Broadway star, Denise van Outen, has revealed that she turned down the chance to judge on last years TV show, How Do You Solve A problem Like Maria, as she didn’t want to seem bitchy.

Denise told The Observer newspaper:

“I just felt it wasn’t right. I felt uncomfortable about being on the panel and giving my criticism. Because if I was going to do it, I wanted to be really honest.

“But I felt if I’m going to be really honest, I don’t want to do that to other women. It can seem bitchy. I just don’t feel comfortable doing that. I don’t want to criticise other women.

“It’s just not something that I want to be doing.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s recent smash hit TV show, ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria’ has helped Sir Andrew shoot up the Sunday Times Rich List, replacing Paul McCartney in the number two spot.

According to Philip Beresford, who compiled the Sunday Times Rich List.

He said: “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? has not harmed Andrew Lloyd Webber. The reality TV shows have clearly helped.

“The exposure means that the shows, when they open, get free PR, translating it, dare I say it, into bums on seats.

“The Sound of Music is on at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s theatre and it is his production so it’s a double hit.”

He added: “Without the shows, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s wealth would have gone up a little but he would not have replaced Sir Paul McCartney in the list.”

After the huge success of both ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria’ and ‘Any Dream Will Do’, for the BBc, many would assume that musical genius, Andrew Lloyd Webber would jump at the chance of a third series.

However, Andrew has declined a third series with the beeb as he wants to focus on writing his new musical.

The musical will be a sequel to the Phantom Of The Opera, which is likely to be called Phantom Of Broadway.

Lloyd Webber said: “I need to get back to writing. I want to throw myself into it. Over the Easter weekend I wrote the first song and I’m really pleased with it.”

I wonder if the BBC will continue without him? They do seem to have a winning formula…..

After getting voted off the BBC’s ‘How Do You Solve A problem Like Maria’, Aoife Mulholland assumed she would never get to play Maria on the West End. little did she know that a few months later she would be asked to share the role with the winner of the show, Connie Fisher.

Spekaing to The Daily Mail Aoife said: Read more & comment »

Grease Is The Word will launch on ITV this week and the hunt will begin for the West End’s new Sandy and Danny.

At the launch party for the show in London last night, it was revealed that the winners of the show will be contracted to perform in eight shows per week despite the recent injury that Connie Fisher sustained while performing the same amount.

Connie won the BBC’s ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria’ last year and has subsequently been playing Maria in the West End Sound Of Music stage show. She had to pull out of a number of shows earlier this year and is currently performing with the aid of a backing track due after damaging her vocal chords. Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber has revealed that he feels responsible for Connie’s illness as she insisted on performing eight shows per week, when he should have insisted on six.

David Ian, judge on Grease Is The Word and producer of Sound Of Music claims that Connie’s injury was sustained due to her singing while ill with a cold. He assures us that eight shows a week, while playing Sandy and Danny is the absilute norm.

He said: “Danny and Sandy will be contracted to do eight shows a week, which is absolutely the West End norm. It’s not always normal for certain roles but I’ve always contracted Danny’s and Sandy’s to do eight shows a week and subject to them being fit, healthy and well, they’ll be on stage for eight shows a week.

“Maria in The Sound of Music is a huge thing and Connie would be the first to admit that the mistake she made was to sing through a cold. Maria has considerably more to do than Danny and Sandy. Grease is very much an ensemble piece.”

There have been some damning articles on the internet over the last few days accusing Connie Fisher, winner of the BBC’s hit show, ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria’, of miming during her recent Sound Of Music shows.

The articles all stemmed from a report in the Daily Mail saying that due to recent throat problems, Connie has been singing along to a backing track and almost miming high notes in order to save her voice.

I personally can’t see the problem. Connie obviously isn’t medically able to sing alone at the minute, but doesn’t want to drop out of the show while her career is still in it’s infancy. It’s not as if she can’t sing, we all know she can. She is certainly no Milli Vanilli! I hope the tabloids see fit to give the girl a break, and let her recover at her own pace, she’ll be back on par in no time.

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber is sending winner of BBC’s ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria’, to a top doctor for a crucial throat operation.

Connie Fisher sustained damage to her throat after performing Her role of Maria in The Sound Of Music with a heavy cold.

Since winning BBC’s ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria’ last year Connie Fisher has had a stream of good luck that most of us can only dream about.

However this week she suffered her first setback when she was advised to take at least a week off the West End Sound Of Music show due to illness.

