Lauren Samuels in Grease TONIGHT

Over The Rainbow finalist Lauren Samuels starts run in Grease

Good luck to Lauren Samuels tonight, who starts her run as Sandy in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre in London.

Lauren came third in Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s recent BBC One talent search Over The Rainbow to find a Dorothy for his new production of The Wizard of Oz – starting next year at the London Palladium.

She makes her West End debut in Grease tonight, 26 July, alongside Noel Sullivan as Danny and Siubhan Harrison as Rizzo.

A number of Lauren’s fellow Over The Rainbow Dorothys are expected to attend the show.

Grease is now in its third year in the West End and has been seen by over 1 million people. The show is now booking to September 2011.

Lauren takes over from Siobhan Dillon, who was also discovered through an Andrew Lloyd Webber TV talent searched – How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

Other cast in the show include Matthew Goodgame, Lucas Rush, Hayley Gallivan, Benjamin Ibbott, Faye Brookes, Bennett Andrews, Robyn Mellor, Michael Vinsen, Susannah Allman, Kerry Winter, Stephanie Powell and Jason Capewell.

SPECIAL OFFER: Save £21 on tickets to Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre in London

Lauren Samuels to star in Grease

Over The Rainbow finalist Lauren Samuels to play Sandy in Grease

A new leading lady will join the cast of long-running musical Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre from 26 July, as rising young star Lauren Samuels takes the role of Sandy.

Lauren came third in Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s recent BBC One talent search Over The Rainbow to find a Dorothy for his new production of The Wizard of Oz – starting next year at the London Palladium.

She will make her West End debut in the show alongside Noel Sullivan as Danny and Siubhan Harrison as Rizzo.

Lauren trained at the Guildford School of Acting and last year made her professional stage debut as Wendy in the Christmas production of Peter Pan at the Curve in Leicester. She said today: “I am so unbelievably excited to be joining the wonderful cast of Grease. It was one of the first musicals I was taken to see as a young child and so to be given the opportunity to recreate the iconic role of Sandy and to make my West End debut in the show, is a dream come true. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world!”

The longest ever run of a show at the Piccadilly Theatre in London, Grease is now in its third year and has been seen by over 1 million people.

Other cast in the show include Matthew Goodgame, Lucas Rush, Hayley Gallivan, Benjamin Ibbott, Faye Brookes, Bennett Andrews, Robyn Mellor, Michael Vinsen, Susannah Allman, Kerry Winter, Stephanie Powell and Jason Capewell.

SPECIAL OFFER: Save £21 on tickets to Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre in London