How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?

28 July, 2006 by The_Boss

BBC ONE Saturday 29 July 2006 6:50pm - 7:50pm

The bright lights of the West End are calling, the glamorous world of musical theatre is opening its stage doors, and one of music's legendary names is asking the nation to make one of the biggest decisions of his career – to cast the lead role in his next big show.



Legendary composer and producer Andrew Lloyd Webber is staging a new West End version of one of the most loved musicals of all time – The Sound Of Music. This magician of the musical has been responsible for some of the most successful shows on the stage and his songs and melodies have infiltrated the public consciousness.

As the man who put Elaine Paige in a catsuit, Michael Crawford in a mask, Madonna on a balcony and Jason Donovan in a multi-coloured coat, his casting has proved risk-taking and sometimes very surprising, but always successful. However, it is his search for a Maria that has proved a labour of love fraught with many questions and difficulties.

Who could take on such a famous role and make it their own? Who could be a "flibberti-gibbet, a will-o-the-wisp, a clown", but also take on one of the most coveted roles in showbiz?

Originally, he talked about Scarlett Johansen taking up the role but now Andrew has decided that it is only in a fresh new face that he will truly find Maria's youthful and irrepressible, but steely, essence.

"Julie Andrews gave a fantastic performance that is sort of iconic, but that's Julie Andrews, and my point about the whole thing is that we've got to find a Maria who is that much younger, so that the story is that much more daring," says Andrew.

"I believe that all the productions of The Sound Of Music in the past have cast the girl too old. The first lyric we hear in the whole show is, "She climbs a tree and scrapes her knee, her dress has got a tear". I want a girl who you can believe does exactly that."

However, with a £4m production opening in three months, the pressure is on, the tension is rising and the hunt for a new star is under way.

"I have always had a passion for discovering and nurturing new talent and this will be a fantastic opportunity for a young artist to become a real star. I'm particularly pleased that, for the first time, the search will be open to everybody. I've always tried to take risks in the theatre whenever I can because it's going to be fascinating. Whatever happens, it's going to be a great ride."

To take up this challenge, Andrew has recruited a panel of experts in the world of music and theatre, the best in their business, to search the UK and find new, bright, youthful, exciting, exhilarating talents. It's a challenge they accept but they know that to find that needle in a haystack, they've got to go through a lot of haystack!

David Ian is the UK's biggest theatre producer and, as co-producer of The Sound Of Music, his risk is high. He needs to know the star of his show will be someone that crowds will flock to see.

"As a theatre producer, I know the hard work that goes into musical theatre and how very important it is to keep finding new talent for these starring roles," David says. "The big thing for me is that this person has got to appeal to the public – this person has got to sell tickets."

Alongside David will be Zoë Tyler, a tough and uncompromising vocal coach and someone who knows exactly what the role of Maria demands vocally, and John Barrowman, star of stage and screen and a stalwart leading man in musicals. He knows that the role is a big one, and he needs to use his experience to bring out the leading lady in the many hopefuls auditioning.

The search began over two months ago with open auditions around the UK. Anyone who thought they had what it takes to impress the Lord of the theatre and win the role of Maria could come and sing for their supper.

Amateur, professional, actors, singers, dancers, shop girls, van drivers, schoolgirls – they came en masse and Andrew and his panel have ploughed through the good, the bad, and the totally out-of-tune to find a star in the making. They have whittled down the thousands of hopefuls to find just 10 finalists who will go on to sing live every Saturday night so that the nation can choose the Maria they want to see on the West End stage.

Host and impresario Graham Norton will be guiding the girls, the experts and the nation through the whole process in his own unique way, with a wry eye on proceedings and a tissue at the ready for the tears and the tantrums.

"I'll be there to mop the brows and do some serious hand-holding as we try to find that 'star-in-the-making'. It will be a real rollercoaster for everyone involved. I'm thrilled to be along for the ride."

Then Andrew and the panel hand the casting baton firmly over to the public – who will be Maria? Only the voting nation can decide.