Here’s hoping shes back to her normal self next week…..

It has been announced that ‘Strictly Dance Fever’ has been axed by the BBC after just two series.

TV bosses decided to drop the show after it failed to meet the ratings of the BBC’s ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria’

BBC bosses now want Graham Norton, who hosted both reality shows, to focus on the follow-up of ‘Maria’, which is expected to look for the next star of West End productions ‘Joseph’ or ‘Grease’.

A source said: “‘Dance Fever’ was great but ‘Maria’ proved audiences have a real passion for those types of shows.”

Famous musical producer, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, has hit back at claims that the reality TV show ‘How Do We Solve A Problem Like Maria’ was a fix. The new show was created to find a new actress/ singer to play the famous role of Maria in a new West End production of The Sound Of Music.

Reports suggested that winner Connie Fisher had already started to record songs before she was announced as the winner.

Webber said to the press; “We didn’t know she was going to win.” He added that Fisher started to record songs for the musical’s accompanying album last Tuesday, after the winner was announced on live television.

“I don’t see how I can fix a show like the Maria programme. It’s completely a public vote. I didn’t even know until three minutes before the end of the show that Connie had won it.” Webber added.

The Metro reports:

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s preparations for the stage production of The Sound Of Music have been dealt a blow after the ‘alternate’ Maria dropped out.

With only weeks left until opening night, actress Emma Williams (pictured below) had been officially contracted to share the role with Connie Fisher, winner of BBC1’s How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?.

For some reason, the professional actress with an impressive stage CV was angered after her part in the musical, which opens in November, was downgraded for the benefit of a reality TV star. Now Fisher will have to cover eight performances a week.

A statement from Lloyd Webber and Williams said: ‘Following the casting of trained actress Connie Fisher – the winner of the TV reality show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? and discussions with the producers, Emma Williams, who it was anticipated would play the alternate Maria, has withdrawn her services from the production.’

This week Fisher, 23, described herself as a ‘full-time Maria’, and insisted she would perform every night in the new Sound of Music stage show

This article has been written by Maureen, a member of the Unreality contributors team. Thanks Maureen!

OH WHAT A NIGHT…WHAT A FINAL THAT WAS…

However did we reach it, the end. The winner was Connie Fisher who after a weekend of celebrating must now knuckle down to her new musical theatre career. Good luck to her. I won’t say ‘break a leg’ as this can sometimes be an ill omen as this could delay a budding career.

So reality TV talent shows can give quality to viewers watching and can make or break very real and promising careers, there have been many tears and tantrums from the competitors and no doubt some from the viewers voicing their thoughts to the square box in the corner of the room.

This show was one of the best, proving that the BBC really has got what it takes to give you the viewers quality TV. In the ratings war this show like many who have gone before Fame Academy, Star for a night, plus those concentrating on ice dancing, and come dancing have been broadcast for the more discerning viewer. On a vocal front none of the competitors for the singing competitions could be labelled as karoake artists, cabaret singers, cruise line or red coats. Not that there should be any disrespect for those whose livelihoods are dependent on this for their income of 10, 15 20 years standing, but they are a far cry from having there name in lights.

By comparison ticket sales for “The sound of Music” 50% have been sold now, so the initial investment of 4 million has been recovered in addition to the ongoing costs of the show for the next 6 months. Album sales of the original Julie Andrews recording have also suddenly risen and that strange phenonema of the singalonga disc sales are also looking healthy, all as a direct result of the programme. The value is yet to be calculated of all this, but the least that can be said is that the programme has had a positive feed back for the music industry and this is set to continue for at least a few more months. Very distant cousins however being ITV’s X factor is set this year to go out with a bang or on a high. Proving that whilst they may well have won in the ratings war it does not correlate into record sales.

Sir Trevor Nunns worries and those of other professionals have all been in vain, even though I do know he spoke the truth when saying that the show was so unlike real theatre’s way of auditioning and selection. Having been part of theatre all my life, I’d say the show was kinder.

