Danielle Hope
Encyclopedia
Danielle Hope is an English actress and singer. She is the winner of the BBC
talent contest Over The Rainbow
and as a result is currently playing the part of Dorothy
in the Andrew Lloyd Webber
production of The Wizard of Oz
, which began performances in the West End
at the London Palladium
in February 2011.
and attended Knutsford High School
in Cheshire
, concentrating in drama and dance. Hope appeared in many of her school's musical theatre productions, playing such roles as Carmen in the musical Fame
, the narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
and Maria in West Side Story
. She also appeared in We Will Rock You
alongside Charlotte Wakefield from Spring Awakening
She left her part-time job as a waitress to focus on her A-level studies in Drama and Dance, and a BTEC National Award Musical Theatre. She has also studied dance privately and performed at dance festivals, including the BBC African Dance Project at Bridgewater Hall
.
, for the chance to play Dorothy in the forthcoming West End
musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz
. Hope's Dorothy colour was red, and she believed that she would portray a "fiery character, with a strong opinion and mind".
She was popular with the judges from the beginning of the live shows. After her performance of "Just a Little Girl
" in week two, John Partridge
said: "No-one is going to look over you after that performance because it was your best to date. It was committed, it was intelligent and an extremely sophisticated performance for a girl your age". Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber
agreed and said "Danielle, you are really fantastic. You are a very, very strong contender". Nevertheless, Hope found herself in the bottom two with Dani Rayner the following week. After her performance of "Maybe This Time" from Cabaret
, Lloyd Webber saved Hope.
In week six, having performed "On My Own" from Les Misérables
, she received some criticism from the judges. Lloyd Webber suggested that she needed to learn how to disguise the break in her voice, and Charlotte Church
agreed, saying that her top notes could get "a little bit shouty". Sheila Hancock
agreed with Church, but was still full of praise, saying that she saw a similar "star quality" to that of Catherine Zeta Jones. In this sing-off, Hope competed against Jessica Robinson
, who was the only remaining contestant not to have been in the bottom two. After performing "Take That Look Off Your Face
" from Tell Me on a Sunday
, Lloyd Webber once again saved Hope, stating that "Both of you are really terrific girls, but I am just thinking of Dorothy here, so I am going to save Danielle".
Following the double eviction of Robinson and Jenny Douglas
, the remaining contestants got the chance to go home for a day. Hope went back to her old school for the first time since the filming of the live shows began; there, her classmates greeted her with a hand-made yellow brick road, along with ruby slippers, and a Toto-style cuddly dog to make her feel at home.
In week seven, Hope and Lauren Samuels
performed a duet of the song "Popular
" from Wicked
, which was described as one of the highlights of the series. After the performance, Charlotte Church told host Graham Norton
that she thought Lloyd Webber should "write a musical for just those two". Towards the end of the show, Hope became the favourite to win with odds of 8/11, ahead of fellow contestants Sophie Evans
at 15/8 and Lauren Samuels
, whose odds slipped to 4/1 after appearing in the sing-off in the semi-finals shown on 16 May.
The next week at the final, which aired on 22 May, Hope won the contest and the role of Dorothy.
. Previews commenced 7 February 2011, with the opening night on 1 March. She stars alongside Michael Crawford
in the title role, with Over the Rainbow runner-up Sophie Evans
as the alternate Dorothy; performing the role on Tuesday evenings and during Hope's holidays and other unforeseen absences.
" that was made available to download on 23 May 2010, with a physical single available to purchase from 31 May 2010. The CD single also features a "The Wizard of Oz Medley" featuring Hope and fellow finalists Lauren Samuels
and Sophie Evans
, including the tracks "Follow the Yellow Brick Road", "We're Off to See the Wizard
", "It Really Was No Miracle", "Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead
", "The Merry Old Land of Oz
" and "If I Only Had a Heart". The single is a charity record
, raising money for both the BBC Performing Arts Fund and Prostate UK. Sales of the download single were good, with midweek charts for 26 May showing that the single had achieved a place in the UK top 20. However, when the week's charts were revealed on Sunday 30 May, the single had entered the charts at number 29.
Hope also features on the cast album
for the 2011 The Wizard of Oz
West End show, released May 9 2011.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
talent contest Over The Rainbow
Over the Rainbow (2010 TV series)
Over the Rainbow is a British television talent series which aired on BBC One from March to May 2010. It documents the search for a new, undiscovered musical theatre performer to play the role of Dorothy in the forthcoming Andrew Lloyd Webber stage production of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and a...
and as a result is currently playing the part of Dorothy
Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale is the protagonist of many of the Oz novels by American author L. Frank Baum, and the best friend of Oz's ruler Princess Ozma. Dorothy first appears in Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels...
in the Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
production of The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (2011 musical)
The Wizard of Oz is a musical based on the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The adaptation is by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams. The musical uses all of the Harold Arlen and E. Y...
