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 in Grease

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s loss is David Ian’s gain

TV talent shows have not only boosted the fortunes of the music industry. West End theatre has become increasingly reliant on TV talent and casting shows to generate a new generation of recognisable faces to join the casts of long-running shows.

David Ian’s Grease The Musical - which was itself cast through 2007 ITV talent show Grease Is The Word – has seen Ray Quinn (discovered on The X-Factor, winner of Dancing on Ice) play Danny, and has now cast Over The Rainbow runner-up Lauren Samuels in the part of Sandy in the long-running show.

Lauren trained at the Guildford School of Acting where her roles included Esta in Moby Dick! The Musical, Grace in Anyone Can Whistle, Sarah in Bitter Sweet and Frances in The Matchgirls.

Earlier this year she auditioned for Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s 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 rose up through the weeks of auditions and live shows to get to third place in the contest, attracting many millions of followers on the way.

Last year she made her professional stage debut as Wendy in the Christmas production of Peter Pan at the Curve in Leicester.

Lauren will join the cast of Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre from 26 July.

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

NOEL SULLIVAN in Grease

TV talent show winner Noel Sullivan plays Grease

Actor and former pop star Noel Sullivan is doing rather well out of mega-producer David Ian. Star of Ian’s current production of Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre in London – and previously star of David Ian’s UK tour of Flashdance the Musical, he may have risen to fame as a member of Hear’say in ITV1′s Popstars, but Sullivan has quickly forged a successful stage career all of his own.

His credits include Nick Piazza in Fame the Musical, Love Shack, What A Feeling, and Nick Hurley in Flashdance the Musical.

Cardiff-born Noel Sullivan started as a choral singer, touring in the US as a soloist with the Black Mountain Male Chorus of Wales. He is best known for his part in the record-breaking pop band Hear’say, formed through the nationwide TV talent search Popstars. After winning the prime time ITV show, Noel had huge success with Hear’say- the group became overnight celebrities and sold millions of records, performed a 36 date sold-out nationwide arena tour, starred at The Royal Variety Performance, achieved four Top 10 hits, and more (before their split in 2002). Noel has since returned to his first love, the stage and musical theatre, and has appeared in several successful productions including Fame (Edinburgh Playhouse), Love Shack, What A Feeling and Flashdance: The Musical (UK Tours), to acclaim. More recently, he appeared in the brand new show Simply Ballroom (Golden Nugget, Las Vegas) and featured on our screens in the reality show ‘Trust Me I’m a Holiday Rep’ for Channel 5. He also has numerous television and recording credits.

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Ray Quinn back to Grease

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Former UK talent content finalist Ray Quinn is to rejoin the cast of Grease to play the lead role of Danny Zuko.

Currently a finalist in celebrity ice dance contest Dancing on Ice, Ray Quinn shot to fame in UK talent show the X-Factor.

Playing the lead from 11 May at the Piccadilly Theatre in London’s West End, Ray said that he was “thrilled to be playing Danny in the West End…  I can’t believe my luck, it’s a dream come true!”

Ray Quinn first started professional performing at the age of 12 in soap opera Brookside, going on to win the award for Best Dramatic Performance at the British Soap Awards 2002.

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