So there we have it, The composer of the age of the Modern musical, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, the man responsible for placing Michael Crawford in a mask, and Elaine Paige in a Cat suit with the help of his three wise monkeys:- Co producer, and no stranger to ‘partnerships and music industry contracts’ as the Chairman of Global productions,- *’David Ian’… famed for his direction of Grease’, and Saturday night Fever’ and accustomed to taking chances – **’John Barryman’… soon to be highlighted in a Dr Who’ spin off “Torchwood” leaving temporarily behind his musical theatre roles in ‘Anything goes’ & ‘Miss Saigon’ and others too numerous to list, and finally – ***’Zoe Tyler’… whose quick tongue must have cut down to size many a budding artist, who I personally felt was a bit to close to Jayne Macdonald, but still she too has made a vocal journey to the London stage in Fame’, Les Miserable’, Jesus Christ Superstar’ and has many experiences of being a backing vocalist on stage and in the recording studio. These people are a true authority and these four with the help of viewers have now given us Connie Fisher. Runner up Helena Blackman 23 and a waitress. 3rd Siobhan Dillon 21 a fashion student.

How did Connie get there. Persistence, Stamina, personal conviction and confidence in addition to musical gift and an ability to really sing.Connie hasn’t just sang for her supper, she has sang for her life. It is these things which have brought her through and given her deservedly and without reservation the coveted role of Maria.

6.000 six thousand auditions, five cities, down to 20 at Sydmonton and the first excercise in singing to a distinguished crowd. Six months and a bit later…

Are you ready to get into a habit?

Are you going to wear your wimple with pride? Go on.

Let’s start at the very beginning……………MAUREEN.

The BBC Reported:

Connie is named your new Maria.

The moment was soon upon us – the question ‘How to Solve a Problem Like Maria?’ was soon to be answered.

But first Connie and Helena had to go head-to-head and sing their favourite song of the ones that they have performed during the series.

Helena sang Woman in Love, while Connie sang Shout. They then performed The Sound of Music together.

Andrew was proud of his two finalists – and the programme as a whole for showcasing such talent.

Over two million votes were received, but who was the nation’s choice? John and David favoured Connie, Zoe preferred Helena. But the man who was putting his reputation on the line, Andrew Lloyd Webber, wanted Connie to be his Maria.

Finally, Graham announced that Connie had won the contest and, more importantly, the role of Maria in the West End.

Connie was delighted to be named your Maria. “I feel on top of the world, thanks very much. I won’t let you down. Every night will be an opening night. Thanks for making my dreams come true.”

This article has been written by Maureen, the newest member of the Unreality team. Welcome aboard Maureen!

In consideration of the above question one must stay open minded. As the issue of quality versus quantity becomes paramount, in what would be defined as acts suitable for theatre. Only the best will fit the bill.

Within the opening statement is that assumption that theatre encourages good quality acts, which are few and far between. So how then can this media thesis type question be applied to televised reality talent shows, and what else does it imply? The possibility that in our most recent diagnosis of what is wrong with todays throwaway society, that far to many of us sit at home glued to the one eyed monster in the corner of kitchen, the bedroom, the living room, the dining room and fail to go out. Hence, a large proportion of the population are paying over the odds for home entertainment when the nutritional value of a take away meal or microwave tv dinners becomes the bill of fare. Have we really become this lazy and non discerning about entertainment?

The truth here is not easy to detect, but the television companies providing consumerised entertainent ‘recognise and know’ who to ‘target’ television programmes for. ‘Popular television’ or ‘peak time television’ – is television for the masses who stay at home after ‘work or tea’ during the week, and maybe, because of commitment to family – find themselves also at home during the weekend.

At first glance you would probably say no then to the above question, and then your curiosity would ponder why ask the question in the first place.

Can television ever provide quality viewing, which also falls into the reality TV genre of the talent show? The answer is yes. Yes I did say YES.

It is true it will also provide us with viewing that is stressful when it shows the first ‘ wild, outragious, tentative, over confident and the hilariously funny auditions’, that somehow set the mood for the viewer at home. In many cases this run up is far more exciting than the actual heats when some one is voted off each week. In my own personal view, I much prefer the heats and if a show promises to take a young amateur on a vocal journey it seems a shame to see someone distraught and returned home each week. At this juncture I feel some changes would not come in wrong.

So we have established for the viewer that the producers and programmers are going to give us some quality reality TV, even though this will also include some tosh. How then can we relate this to bums on seats in a theatre or sparking an interest in theatre going?

