or


[05/13/09 - 09:57 AM]
A Ticket to the Big Time for One Maria
BBC America will launch "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?" on Sunday, June 7 at 10:00/9:00c.

[via press release from BBC America]

A TICKET TO THE BIG TIME FOR ONE MARIA

-Ten compete to star in Andrew Lloyd Webber's production of The Sound of Music-

The Any Dream Will Do team of legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, Graham Norton (The Graham Norton Show) and John Barrowman (Torchwood) return to BBC AMERICA in the premiere of How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? From all across the UK, thousands of talented singers and actresses audition in hopes of becoming the UK's next leading lady, Maria, in the musical The Sound of Music. How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? premieres with a one hour episode, Sunday, June 7, 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. All seven subsequent episodes are two hours long and air Sundays, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

From the open auditions across the UK, 55 are chosen by the judges to attend �Maria School' where their vocal skills and acting ability are thoroughly tested. 20 contestants are then chosen to perform in front of Andrew and a host of his celebrity friends at his country mansion. Ten survive the ordeal and are allowed through to the studio heats where, over the following weeks, the British public vote for their favorite. Sitting at the judges table are Andrew Lloyd Webber, John Barrowman, theatre producer David Ian and vocal coach Zo� Tyler.

Each week, the two with the lowest number of votes perform in front of Andew Lloyd Webber in the hope he'll use his saving vote to give them one more chance. Three of them make it to the final where they perform a range of classic songs from The Sound of Music as well as other musical favorites from famed composers Rogers and Hammerstein. The hills come alive in the world of musical theatre as the next Maria is chosen and goes on to star in the West End's production of The Sound of Music.

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria won an International Emmy in 2007, has just been nominated for a Banff World Television Award and was picked up as a local format by the CBC in Canada.

BBC AMERICA brings audiences a new generation of award-winning television featuring news with a uniquely global perspective, provocative dramas, razor-sharp comedies and life-changing makeovers. BBC AMERICA pushes the boundaries to deliver high quality, highly addictive and eminently watchable programming to viewers who demand more. BBC AMERICA is distributed by Discovery Networks. It is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 64 million homes.

MEET THE TEN MARIA FINALISTS

Born and raised in Romania, Simona Armstrong wants a career as an actress. Trained at the prestigious Bucharest Academy, she's got a musical background - her mother and sister sing and her grandmother was an actress. Simona's family is still in Romania, she misses them a lot but "her greatest support" is husband Ian. Her favorite musical is Little Shop of Horrors.

Meliz Serman plays violin and piano and was classically trained. She's been writing songs since she was four, and her dream is to write a successful West End musical. She loves �60s American soul music and admires Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin. Her favorite musicals are Grease, Mary Poppins, The Phantom of the Opera, Moulin Rouge - and The Sound of Music, of course.

Leanne Dobinson has been singing since she was young. She's had no formal training, but taught herself to sing in Italian, French, German and Latin after borrowing some CDs from the library. Her favorite musicals are The Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music, and My Fair Lady.

Laura Sicurello, an Intelligence Officer for Thames Valley Police, has had singing lessons for two years. Laura's family have always told her she should be a performer for a living, but she's never believed in herself. Her favorite musical is Miss Saigon.

Belinda Evans earned a Masters Degree in Music from the Welsh College of Music and has worked as a singer for the last four years. She's appeared as a chorus member in Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of The Magic Flute and sung a solo for the Queen. Her favorite musical is West Side Story.

Aoife (pronounced ee-fah) Mulholland studied for a Masters in Acting and Musical Theatre at London's Central School of Speech and Drama. Her favorite singers are Aretha Franklin, Lauren Hill and Erykah Badu. The first amateur musical Aoife starred in was The Sound Of Music�she played Brigitta and her brother played Fredrick. But she loves Les Miserables best of all.

Abi Finley also studied for a Masters in Acting and Musical Theatre at London's Central School of Speech and Drama. Her two biggest inspirations are Barbara Streisand and her mum, Deborah, who performed when she was pregnant with Abi. Her favorite musicals are The Sound of Music, Billy Elliot, Ragtime, Into the Woods, and Sunset Boulevard.

Siobhan Dillon attends the London College of Fashion. For her 10th birthday present, she got singing lessons and her talent progressed from there. Her musical tastes range from John Denver to Massive Attack�but Shania Twain will always be her idol. Her favorite musicals are Starlight Express and Blood Brothers.

A professional actress and singer, Helena Blackman has been classically trained since she was 12. Recently she worked at Disney in Tokyo, performing medleys of musical theater songs. Her favorite musicals are The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Carousel, West Side Story, and The Sound of Music.

Connie Fisher was a member of the National Youth Theatre and attended countless West End auditions, always getting down to the final two but never getting the part. Her musical theatre heroes are Julie Andrews and Ruthie Henshall and her favorite modern musicals are Songs For A New World and Avenue Q.

MEET THE JUDGES

Andrew Lloyd Webber is the composer of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, Starlight Express, The Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind among many others. He also composed the film scores for Gumshoe and The Odessa File, and a setting of the Latin Requiem Mass. He has won seven Tony awards, three Grammys, the Kennedy Center Honor and was knighted in 1992.

