Follow the Reality TV road...

I have to admit, one of my favourite guilty pleasures of the moment is the fabulously camp BBC Over The Rainbow. Yes, I am a self confessed ‘friend of Dorothy’...as in I follow the show on Twitter, not the other thing.

The BBC’s latest search to find the West End’s next protégé seems to have reignited an old debate, that turning the musical theatre audition process into a reality TV show is depriving the professional trained performers out there of the lead roles they covet. Is it really fair that some people go through years of training, singing in the chorus and grafting to work their way up to lead roles, when seemingly an amateur off the street, who, like Connie Fisher, has been working in a call centre, can bag a leading role of a lifetime by appearing on a reality TV show ?

My very favourite West End Star, Kerry Ellis, who has just been tasked with filling the shoes of I’d Do Anything winner Jodie Prenger as Nancy in Oliver!, seems to think that Reality TV can only have a positive effect on the industry. After all, it is “bringing musical theatre to the masses” she said diplomatically on BBC Breakfast the other day. However, she also made sure to point out on more than one occasion that, she has gone about her career the “traditional way” and proved that it can work. But is Kerry just one of a lucky (but extremely talented) few?

Kerry also hopefully chimes “there’s so much work for everyone out there”. But this is in stark contrast to Sheila Hancock, who warned Over the Rainbow contestants that only 20% of people in the industry have work at any one time.

We should remember though, that as much as the media loves a good rags to riches story a la Connie Fisher, in reality, the majority of contestants on these programmes, have the training behind them before the audition (including Connie). Lee Mead had even appeared in the touring production of Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat before bagging the role of Joseph on Any Dream Will Do. The star has gone on to admit that the only way he felt he would achieve the success he was after was to go down the TV route. So perhaps the professionals should just treat reality TV auditions as any other audition, as it seems this is the direction the industry in going in.

If you fancy watching Kerry’s full interview see the vid below, if not, I urge to watch from 0:23 to see why Kerry has been so successful in this world!! I will be seeing her in action in Oliver very soon myself, I can’t wait!!