Well this Saturday, sees the ultimate show down for the three finalists in ‘How do you solve the problem of Maria’. Each week the show has progressed forward and has brought a selection of music which fits into the genre of pop, or popular modern musical. This is quite clever the way the programmers have done this, as I would have originally thought that the contestants should only have performed peices from the same period of the classical musical. After all, ‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’, is without doubt a classical great and not a pop musical at all. The winner will have to have serious classical leanings to give it her best shot, making or breaking her new career. Critically one could say that the performances have been more polished than any X factor perfomer going through anyone of the ten or eleven heats of ITV/Granada’s offerings of a Saturday evenings – soon to start this autumn for real in a few short weeks of whittling down.

Furthermore, the choice of music for the contestants has created a vacuum, and a fan base for each one, each week. This is unheard of in todays day and age, when television rules over theatre and cinema. It is obvious that the cunning behind this is to create sufficient interest in the performers from the point of how well they perform popular music and that it should carry forward selling tickets for the opening on the:- 3RD OF NOVEMBER 2006.

For final proof that the BBC have an invested interest in encouraging a revival into theatre going and theatre training, a percentage of the phone in vote will provide – Capped Bursary grants for up to 50 of the girls from the final 100 who auditioned for Maria, which will enable them to carry on with further training of their acting and singing skills. Also a second section exists known as the FAB trust which is open to all and sundry who prove they have a viable interest in becoming a performer and like the ‘Princes Trust’ will award bursaries up to 10k for training purposes.

All in all, is the tide not turning for televised talent shows after so many years of absolute tosh.

If you have not watched ‘How do you solve the problem of Maria’ so far .. if I were you I would not miss Saturdays Final.

This article has been written by Maureen, the newest member of the Unreality team. Welcome aboard Maureen!

From approximately April this year there has been talk on the grapevine of searching for and creating a new musical theatre stage star, for the role of Maria in one of London’s many West End Theatres. Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber did own ten of these London Theatres at my last count and according to recent economic reviews, into there financial health a few are floundering to attract full houses over a length of time. One could say once a show has run its course, than that is it, how can you possibly revive it. Should you spend more on a few more lavish sets and change your major players, who can tell what the best course of action will be against the nations fickle musical tastes?

So Andrew this time round, intends to invest 4 million pounds on the latest production of, ‘ The Sound Of Music’ . Spending on this scale is obviously an investment, and I am going to say outright it is not being done for truly artistic reasons but rather with a serious expected return to counteract some of the shows that have had a down turn in profits. Nevertheless, by sheer enormity of the indiginous population count and with tourist figures escalating everyday for London, 4 million pounds could easily be recouped into the bank with a good year or less of ticket sales.

So the hunt has been on for a new Maria, the final of this hunt is on Saturday on BBC 1 at 6.45 pm. Whoever, is chosen by the viewers to be the next Maria Von Trapp with in the view point of the UK’s biggest theatre Producer one David Ian must appeal to the public and sell tickets. Will it be Waitress, Helena Blackman, 23,… or fashion student, Siobhan Dillon, 21, …or the peoples favourite- call centre operator, Connie Fisher, 23?

Over the last few years reality TV has certainly attracted the public eye, it has brought to the viewers attention ordinary everyday people and enabled the showcasing of both the talentless and the talented. I suppose you could say this is home grown entertainment for the first time elevated by television, marketing, merchandising. For the lucky ones who win, they have not had to succeed the hard way, by toil, grind, years of study and having to stay motivated in a negative world, where rejection is the norm.

Curiosity though at this point, makes me wonder why if we have so many talented people in Britain, why they don’t join in there local provincial theatre companies? These companies have for members good amateurs, semi professionals and people of professional standing. The shows the majority of them produce , grant it – do not run for years. Furthermore, they haven’t had the same level of investment – that theatres in the capital would have. Some companies have to beg for every penny of sponsorship from private investors and the rest is raised via charitable events and a little from arts bodies. There shows do not have the lavishly expensive sets and beautifully finished stage outfits many a production will cost somewhere within the region of 25k to 40k all in, just for a week or less. Rather sad, that once they have these funds the shows run for such a short spell and are every bit as good and in quite a few better performances by far, than some musicals in the capital, I have seen over the years. The reason their shows are so good, is that the members of such companies are very talented, just as dedicated and gifted to the art of performing – but the greatest of all is that they possess a love of music second to none.

Is it possible that the contestants of reality TV talent shows tell themselves the grass is greener in the capital than it is at home?

Provincial theatres do struggle to survive, many have closed down which is a crying shame. So if all the provincial theatres close where will the next generation of Maria Von Trapps get the opportunity to perform and develop? Surely, the Capital alone can not fulfill the artistic needs of the nation?

MAUREEN