, which began performances in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
in February 2011.
Background
Hope lived in UrmstonUrmston
Urmston is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of around 41,000. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies about six miles to the southwest of Manchester city centre. The southern boundary is marked by the River Mersey and the...
and attended Knutsford High School
Knutsford High School
Knutsford High School is a secondary school in Knutsford, Cheshire, England. It has Specialist School Status in the areas of English and Humanities.-Buildings:...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, concentrating in drama and dance. Hope appeared in many of her school's musical theatre productions, playing such roles as Carmen in the musical Fame
Fame (musical)
A stage musical based on the 1980 musical film Fame has been staged under two titles. The first, 'Fame – The Musical' conceived and developed by David De Silva, is a musical with a book by Jose Fernandez, music by Steve Margoshes and lyrics by Jacques Levy. The musical premiered in 1988 in Miami,...
, the narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...
and Maria in West Side Story
West Side Story
West Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
. She also appeared in We Will Rock You
We Will Rock You (musical)
We Will Rock You is a jukebox musical, based on the songs of Queen and named after their hit single of the same name. The musical was written by British comedian and author Ben Elton in collaboration with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor...
alongside Charlotte Wakefield from Spring Awakening
Spring Awakening
Spring Awakening is a rock musical adaptation of the controversial 1892 German play of the same title by Frank Wedekind. It features music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater. Set in late-19th century Germany, it concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of...
She left her part-time job as a waitress to focus on her A-level studies in Drama and Dance, and a BTEC National Award Musical Theatre. She has also studied dance privately and performed at dance festivals, including the BBC African Dance Project at Bridgewater Hall
Bridgewater Hall
The Bridgewater Hall is an international concert venue in Manchester city centre, England. It cost around £42 million to build and currently hosts over 250 performances a year....
.
Over the Rainbow
While still in school, Hope was chosen from over 9,000 girls to be in the final ten and perform on live, on the BBC reality TV show Over The RainbowOver the Rainbow (2010 TV series)
Over the Rainbow is a British television talent series which aired on BBC One from March to May 2010. It documents the search for a new, undiscovered musical theatre performer to play the role of Dorothy in the forthcoming Andrew Lloyd Webber stage production of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and a...
, for the chance to play Dorothy in the forthcoming West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
. Hope's Dorothy colour was red, and she believed that she would portray a "fiery character, with a strong opinion and mind".
She was popular with the judges from the beginning of the live shows. After her performance of "Just a Little Girl
Just a Little Girl
"Just a Little Girl" is the debut single from English singer/songwriter Amy Studt. Released on 1 July 2002, the single reached a peak of #14 in the UK Singles Chart. It is taken from Amy's debut album, False Smiles, which was released a year later. The song was used in promotion for the last season...
" in week two, John Partridge
John Partridge (performer)
John Partridge is an English actor, singer, dancer, panelist and television presenter, who is probably best known for the role of Christian Clarke in the long-running BBC television soap opera EastEnders, having joined the cast in January 2008...
said: "No-one is going to look over you after that performance because it was your best to date. It was committed, it was intelligent and an extremely sophisticated performance for a girl your age". Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
agreed and said "Danielle, you are really fantastic. You are a very, very strong contender". Nevertheless, Hope found herself in the bottom two with Dani Rayner the following week. After her performance of "Maybe This Time" from Cabaret
Cabaret (musical)
Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
, Lloyd Webber saved Hope.
In week six, having performed "On My Own" from Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
, she received some criticism from the judges. Lloyd Webber suggested that she needed to learn how to disguise the break in her voice, and Charlotte Church
Charlotte Church
Charlotte Maria Church is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching into pop music in 2005. By 2007, she had sold more than 10 million records worldwide including over 5 million in the United States...
agreed, saying that her top notes could get "a little bit shouty". Sheila Hancock
Sheila Hancock
Sheila Cameron Hancock, CBE is an English actress and author.-Early life:Sheila Hancock was born in Blackgang on the Isle of Wight, the daughter of Ivy Louise and Enrico Cameron Hancock, who was a publican. Her sister Billie is seven years older...
agreed with Church, but was still full of praise, saying that she saw a similar "star quality" to that of Catherine Zeta Jones. In this sing-off, Hope competed against Jessica Robinson
Jessica Robinson (performer)
Jessica Robinson is an English singer and actress. Robinson is most noted for her participation in the 2010 BBC talent-search Over the Rainbow.-Background:...
, who was the only remaining contestant not to have been in the bottom two. After performing "Take That Look Off Your Face
Take That Look Off Your Face
"Take That Look Off Your Face" is the title of a hit song by musical theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. Collaborating with lyricist Don Black, it was written for the song cycle show Tell Me on a Sunday in 1978. It was sung and released by Marti Webb in 1980, and became a No.3 hit in the UK charts...
