Lizzie Bea is a British actress and singer. She is best known for playing Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act and Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray.
Bea trained at the National Youth Theatre. [1]
In September 2019 Bea joined the cast of the world premiere of the musical Becoming Nancy, playing at the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia. The show was directed by Jerry Mitchell and has music and lyrics by Stiles and Drewe. [2]
Bea made her West End debut in Hairspray, at the London Palladium, in the leading role of Tracy Turnblad. [3] The show was due to open in 2020 and was postponed to April 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [4] The show also starred Michael Ball, reprising the role of Edna Turnblad, Marisha Wallace as Motormouth Maybelle, Les Dennis as Wilbur Turnblad and Rita Simons as Velma Von Tussle. [5] [6]
In 2021 Bea took on the role of Martha Dunnstock in Heathers: the Musical at The Other Palace in London. [7] [8]
Bea was announced as playing the role of Sister Mary Robert in the 2024 West End revival of the musical Sister Act. [9] The part of Deloris was initially played by Beverley Knight (from Mar to Jun) and then by Alexandra Burke until the end of the run in late August. Other notable cast members were: Ruth Jones as Mother Superior, Lesley Joseph as Sister Mary Lazarus and singer Lemar as Curtis Jackson. [10]
Year | Title | Role | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Fat Friends the Musical | u/s Kelly, Betty & Val | UK tour |
2019 | Kinky Boots | Pat | UK tour |
2019 | Becoming Nancy | Abigail Henson | Alliance Theatre, Atlanta (US) |
2021 | Hairspray | Tracy Turnblad | London Coliseum |
2021 | Heathers | Martha Dunnstock | The Other Palace |
2022–2024 | Sister Act | Sister Mary Robert | London and UK tour |
Hairspray is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on John Waters's 1988 film of the same name. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the production follows teenage Tracy Turnblad's dream to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight, leading to social change as Tracy campaigns for the show's integration.
Michael Ashley Ball is an English singer, presenter and actor. In 1985, he made his West End debut as Marius Pontmercy in the original production of Les Misérables. In 1989, he reached number two in the UK Singles Chart with "Love Changes Everything", from the musical Aspects of Love, where he played Alex Dillingham. He played the role in the West End and on Broadway. His album Coming Home To You reached number one in the UK making it his 4th number one album to date. On 24 April 2020, Ball and Captain Tom Moore entered the UK Singles Chart at number one with a cover of "You'll Never Walk Alone", with combined chart sales of 82,000 making it the fastest-selling single of 2020.
Marissa Jaret Winokur, sometimes credited as Marissa Winokur, is an American actress and singer known for her Tony-winning performance as Tracy Turnblad in the Broadway musical Hairspray, an adaptation of John Waters's film, as well as her work on the Pamela Anderson sitcom Stacked. Some of her other TV credits include Curb Your Enthusiasm,Moesha,The Steve Harvey Show,Just Shoot Me!,Felicity and Dharma & Greg.
Tracie Bennett is an English singer and stage and television actress. She trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in Clapham, London. She played the role of Sharon Gaskell in Coronation Street from 1982 to 1984, returning to the role in 1999 and again in 2021.
Hairspray is a 2007 musical romantic comedy film based on the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John Waters's 1988 comedy film of the same name. Produced by Ingenious Media and Zadan/Meron Productions, and adapted from both Waters's 1988 script and Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell's book for the stage musical by screenwriter Leslie Dixon, the film was directed and choreographed by Adam Shankman and has an ensemble cast including John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney, and Nikki Blonsky in her feature film debut. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film follows the "pleasantly plump" teenager Tracy Turnblad (Blonsky) as she pursues stardom as a dancer on a local television dance show and rallies against racial segregation.
Summer Peta Vaigncourt-Strallen is an English actress who has performed various roles on stage and screen. Her most notable theatre credits include Meg Giry in the West End production of Love Never Dies and Maria von Trapp in Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The Sound of Music at the London Palladium.
Hairspray: Soundtrack to the Motion Picture is the soundtrack album for the 2007 New Line Cinema musical film Hairspray. The film is an adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, itself adapted from John Waters's original 1988 film. It features performances from the film's cast, which includes John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, and Nikki Blonsky as the lead character of Tracy Turnblad.
Hairspray: Original Broadway Cast Recording is the cast album for the 2002 musical Hairspray. The show is an adaptation of the 1988 film of the same name. It features performances from the show's cast, which includes Harvey Fierstein, Linda Hart, Dick Latessa, Kerry Butler, Clarke Thorell, Mary Bond Davis, Laura Bell Bundy, Matthew Morrison, Corey Reynolds, and Marissa Jaret Winokur as the lead character of Tracy Turnblad. The cast recording earned the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
Leanne Jones is a British actress best known for her role as Tracy Turnblad in the West End production of the musical Hairspray. In 2008, she won both the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Critics Circle Award for Best Newcomer.
Marissa Perry is an American actress and singer born in Waterbury, Connecticut.
Tetje Mierendorf is a German comedian, musical theatre actor and voice actor.
Heathers: The Musical is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Laurence O'Keefe and Kevin Murphy, based on the 1989 film of the same name written by Daniel Waters. The producers include J. Todd Harris, Amy Powers, RJ Hendricks, and Andy Cohen. After a sold-out Los Angeles tryout, the show moved Off-Broadway in 2014. After the run in 2014, the show had an Off-West End run in 2018 and then transferred to the West End in 2018 for a limited engagement. In 2022, Roku released the Off-West end version of Heathers on their streaming service for free.
"I Can Hear the Bells" is a rock-pop song from the 2002 musical Hairspray. It is sung by the protagonist Tracy Turnblad.
Hairspray Live! is an American television special that aired live on the American television network NBC on December 7, 2016. Produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and hosted by Darren Criss, it is a performance of a new adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical Hairspray.
Tyrone Huntley is a British actor, best known for his work in musical theatre.
Marisha Wallace is an American actress and singer, best known for her work in musical theatre.
Sophie Isaacs is an English stage actress and singer. She is known for portraying the role of Heather McNamara in Heathers: The Musical at The Other Palace and Theatre Royal Haymarket and for portraying Katherine Howard in Six at the Arts Theatre, Lyric Theatre and Vaudeville Theatre.
Jamie Muscato is an English actor and singer.
Emma Esther Kingston is a British stage actress. She is best known for playing Heather Chandler in Heathers: The Musical, Vanessa in the original London cast of In the Heights, and Eva Perón on the international tour of Evita.
Claudia Kariuki is a British actress, singer, dancer and songwriter who is best known for playing Jane Seymour in Six in the West End.