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My Top 5 Showtunes: Dan Gillespie Sells

The composer tells us the musical numbers he couldn’t live without

Dan Gillespie Sells
Dan Gillespie Sells
© Dan Wooller for WhatsOnStage

Dan Gillespie Sells is best known as the frontman of rock band, The Feeling.

His first piece of theatre was a ballet in collaboration with Javier de Frutos called 3 With D which premiered at the London Coliseum in 2014.

This was followed by his new musical with Tom MacRae, Everybody's Talking About Jamie. Based on a documentary called Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, it opened at the Sheffield Crucible in February and has now transferred to the Apollo Theatre in London.

We caught up with Dan and asked him: "If you were stranded on a desert island which five showtunes could you not live without?"


1. "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz

An obvious choice I know but an example of beautiful, perfect simplicity. An absolute flawless gem of a song.

2. "Suddenly Seymour" from Little Shop of Horrors

This gets sung at every house party I ever throw at about 4am with all my mates around the piano. It’s so full of character and joy and as a child, Little Shop was my favourite movie.

3. "The Man That Got Away" from A Star is Born

Another Judy number, I know! But what a song and what a performance. You can probably tell that I learned about musical theatre through the movies and Judy in A Star Is Born breaks my heart with this number.

4. "Somewhere" from West Side Story

I’m obsessed with West Side Story. It’s the most sophisticated and beautiful piece of musical story-telling. The beauty in this song is undeniable.

5. "America" from West Side Story

I find this number completely thrilling. To create something this clever yet catchy, funny yet sophisticated is a real feat. It blows my socks off every time!