World News – GB – Q&A with Hairspray star Lizzie Bea

CAMEROON MAGAZINE - GM27/09/20206 Mins read55 Views

You can’t stop the beat! Hairspray will return to the famed London Coliseum from the award-winning creative team of director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell.The dazzling production will also see Michael Ball reprise his award-winning role Olivier from Edna Turnblad alongside an incredible cast including Lizzie Bea The beloved musical featuring songs such as « Good Morning, Baltimore », « You Can’t Stop The Beat » and « Big, Blonde and Beautiful », will open for a limited season in April 2021 Make sure you get your Hairspray tickets now!

Ahead of Hairspray’s thrilling performance on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, we caught up with Lizzie Bea who will be playing Tracy Read below for a fun Q&A and see what Lizzie had to say!

It’s still a dream! In the cast that I’m in, like a plus-size woman, and you know, I’ve always been a plus-size, even as a teenager, it’s that role that everyone knows that’s in your foundry And people always say, « Oh my god, how didn’t you play that part! » But I didn’t think anyone thought this particular version of the series would come back I thought I might be a little old to be able to do it So it’s just a really lucky time with everything It means absolutely everything to do it I myself brings in a lot to Tracy and I just can’t wait to bring my version of Tracy on stage

I definitely do So, it’s funny, because that’s a question you get asked quite a bit I taught zoom through lock, and Q&A and staff, and people always ask me , and the only thing I always say is what excites me extremely is the future of musical theater and trying to free myself people in those casting brackets I hope things move in that direction, that what you look like will matter less and less Because I’m in this casting bracket for Tracy that you have to be plus size, that ‘is in the script and it’s really important But there are roles that I would like to play where it’s a little pacified, or they have other characteristics, which are more important than your height, your height or whatever thing like that So my absolute number one dream role would be Elphaba And they’ve never seen a plus-size person play this role before I don’t know Maybe it could be me So yeah I would love to play Elphaba!

I think it has to be a “Good Morning, Baltimore” It’s just an absolutely iconic song I also love that it opens the show and everyone knows it Before the lockdown we actually had started repeating this number, and it was so exciting! Knowing that I will always be able to do this makes me really happy

I think I should say Inez, because I just think he’s such a fun character In every show there’s like a character that has this moment and they absolutely steal the show and it’s just amazing when she does all those riffs and dances and sings…! And it’s funny, because Kimani (Arthur) who plays Inez on our show, neither of us heard her sing But I know she’s gonna be amazing because you have to have a cracking voice to play this part So, I know when she finally does this song in rehearsal, we’ll all be like, « Oh my God! » But yeah, it would have to be Inez I think he’s such a fun character

First, I know, it’s really cheesy and people always say it, but it’s such a great bunch of people You know it’s a weird job when you’re in the theater, because every once you do a new show you’re working with a whole different bunch of people and you don’t know what they’re gonna be like, but they are all that, so sweet michael especially! I met him at my last audition And then I did the launch with him and he’s so adorable and so supportive He’s an absolute icon, not only of musical theater, but also a true British treasure

And then Marisha and Rita are both adorable too For the performance of Britain’s Got Talent it was so nice to spend more time with them It’s gonna be awesome and I think it’s gonna be really fun It’s such a positive show that on stage we are going to have a really amazing time as a cast

It’s full of joy as a show and I think that’s what everyone will need when the West End reopens properly It’s really nice to see that hopefully things will turn out move on real soon with what Nica Burns is doing, opening her theaters Then I hope by the time we get back anything can happen with a massive boom And I think Hairspray is kind of a perfect show to cheer up from everyone I also think the themes are still so incredibly relevant You know during lockdown the Black Lives Matter movement was huge and obviously racism is one of the big themes in Hairspray Then, going from there , just the general theme of accepting people for who they are is a massive discussion that has taken place throughout the lockdown in terms of stuff like that I think Hairspray sums up everything that s perfectly. has passed and the new world in which and we’re going in, so I think it’ll be the perfect show

I think the bottom line is I think people are going to be very grateful just to have a job It’s incredibly uncertain at the moment and that’s why us, those of us who are in Hairspray , know how lucky we are all to have a job To know that we come out on the other side of this and we can still do it We know we are really lucky I also think people will do much more attention to their health and doing whatever they can to make sure that they are healthy and that everyone else I just think people will want to take care of each other a lot more and hopefully the, the industry will be more united than it ever has been I think on social media now people are really happy for each other when they have jobs and that sort of thing, I hope, looks positive!

I was thinking about it the other day because I went to see Pippin at The Eagle, which was amazing, and it was so nice to be back in a theater I was like, « Oh my God , I can’t wait to do this again! » It was hearing them all singing together in harmony I just can’t wait for that moment that we’re all together As a cast, when we get to do like one of the big numbers, absolutely girdling, all in harmony, that is just everything When you’re in rehearsal and you feel like you’re creating a little magic This is exactly what I absolutely can’t expect!

It still doesn’t seem real that this is happening Every time I think about it I think to myself, yeah, that’s actually a big deal Because obviously there aren’t a lot of musicals there -in I don’t think a lot of people can say they did some kind of full-scale musical there So I feel really lucky that I can do it And I’ve never performed in the West End before So it’s been so exciting I know I’ll be very nervous, but I just have to remember that I’m really lucky to be able to do this

Okay, so in three words, why should people buy tickets to Hairspray? So I had to think long and hard but eventually I found the three words: fabulous shine This would be my three word description of Hairspray And that’s why people should come and see it!

The love of theater stems from my love of literature and music, but the West End on my doorstep has opened up to me a whole new appreciation and passion for all things performing

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