train them to sing and dance in 6 weeks and put them on the West End. Denise Van Outen, Stacey Haynes and Zoe Tyler took on the challenge of preparing the children for the stage debut and the results were genius. The kids were funny and talented but they caused just enough problems to add a whole lot of drama to the mix it made for great viewing. Best of all it brought the genius that is Hairspray to a new audience.
I'd Do Anything
Lastly, the latest musical based reality show I'd Do Anything took on something the previous shows hadn't, it was looking for more than one star and they upped the cuteness factor by looking for child actors. Three dancing dudes took on the role of Oliver; Gwion Jones, Harry Stott and Laurence Jeffcoate alongside Jodie Preger as the sexy Nancy. Like shows before it, it pulled a nation into it's drama and the BBC had another smash on their hands.
Best of all 2010 will see yet another show to find the newest starlets of musical theatre with the BBC searching for a Dorothy for The Wizard of Oz!