" from Tell Me on a Sunday
Tell Me On A Sunday
Tell Me on a Sunday is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black. A one-act song cycle, it tells the story of an ordinary English girl from Muswell Hill, who journeys to the United States in search of love...
, Lloyd Webber once again saved Hope, stating that "Both of you are really terrific girls, but I am just thinking of Dorothy here, so I am going to save Danielle".
Following the double eviction of Robinson and Jenny Douglas
Jenny Douglas
Jenny Douglas is a Scottish singer and actress. Douglas is most noted for her participation in the 2010 BBC talent-search Over the Rainbow.-Background:...
, the remaining contestants got the chance to go home for a day. Hope went back to her old school for the first time since the filming of the live shows began; there, her classmates greeted her with a hand-made yellow brick road, along with ruby slippers, and a Toto-style cuddly dog to make her feel at home.
In week seven, Hope and Lauren Samuels
Lauren Samuels
Lauren Samuels is an English singer/actress and was a contestant on the 2010 BBC UK TV series Over the Rainbow. Since appearing on the show she has gone on to appear in West End theatre, including playing the lead role of Sandy in Grease.-Background:Samuels was born Lauren Bonner...
performed a duet of the song "Popular
Popular (song)
"Popular" is a song from the Tony Award-winning musical Wicked. It is performed by the Broadway company's original Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth on the original Broadway cast recording...
" from Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
, which was described as one of the highlights of the series. After the performance, Charlotte Church told host Graham Norton
Graham Norton
Graham William Walker, known by his stage name Graham Norton , is an Irish actor, comedian, television presenter and columnist...
that she thought Lloyd Webber should "write a musical for just those two". Towards the end of the show, Hope became the favourite to win with odds of 8/11, ahead of fellow contestants Sophie Evans
Sophie Evans (performer)
Sophie Evans is a Welsh singer and actress. She was the runner-up on the 2010 BBC talent show Over the Rainbow. Beginning in 2011, Evans has been appearing on the West End stage as the alternate Dorothy in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz.-Background:Evans was born and raised in the Rhondda...
at 15/8 and Lauren Samuels
Lauren Samuels
Lauren Samuels is an English singer/actress and was a contestant on the 2010 BBC UK TV series Over the Rainbow. Since appearing on the show she has gone on to appear in West End theatre, including playing the lead role of Sandy in Grease.-Background:Samuels was born Lauren Bonner...
, whose odds slipped to 4/1 after appearing in the sing-off in the semi-finals shown on 16 May.
The next week at the final, which aired on 22 May, Hope won the contest and the role of Dorothy.
Solo performances
| Solo Song | |
|---|---|
| Week one (3 April 2010) | "Red Red (Daniel Merriweather song) "Red" is the second single by Daniel Merriweather from his second album Love & War, which was released on June 1, 2009. The single was released on May 18, 2009. It was produced by Mark Ronson, like the rest of the songs on his album... " (Daniel Merriweather Daniel Merriweather Daniel Paul Merriweather is an Australian R&B singer-songwriter who has worked as a featured vocalist for other artists and has a solo career. His guest vocals are included on album tracks by Disco Montego, Mark Ronson and Phrase... ) |
| Week two (10 April 2010) | "Just a Little Girl Just a Little Girl "Just a Little Girl" is the debut single from English singer/songwriter Amy Studt. Released on 1 July 2002, the single reached a peak of #14 in the UK Singles Chart. It is taken from Amy's debut album, False Smiles, which was released a year later. The song was used in promotion for the last season... " (Amy Studt Amy Studt Amy Jane Studt is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Growing up in a musical family she recorded her first demo by age 14, which eventually got her signed to Polydor. Studt released her first single "Just a Little Girl" in July 2002, to international success. It was followed almost a year... ) |
| Week three (17 April 2010) | "Could It Be Magic Could It Be Magic "Could It Be Magic" is a song by Adrienne Anderson and Barry Manilow. It was included on Manilow's 1973 debut album, Barry Manilow.Due to its popularity, it was released as a single in 1975, two years after it had originally been recorded, where it reached #6 in the United States.Manilow's... " (Barry Manilow Barry Manilow Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."... ) |
| Week four (24 April 2010) | "Cry Me a River" (Julie London Julie London Julie London was an American singer and actress. She was best known for her smoky, sensual voice. London was at her singing career's peak in the 1950s. Her acting career lasted more than 35 years... ) |
| Week five (1 May 2010) | "Mambo Italiano Mambo Italiano (song) "Mambo Italiano" is a popular song written by Bob Merrill in 1954 and recorded by Rosemary Clooney. Merrill actually wrote it on deadline, scribbled hastily on a paper napkin in an Italian restaurant in New York, United States using the wall pay-phone to dictate the melody, rhythm and lyrics to the... " (Rosemary Clooney Rosemary Clooney Rosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit "Come On-a My House" written by William Saroyan and his cousin Ross Bagdasarian , which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me" Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 –... ) |
| Week six (8 May 2010) | "On My Own" (from Les Misérables Les Misérables (musical) Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo.... ) |
| Week seven (semi-final) (15 May 2010) | "When You Believe When You Believe "When You Believe" is an Academy Award-winning song by American recording artists Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. The song was written and composed by Stephen Schwartz for the 1998 DreamWorks animated feature The Prince of Egypt. A version of "When You Believe" was produced as a single with... " (from The Prince of Egypt The Prince of Egypt The Prince of Egypt is a 1998 American animated musical drama film and the first traditionally animated film produced and released by DreamWorks Animation. The film is an adaptation of the Book of Exodus and follows the life of Moses from being a prince of Egypt to his ultimate destiny to lead the... ) |
| Week eight (final) (22 May 2010) | "76 Trombones" (from The Music Man The Music Man The Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with... ) |
The Wizard of Oz
As the winner of Over the Rainbow, and still only 19 years old, Hope is playing the role of Dorothy in the new London production of The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz (2011 musical)
The Wizard of Oz is a musical based on the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The adaptation is by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams. The musical uses all of the Harold Arlen and E. Y...
