Luke Bayer

Last updated

Luke Bayer
Born
Luke Charles Bayer

(1992-08-25) 25 August 1992 (age 32)
North Yorkshire, England
Education Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active2005–present

Luke Charles Bayer (born 25 August 1992) is an English actor and singer who is known for his work in musical theatre. He is best known for his work in the Original West End Cast of Everybody's Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre and for appearing on The X Factor in 2007. [1]

Contents

Early life

Bayer was born and raised in North Yorkshire, England and attended South Craven School [2] from the age of 11 until he was 18. At the age of 14, Bayer successfully auditioned for The X Factor [1] making it through to Dannii Minogue's [3] judges houses as one of the final six boys. In 2012 Bayer started training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts [4] in London, graduating 2015.

Career

In 2005, Bayer successfully auditioned for the Les Misérables 20th Anniversary Concert at the Sondheim Theatre, London, in which he performed with 34 other young people who had all appeared in the recently released Schools Edition version of the show.

Upon completing his training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Bayer toured China with The 12 Tenors. [3]

For his role as Alternate Jamie in the Original West End Cast of Everybody's Talking About Jamie , he won a BroadwayWorld Award for Best Understudy/Alternate in a Show. [5] During his time with the show, Bayer performed as Jamie at Children In Need [6] and West End Live. [7]

Luke played Woof in a Concert Production of Hair, directed by Arlene Phillips, [8] in RENT at the Hope Mill Theatre, playing the role of Mark, [9] and in Millennials at The Other Palace in the summer of 2022. [10] He then did a one-man musical, Diva: Live from Hell! [11] which opened to rave reviews, with The Guardian deeming it 'unmissable'. [12] He also won the Off West End Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance, [13] with the show being nominated for a WhatsOnStage Award. [14]

Theatre

Bayer has performed in a number of professional theatre productions. He appeared in the European premiere of Yank! The Musical [15] at the Hope Mill Theatre Manchester [16] in early 2017.

He appeared in the musical Fiver. [17] He won a West End Wilma Award [18] for his role in the show. A cast album of the show has since been recorded and released during the COVID-19 pandemic, featuring Bayer.[ citation needed ]

At the start of 2023, Luke returned once more to the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester to perform in the European Premiere of the Broadway Musical Head over Heels (musical) in the lead role of Musidorus. [19]

Work

Theatre

YearProductionRole(s)VenueRef.
2005 Les Misérables 20th Anniversary ConcertEnsemble Sondheim Theatre, London [20]
2017 Yank! IndiaHope Mill Theatre, Manchester [21]
2017 Everybody's Talking About Jamie Swing/Cover Jamie New Apollo Theatre, London [22]
2018 Everybody's Talking About Jamie Alternate Jamie New Apollo Theatre, London [23]
2019FiverMan 2 Southwark Playhouse [24] [25]
2019 Soho Cinders Robbie Charing Cross Theatre, London [26]
2021I Could Use A Drink (UK premier)Vocalist Garrick Theatre, London [27]
2021 Hair Woof London Palladium [28]
2021 Rent Mark Cohen Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester [29]
2022 Millennials Performer The Other Palace Studio [30]
2022Diva: Live from Hell! (One Man Musical)Desmond Channing Turbine Theatre, London [31]
2023 Head over Heels (European Premier) Musidorus Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester [32]

Television

YearProductionRole(s)Broadcasting ChannelRef.
2007 The X Factor Himself ITV [33]
2018 Children in Need Jamie New BBC [34]
2019 Ackley Bridge Mathew Barnes Channel 4 [35]

Cast recordings

YearTitleNotesRef.
2018 Everybody's Talking About Jamie Featured as part of the Ensemble on the Original West End Cast Recording [36]
2021Fiver - Live Concert RecordingRecorded Live at the Southwark Playhouse [37]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Luke heads for X-factor stardom". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 5 October 2007.
  2. "GALLERY: Former South Craven School student Luke enjoying West End show spotlight". Craven Herald. 22 December 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Luke Bayer". 18 April 2018.
  4. "Mountview Alumni News June 2019".
  5. Scott, Fiona. "BWW Interview: Luke Bayer Discusses EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE". BroadwayWorld.com.
  6. "And You Don't Even Know It - Everybody's Talking About Jamie - Children in Need 2018" via www.youtube.com.
  7. "EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE...WEST END LIVE 2018" via www.youtube.com.
  8. "Hair concert to play at the London Palladium". stagechat.co.uk. 6 April 2021.
  9. "Rent revival unveils 2021 cast". 13 July 2021 via whatsonstage.com.
  10. "Millennials at The Other Palace – first look images released". 12 July 2022 via WhatsOnStage.com.
  11. "Luke Bayer to star in the UK premiere of DIVA: Live from Hell!". WhatsOnStage.com. 20 May 2022.
  12. Akbar, Arifa (21 August 2022). "Diva: Live from Hell! review – killer humour and murderous teen rivalry". The Guardian.
  13. "The Offies 2023 Awards – Winners announced". westendtheatre.com. 12 February 2023.
  14. "Nominations in full: the 23rd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards". WhatsOnStage.com. 8 December 2022.
  15. "Luke Bayer | British Youth Music Theatre". britishyouthmusictheatre.org.
  16. "YANK the musical". Hope Mill Theatre.
  17. "Luke Bayer to star in Fiver as full cast announced | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 6 June 2019.
  18. "West End Wilma Awards a delightfully camp celebration of theatre". GAY TIMES. 15 November 2019.
  19. ""Head Over Heels" – watch an exclusive first look performance by the UK premiere cast". WhatsOnStage. 24 January 2023.
  20. "Younsters star on West End stage". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 21 October 2005.
  21. "Yank! Press Launch - Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester". North West End UK.
  22. "Everybody's Talking About Jamie". TIMETOBLOWYOURMIND'S THEATRE SITE.
  23. "Our People | Luke Bayer". British Youth Music Theatre . Archived from the original on 18 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  24. "Facebook". facebook.com. Retrieved 4 July 2021. [self-published]
  25. "Fiver the Concert". 5 January 2021.
  26. "Soho Cinders musical at Charing Cross Theatre: first look at Millie O'Connell and Luke Bayer | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 28 October 2019.
  27. Wild, Stephi. "Drew Gasparini's I COULD USE A DRINK Will Premiere at The Garrick Theatre in August". BroadwayWorld.com.
  28. "'Hair' concerts to transfer to London Palladium in June". LondonTheatre.co.uk. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  29. "'Rent' Cast Announced for Return of Hope Mill Theatre's RENT". theatreweekly.com. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  30. "Millennials at The Other Palace – first look images released | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  31. "Diva: Live From Hell". The Turbine Theatre. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  32. "Head over Heels". Hope Mill Theatre. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  33. "X-Factor UK 2007 (Series 4) - Boys Judge's House Auditions - Dannii Minogue's House (Full Version)" via www.youtube.com.
  34. "Did you see EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE perform on BBC Children In Need?". West End Wilma. 19 November 2018.
  35. 33 Artist Management [@33LTD] (7 May 2019). "LUKE BAYER has been a busy client filming his debut guest starring role as Matthew Barnes for Channel 4's 'Ackley Bridge'" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021 via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  36. "Everybody's Talking About Jamie - The Original West End Cast Recording". 11 May 2018.
  37. "CAST ALBUM". Fiver Musical.