Theatre News

WOS 15th birthday: Our mystery West End stars revealed… Have a listen!

We never thought it would happen, but it has: we’ve stumped you! As part of our 15th birthday coverage, three of our favourite West End stars recorded special renditions of “Happy birthday to Whatsonstage.com” on their phones and emailed them in – and we asked you to identify them.

Guesses included Michael Ball, Sheridan Smith, Richard Fleeshman, Connie Fisher, Hadley Fraser, Lee Mead, Scarlet Strallen, Summer Strallen, Kerry Ellis, Shayne Ward, Ramin Karimloo and even James Blunt (we must have missed his West End debut…) – none of which were correct.

Several of you DID correctly identify one of our mystery singers, but only two theatregoers correctly identified two and – shame on you – not a single person guessed all three. Thus, technically, none of you are winners. But we can’t bear to be mean so will say congratulations to our two-timers Holly Pennick and Kathryn Pintus. We hope that you both enjoy your complimentary memberships to the Whatsonstage.com Theatre Club.

We can now put you out of your misery and reveal our three singers: Clive Rowe, Michael Xavier and Sarah Lark. Listen again to their clips and we bet you’ll be kicking yourself now! Thanks to Clive, Michael and Sarah and to all of you for your guesses.

 

 

Wellwisher One: Clive Rowe

Sarah Lark/W@S_IMGWest End favourite Clive Rowe was most recently seen in the West End in The Ladykillers.

He won an Olivier for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Nicely Nicely Johnson in the National Theatre’s revival of Guys and Dolls.

Clive will star in the Chichester revival of Cole Porter’s Kiss Me Kate this summer from 27 June to 1 September 2012 (previews from 18 June).

 

 

Wellwisher Two: Michael Xavier

WOS_VIDE@single

The appropriately monikered Sarah Lark made her West End debut creating the role of “Little Girl” in Cameron Mackintosh’s production of The Witches of Eastwick.

She was a finalist in the BBC’s search-for-Nancy-for-Oliver talent show I’d Do Anything in 2008 and spent 14 months in the resulting Cameron Mackintosh revival.

Sarah is a regular MC at the Show Off Piano Bar in the West End.