Courtney Bowman

Last updated

Courtney Bowman
Courtney Bowman.png
Bowman performing in Six in May 2021 at the Lyric Theatre
Born (1995-02-01) 1 February 1995 (age 28)
Boston, Lincolnshire, England
Alma mater Guildford School of Acting
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active2016–present
Signature
Courtney Bowman Signature.png

Courtney Bowman (born 1 February 1995) is an English stage actress and singer. [1] She originated the role of Fatimah in Everybody's Talking About Jamie at the Crucible and Apollo Theatre. [2] She played Anne Boleyn in Six at the Arts Theatre, Lyric Theatre and Vaudeville Theatre [3] and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. [4] Bowman most recently starred in Pretty Woman: The Musical as Kit De Luca at the Savoy Theatre. [5]

Contents

On television, she appears in the CBeebies revival of Big Cook, Little Cook (2022–present) as Little Cook Small. [6]

Early life

Bowman was born and raised in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. She is dual-heritage and describes herself as Afro-European. [7] Bowman attended Boston High School from eleven to eighteen. [8] She then went on to train at the Guildford School of Acting for three years until she graduated in 2016. [9] Bowman also performed at the 10th annual Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year competition held at the Novello Theatre on 15 May 2016, [10] she won the award and £1000 after performing “Me and My Town” from Anyone Can Whistle and “The Driving Lesson” from Heart of Winter by Tim Connor. [11]

Career

Bowman performed at both Josh Groban on Stage in 2015 as a chorister and at Sam Bailey's 2016 concert Sam Bailey: In Concert as a soloist. [1]

She is currently a client of Belfield & Ward Talent Agency. [12]

In November 2016, Bowman was announced as part of the original cast of Everybody's Talking About Jamie playing at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield during its original string of performances the following year. [13] It was announced in late-June 2017 that Bowman would return in the same role for its West End transfer in late 2017 following its successful run in Sheffield. [14]

Whilst performing the role of Fatimah in Everybody's Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre, a professionally filmed version of the musical, featuring Bowman, was broadcast into more than 600 cinemas worldwide. [15] It was initially administered by entertainment event cinema distributor More 2 Screen on 5 July 2018, [16] while encore screenings took place on 29 January and 13 June 2019. [17] [18]

In June 2019, it was announced via Pearson Casting, that alongside Danielle Steers, Bowman would join the cast of Six on 15 October 2019. [19]

From 2019 to 2021, Bowman played Anne Boleyn as part of the principal cast of the West End production of Six . Bowman returned to Six when it opened at the Lyric Theatre after having closed for the COVID-19 pandemic. From late September 2021, she moved to the Vaudeville Theatre where she would complete her Six run; her final performance took place on 14 November 2021. [20]

Bowman performed a solo concert at Pizza Express, Holborn on 15 March 2020 [21] and a socially distanced recorded concert at the Arts Theatre on 7 September 2020. [22] She also appeared in two drive-in concerts, [23] a collaborative concert at the Turbine Theatre within the Battersea Power Station complex, and a charity concert at the Actor's Church, Covent Garden. [24] In April 2021, Bowman portrayed Princess Badroulbadour in an online production of Disenchanted!, produced by stream.theatre. [25]

In mid-February 2022, it was announced Bowman would star in a 50 episode revival series of the pre-school cookery show Big Cook, Little Cook as Little Cook Small on CBeebies, [26] airing daily from 28 February 2022. [27] In March 2022, it was announced exclusively via WhatsOnStage that Bowman would portray the leading role of Elle Woods in the revival of Legally Blonde at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. [4] In an interview with The Independent she recounts how the production is distinct from other iterations of the musical, citing subtle differences to the script and lyrics in order for the production to align itself with the present day. [8] She also starred in a revival concert version of Kinky Boots at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in August 2022, portraying the role of Lauren. [28] In late-September it was revealed Bowman would be attending the first-ever MusicalCon fan convention taking place at London's ExCel Centre on 22–23 October 2022. [29] It was announced in October 2022 via the Olivier Awards social channels, that Bowman would host the annual UK Theatre Awards at the Guildhall, London that same month on 23 October 2022. [30]

It was announced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions in late-October 2022, that Bowman would portray the supporting role of Kit de Luca in the West End production of Pretty Woman: The Musical playing at the Savoy Theatre from mid-November 2022. [31]

Bowman hosted the 2023 WhatsOnStage Awards alongside Laurie Kynaston and her Legally Blonde co-star Billy Luke Nevers on 12 February 2023 at the Prince of Wales Theatre. [32] That evening, she also won the first gender-neutral WhatsOnStage Award for Best Performer in a Musical for her performance as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre . [33] In their speech, she thanked her mother, best friend and cast of Legally Blonde.

In September 2023, it was announced Courtney would star in Canterbury's annual pantomime, a production of Aladdin, playing at the Marlowe Theatre. [34]

Bowman pictured as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in June 2022 Courtney Bowman - Elle Woods.png
Bowman pictured as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in June 2022

Stage

YearProductionRoleVenueRef
2016 The Wind in the Willows Horse/Ensemble Theatre Royal, Plymouth / UK Tour [35]
2017 Blondel Martha Union Theatre, London [36]
2017-2019 Everybody's Talking About Jamie Fatimah / Cover Pritti Pasha Crucible Theatre / Apollo Theatre [2]
2019-2021 Six Anne Boleyn Arts Theatre / Lyric Theatre / Vaudeville Theatre [3]
2022 Legally Blonde Elle Woods Regent's Park Open Air Theatre [4]
2022–2023 Pretty Woman Kit De Luca Savoy Theatre [31]
2023–2024 Aladdin TBA Marlowe Theatre [34]


Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleBroadcasting ChannelRef
2018 Olivier Awards 2018Fatima ITV [37]
Children In Need 2018 BBC One [38]
2019Musical Sing-a-Long 2019 AVROTROS [39]
2021Musicals: The Greatest Show Anne Boleyn BBC One [40]
This Morning ITV [41]
2022–present Big Cook, Little Cook Little Cook Small CBeebies [6]

Radio

YearTitleRoleRadio StationRef
2020 WhatsOnStage Awards 2020 with Elaine Paige and Paddy O’Connell Herself BBC Radio 2 [42]
Magic With The Musicals LIVE Anne Boleyn Magic FM [43]
2021Musicals: The Greatest Show BBC Radio 2 [40]

Podcast

YearTitleEpisodeRolePresenterRef
2020The Queendom Podcast20HerselfJosh Mitchell [44]
2021Now Or Nevers1Billy Luke Nevers [45]
2022In The Frame6 (Season 7)Andrew Tomlins [46]
2023The Mayor of Musical Theatre3Ian Bowkett [47]
Robbie's Backstage Bants59Robbie Davies [48]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2016The Stephen Sondheim Society Mercury Musical DevelopmentsStudent Performer of the Year—Won [49]
2022Black British Theatre AwardsBest Female Actor in a Musical Legally Blonde Nominated [50]
BroadwayWorld UK AwardsBest Leading Performer in a New Production of a MusicalNominated [51]
WhatsOnStage Awards Best Performer in a MusicalWon [52]

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References

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  2. 1 2 "Courtney Bowman". Everybody's Talking About Jamie. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Six: The Musical! - Cast - Courtney Bowman". Six The Musical.
  4. 1 2 3 "Legally Blonde at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre announces lead casting | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  5. ↑ "Courtney Bowman - Pretty Woman The Musical - Cast - Official Site". Pretty Woman The Musical. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  6. 1 2 Darvill, Josh (18 February 2022). "Big Cook, Little Cook returns to CBeebies with revamped series". TellyMix. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  7. ↑ Lewis, Isobel (12 May 2022). "Legally Blonde's Courtney Bowman: 'Blonde isn't just a hair colour – it's a feeling'". The Independent . Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  8. 1 2 "A star of stage and screen! Courtney Bowman was a student of Dance Krazy in Bennington, Lincolnshire where she studied dancing, acting and singing. West End performer Courtney Bowman is coming home as Everybody's Talking About Jamie set to be beamed into cinemas across the UK... including Boston". www.bostonstandard.co.uk. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  9. ↑ "Graduates of 2016 | GSA - Guildford School of Acting". www.gsauk.org. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  10. ↑ "Courtney Bowman wins 10th annual Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year". LondonTheatre1. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  11. ↑ "Young actress wins top student award". www.bostonstandard.co.uk. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  12. ↑ "Belfield & Ward Talent Agency - Courtney Bowman". Belfield & Ward Talent Agency. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016.
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  14. ↑ "Everybody's Talking About Jamie transfers to the West End | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  15. ↑ "More2Screen - Global entertainment for local cinemas". More2Screen. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
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  17. ↑ "Everybody's Talking About...Jamie in Cinemas AGAIN!". Everybody's Talking About Jamie. 8 January 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  18. ↑ Everybody's Talking About Jamie Encore | Book tickets at Cineworld Cinemas , retrieved 27 June 2020
  19. ↑ Wild, Stephi. "Courtney Bowman, Danielle Steers, Collette Guitart, and Shekinah Macfarlane Will Join SIX; Plus New Six Month Booking Period Announced". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
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  25. ↑ "Disenchanted musical, reimagining fairytale princesses, to be revived online | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
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  31. 1 2 "Courtney Bowman joins Pretty Woman in the West End | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
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  34. 1 2 Jade, Kayleigh (25 August 2023). "Marlowe Theatre's Aladdin 2023 panto cast and tickets for festive show". Stageberry. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  35. ↑ "Rufus Hound to star in new Wind in the Willows musical". WhatsOnStage.com . 17 June 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  36. ↑ "FIRST LOOK: Tim Rice's Blondel at the Union Theatre". British Theatre. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  37. ↑ Everybody's Talking About Jamie performance at the Olivier Awards 2018 with Mastercard , retrieved 4 April 2021
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  39. ↑ "Everybody's Talking About Jamie - And You Don't Even Know It". YouTube/AVROTROS. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019.
  40. 1 2 "Stars take to the stage as Musicals: The Greatest Show is announced for BBC Radio 2 and BBC One". www.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
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  42. ↑ "WhatsOnStage Awards 2020". YouTube/BBC Radio. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021.
  43. ↑ "Six the musical: get the lowdown on the Queens rocking the West End". Magic at the Musicals. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  44. ↑ "The Queendom Podcast - A SIX: The Musical Podcast on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  45. ↑ "Episode 1 - Courtney Bowman - Now or Nevers". Spotify. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  46. ↑ "In The Frame: Theatre Interviews from West End Frame: S7 Ep6: Courtney Bowman, Lauren in Kinky Boots & Elle Woods in Legally Blonde on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  47. ↑ "The Mayor of Musical Theatre: Courtney Bowman on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  48. ↑ Backstage Bants with Courtney Bowman , retrieved 6 May 2023
  49. ↑ "GSA student wins Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year award | GSA - Guildford School of Acting". gsauk.org. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  50. ↑ Thomas, Sophie (14 September 2022). "2022 Black British Theatre Awards: Nominees announced". London Theatre. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  51. ↑ "Best Leading Performer in a New Production of a Musical | BroadwayWorld UK". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  52. ↑ "Nominations in full: the 23rd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
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