John Barrowman has become a household name following his role as Captain Jack, first in Doctor Who and most recently in BBC AMERICA's top rated series, Torchwood. He has also been a stalwart leading actor in musical theatre throughout his career and has released several albums.

David Ian was recently named the most powerful person in British theater by The Stage newspaper, being one of the most prolific producers in the UK. His hits include some of the best-loved and most talked about productions of the last 20 years including Guys and Dolls, The King and I, Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Anything Goes and The Producers.

Zoe Tyler is the expert vocal coach who knows what the role of Maria truly requires�a voice that will hit every note and stand out from the crowd. Her own career on the West End began at the age of 20 when she appeared in Les Miserables. She went on to join Jesus Christ Superstar on tour, which was followed by the award-winning City of Angels in which she was part of the jazz singing quartet. She is also a seasoned soloist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Director/Producer Katy Mullan

Executive Producer Ruth Wrigley

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? is a BBC production in association with The Really Useful Group and DPI Production.





  [may 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· ANY DREAM WILL DO (BBC AMERICA)
· HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE MARIA? (BBC AMERICA)





[03/18/24 - 01:59 PM]
Chrissy Metz, Jaime Ray Newman, Katie Lowes, and George Ferrier Join as Series Regulars for Starz's New Drama "The Hunting Wives"
Production on the thrilling new series has started in Charlotte, North Carolina.

[03/18/24 - 11:30 AM]
Video: ALLBLK Releases Trailer for the World Premiere of New Thriller, "The Influencer" Premiering Thursday, April 4
The original film stars Christina Cooper as Niecy Fields, a social media influencer on the cusp of stardom.

[03/18/24 - 10:06 AM]
E! Announces Trendsetting Guest Judges and Pioneering Disruptors for New Cutting-Edge Design Competition Series "OMG Fashun" with Julia Fox
Handcrafted is the new haute couture on "OMG Fashun" as Julia inspires pioneering fashion disruptors to upend traditional style convention, break the rules and redefine cool.

[03/18/24 - 10:00 AM]
Video: Peacock Debuts Trailer For New Original Documentary "Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal" Premiering April 1
The documentary looks at the remarkable career of the late Windham Rotunda also known as Bray Wyatt, one of the most skillful, tenacious, and creative WWE Superstars of all-time.

[03/18/24 - 10:00 AM]
NBC Is the Official Home of Competition and Games This Summer with a Slate of Powerhouse Hit Series
NBC is the summer home for both the Paris Olympic Games and high-stakes competition with a robust lineup of returning powerhouse favorites, including "America's Got Talent," "American Ninja Warrior," "Password," "The Wall" and "Weakest Link."

[03/18/24 - 09:02 AM]
Netflix Announces News About 26 Upcoming Nordic Titles - Including 12 Brand New Titles
Plus: the streamer offers new looks at "Deliver Me," "The Helicopter Heist," "Ronja the Robber's Daughter," "Billionaire Island" and season two of "Baby Fever."

[03/18/24 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The rebels gear up for battle against the ruthless forces of the Motherworld as unbreakable bonds are forged, heroes emerge - and legends are made.

[03/18/24 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Disney's "Wish" - Streaming April 3rd - Disney+
Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Wish" is an all-new musical-comedy welcoming audiences to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force - a little ball of boundless energy called Star.

[03/18/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Our Living World" - Cate Blanchett - Official Trailer - Netflix
This stunning nature series narrated by Cate Blanchett explores the intelligence, resourcefulness and interconnectedness of life on our planet.

[03/18/24 - 08:00 AM]
Acorn TV Fan-Favorite "Harry Wild" Returns Monday, May 13
Season three consists of six episodes and will be available on Acorn TV in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

[03/18/24 - 08:00 AM]
Prime Video Orders "Beast Games" from MrBeast and Amazon MGM Studios
Based on his already successful YouTube show, "Beast Games" is set to become the biggest reality competition series ever with 1000 contestants competing for a $5 million dollar cash prize which will be the biggest single prize in the history of television and streaming.

[03/18/24 - 07:14 AM]
ESPN+ Original Series "Full Court Press" Presented by State Farm Featuring Caitlin Clark, Kamilla Cardoso and Kiki Rice to Premiere May 11 & 12 on ABC and ESPN+
From Iowa's historic preseason game that broke attendance records all the way through the WNBA draft in April, the series uses unparalleled access, exclusive interviews, and unique game footage, to transport audiences into the lives of these exceptional athletes.

[03/18/24 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Scoop" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatization gives an insider account of how the women of Newsnight secured Prince Andrew's infamous interview.

[03/18/24 - 06:01 AM]
Video: Apple TV+ Debuts Trailer for Season Two of Iconic Emmy Award-Winning Series "Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock," Premiering Globally March 29
Award-winning season two cast includes the return of Daveed Diggs alongside Ariana DeBose, Brett Goldstein, Catherine O'Hara, Adam Lambert and K-pop group aespa in guest star roles.

[03/18/24 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Joy" - First Look Teaser - Netflix
Starring Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton and Bill Nighy, the new film based on the story of the birth of IVF.