Andrew Lloyd Webber’s surprise Dorothy announcement
23rd July 2010
We all watched with baited breath back in May as Graham Norton announced that Danielle Hope was the winner of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s TV search for an all-singing, all-dancing Dorothy. But now, in a surprise move, Lord Webber has declared that runner up Sophie Evans will get to tread the boards in ruby slippers too!
It was a tough choice between youngsters Danielle Hope and Sophie Evans, says Lord Webber, remembering the final of Over The Rainbow. But once the public had cast their vote, and Danielle was crowned the official Dorothy, and new star of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Wizard of Oz, everyone, including Webber, wondered what Sophie would do next.
But wonder no more, as yesterday we at LF were privy to an exclusive announcement! In a surprise move, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and West End theatre producer Bill Kenwright, yesterday told us that Sophie will also get her Dorothy-dream-come-true, by standing in for Danielle Hope at selected performances of The Wizard of Oz next year.
When production hits the London Palladium from February 2011, Sophie will step into the ruby slippers on selected nights to give 18-year-old Danielle a well deserved rest between shows.
The decision was made by Webber and Kenwright the very night of the final, say the pair, fuelled by concerns that young Danielle may fall foul to the same problems fellow musical theatre star Connie Fisher faced. The winner of Webber’s previous search for a Maria to lead in The Sound of Music, Connie damaged her vocal chords during the show’s run at the London Palladium after performing 98 shows on the trot!
Keen to avoid the same disaster, Webber has drafted in Sophie to take over Tuesday evening performances from 8 March, and throughout the weeks of 2 May, 5 September, and 12 September.
“I am thrilled that Sophie will be joining Danielle and the cast to play her dream role of Dorothy,” said Lord Webber. “She is a huge talent and I am very excited to see what she will bring to the role.”
Following this announcement, we’ve made a very serious decision: we’ll just HAVE to go and see the show twice! Aah the hardship eh?!