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How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?

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How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? logo
Presented byGraham Norton
JudgesAndrew Lloyd Webber
David Ian
John Barrowman
Zoe Tyler
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes8
Production
ProducerBBC Entertainment
Running time60 to 90 minutes
Original release
NetworkBBC One
Release29 July 2006 –
16 September 2006

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? was a British talent show, shown on Saturday evenings on BBC One, first broadcast on 29 July 2006 until the series finale on 16 September 2006. It documented the search for a musical theatre performer to play the role of Maria von Trapp in the 2006 Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian stage production of The Sound of Music. It was presented by Graham Norton, and "masterminded" by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The title of the show was derived from a line in the production's song "Maria". 23-year-old Connie Fisher was finally chosen as the new Maria; although Aoife Mulholland was also later asked by Lloyd Webber to play Maria as the 'alternate' on Monday and Wednesday matinee.

On 19 December 2006, BBC One controller Peter Fincham announced that, due to the success of the programme, a second show in a similar format called Any Dream Will Do would be produced.[1] It would search out the main cast of an upcoming production of Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (which the press release calls Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat), a lead male and female, a school choir, and an "Elvis/Pharaoh".[1] Its title also comes from a song from the musical. It will also feature Lloyd Webber and Norton[1]; David Ian will not return, as he is working on similar shows (Grease: You're the One that I Want! for the American network NBC and Grease Is the Word for ITV). On 23rd February 2007, the BBC announced that Zoe Tyler and John Barrowman will return, joined this time by Presenter and West End actress Denise van Outen and West end producer Bill Kenwright.

Format

The first week of the show documented the initial auditions against a regional panel, and later the show's expert panel, in which thousands of hopefuls were to be whittled down to fifty contestants to enter Lloyd Webber's "Maria School", from which ten would be selected to face the public vote. However, several additional performers were selected over this fifty contestant limit; one being Briony, who had been rejected initially due to nerves hampering her performance, but who returned for a second chance and was allowed in. A further four, whom the panel had rejected, were contacted by Lloyd Webber himself as he personally believed them to be potential Marias.

In the second week, the fifty-five selected contestants attended "Maria School" where judge Zoe Tyler, along with other tutors, gave the girls singing lessons. On the second day, fifteen were eliminated, leaving only forty. On the third day, another twenty left, leaving only twenty contestants in the competition. The twenty performers were then taken to Andrew Lloyd Webber's house, where they performed live in front of fifty influential people in the theatre business. The best ten were taken through to the finals.

During the finals, each week, the contenders were set various singing and performing tasks and the public got a chance to vote for their favourite Maria. The two Marias with the least votes in a given week perform a sing-off in front of Lloyd Webber, who then decides which Maria to keep, based upon how well he feels that contender will fill the Maria role. This was repeated with the top 10, the top 9 and the top 8. With the top seven and top five, two were voted off in the program, and there were two different sing-offs.

In the final, Lloyd Webber did not have a say, however, and it was down to the public to choose who should play Maria. After more than two million votes were cast, the winning entrant was confirmed as Connie Fisher (who still plays Maria in the West End currently until 23 February 2008, and is also still singing professionally). Other contestants subsequently went on to have successful musical careers and Aoife Mulholland has even been cast as a Maria as well (which she plays on a Monday evening and Wednesday matinee performance to give Connie a rest period).

The BBC ran a follow-up show, Any Dream Will Do, in which 25-year-old West End understudy Lee Mead on June 9, 2007, won the lead role of Joseph in a new production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat opening on July 17, 2007, and a spot along with Fisher, Josh Groban and others on Lloyd Webber's contribution to the July 1, 2007, Princess Diana celebration Concert for Diana to be shown on BBC One in the UK, NBC and MHD in the US, and streamed on vh1.com and bbc.co.uk/radio2.

Finalists

Most of the finalists were given nicknames, shown on the list below in inverted commas.

Eliminated (in order of elimination)
Winner

Expert panel

Controversy

  • According to the British tabloid newspaper the Sunday Mirror, 23 year old Emma Williams, a professional stage actress, had also been signed to play Maria under a twelve month contract. However, the winner would still get a six month contract and would have performed six of the eight weekly shows.[2][3]. Williams later "withdrew her services" from the musical, leaving Fisher to perform in every show unless indisposed. [4]
  • According to "a programme insider" reported in the British newspaper the Daily Mail, in the week of the final, Siobhan and Helena felt that in retrospect, Lord Lloyd-Webber and the BBC production team had favoured Connie. Their accusations of special treatment included: incredibly well edited coverage; flattering camera angles; favourable backstage training highlights; given songs to perform that flatter her voice and are perfectly tailored to her abilities; her outfits are more "sparkly" and exciting than the ones they have been given.[5]

International series

On 20 August 2006, it was reported that Lloyd Webber had taken legal action against David Ian. Lloyd Webber reportedly wanted to take the show's format to the United States to cast a Broadway theatre production of Grease. Lloyd Webber discovered that David Ian had already brought the idea to NBC, who announced they will look for unknowns to play Sandy Dumbrowski and Danny Zuko, via reality TV show "Grease: You're the One that I Want!" (initially named You're The One That We Want) with David Ian and BBC Worldwide, leaving Lord Lloyd-Webber furious. David Ian said "I don't understand the problem. Andrew has no connection with the stage show Grease, which I have successfully produced in the UK. There is a new production of Grease on Broadway in the spring of 2007, that's why I've been asked to judge on You're The One That We Want." [6]

A Canadian version of the show, under the same title, will search for a Maria for an upcoming Toronto production of The Sound of Music; this show is initiated by Lloyd-Webber, and will appear on CBC Television in the summer of 2008. The winner will join the production at the Princess of Wales Theatre, under Mirvish Productions. [1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "BBC One announces Any Dream Will Do" (Press release). BBC Press Office. 19 December, 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-19. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Todd, Ben. "Pro Singer Emma lined up for Maria despite hunt". Retrieved 2006-08-28.
  3. ^ "The Sound Of Music". Retrieved 2006-09-16.
  4. ^ "'Alternate' Maria quits musical". Retrieved 2006-09-22.
  5. ^ "The Sound Of Music". Retrieved 2006-09-16.
  6. ^ Wenn. "David Ian: 'I don't understand Andrew's problem'". Retrieved 2006-08-27.

External links

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