. Previews commenced 7 February 2011, with the opening night on 1 March. She stars alongside Michael Crawford
Michael Crawford
Michael Crawford OBE is an English actor and singer. He has garnered great critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which covers radio, television, film, and stagework on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City...
in the title role, with Over the Rainbow runner-up Sophie Evans
Sophie Evans (performer)
Sophie Evans is a Welsh singer and actress. She was the runner-up on the 2010 BBC talent show Over the Rainbow. Beginning in 2011, Evans has been appearing on the West End stage as the alternate Dorothy in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz.-Background:Evans was born and raised in the Rhondda...
as the alternate Dorothy; performing the role on Tuesday evenings and during Hope's holidays and other unforeseen absences.
Discography
Hope released a single of the song "Over the RainbowOver the Rainbow
"Over the Rainbow" is a classic Academy Award-winning ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in the movie...
" that was made available to download on 23 May 2010, with a physical single available to purchase from 31 May 2010. The CD single also features a "The Wizard of Oz Medley" featuring Hope and fellow finalists Lauren Samuels
Lauren Samuels
Lauren Samuels is an English singer/actress and was a contestant on the 2010 BBC UK TV series Over the Rainbow. Since appearing on the show she has gone on to appear in West End theatre, including playing the lead role of Sandy in Grease.-Background:Samuels was born Lauren Bonner...
and Sophie Evans
Sophie Evans (performer)
Sophie Evans is a Welsh singer and actress. She was the runner-up on the 2010 BBC talent show Over the Rainbow. Beginning in 2011, Evans has been appearing on the West End stage as the alternate Dorothy in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz.-Background:Evans was born and raised in the Rhondda...
, including the tracks "Follow the Yellow Brick Road", "We're Off to See the Wizard
We're Off to See the Wizard
"We're Off to See the Wizard" is one of the classic and most memorable songs from the Academy Award-winning film The Wizard of Oz. Composer Harold Arlen described it, along with "The Merry Old Land of Oz" and "Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead", as one of the "lemon drop" songs of the film.The melody's...
", "It Really Was No Miracle", "Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead
Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead
"Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" is the centrepiece of several individual songs in an extended set-piece performed by the Munchkins, Glinda and Dorothy Gale in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. It was composed by Harold Arlen, with the lyrics written by E.Y...
", "The Merry Old Land of Oz
The Merry Old Land Of Oz
"The Merry Old Land of Oz" is a song from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and the musical. It is sung by the townspeople of the Emerald City, who are joined at appropriate times by the group of four travelers: Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion....
" and "If I Only Had a Heart". The single is a charity record
Charity record
A charity record is a release of a song for a specific charitable cause. Some of the earliest charity records came from the Music for UNICEF Concert, with ABBA's Chiquitita and the Bee Gees' Too Much Heaven among them released as singles, with all the royalties going to UNICEF...
, raising money for both the BBC Performing Arts Fund and Prostate UK. Sales of the download single were good, with midweek charts for 26 May showing that the single had achieved a place in the UK top 20. However, when the week's charts were revealed on Sunday 30 May, the single had entered the charts at number 29.
Hope also features on the cast album
Cast recording
A cast recording is a recording of a musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording, as the name implies, features the voices of the show's original cast...
for the 2011 The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (2011 musical)
The Wizard of Oz is a musical based on the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The adaptation is by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams. The musical uses all of the Harold Arlen and E. Y...
West End show, released May 9 2011.