The Sound of Musicals

Episode 3, Tuesday 26th November, 9:00pm, Channel 4

London's musical theatreland is booming. With millions to be made at the box office, competition is cut-throat and everyone from producers to performers is searching for that coveted spot in the West End.With unprecedented access to a season in the West End, this four-part documentary series goes behind the scenes to witness every aspect of the business of musicals.

This episode puts casting in the spotlight. In the last 10 years, the advent of reality TV shows has changed the landscape of the West End and demand for recognisable faces on the London Stage is huge. Casualty and Strictly Come Dancing star Tom Chambers has been pulling in the crowds at Top Hat for the last year and is coming to the end of his contract. Producer Kenny Wax is on the hunt for a classic ‘triple threat’, a  performer who can act, sing and dance, to fill Tom’s tap shoes – but they aren’t easy to find. Kenny has to go to Broadway to find his leads Gavin Lee and Kristen Beth Williams.  They’ll have only six weeks to learn the complicated choreography and iconic songs before Kenny  relaunches the show at a glittering press night.

Across town, producer David Ian hopes his new show The Bodyguard will pull in the crowds.  With the death of Whitney Houston in the last few months, all eyes in the West End will be on him to see if he can find a star capable of singing the Whitney Houston songbook.  The woman tasked with the job is Grammy and Tony award winning star Heather Headley, who describes the role as running a marathon every night  - for a year. Can she take the strain.

Novice producer Amy Anzel  is having better luck, after losing Craig Revel Horwood, she’s found a new director and is now searching for the perfect man to pull in the crowds in the role of the Fonz. Finding a well-known name who can also do the job is no easy task, and to make matters worse, Amy needs to sign the contracts in order to secure venues for her pre-West end tour. Now personally liable for theatre costs running to hundreds of thousands, the pressure is greater than ever to cast her leading man.

Kenny’s press night has finally arrived,  after months of work promoting his new leads, the stage is set for the relaunch of his new stars, but hours before the show a phone call from his leading man threatens everything, he’s lost his voice and is unable to do the show. In true West End style the task falls to his understudy Alan– who has been waiting in the wings for his very own chance to shine. There’s nothing that Kenny can do apart from hope that Alan can pull it off.

Finally – after months of intensive casting, Amy has found her leading man in the form of Emmerdale heart throb Ben Freeman,  in addition to Heidi Range in the role of Pinkie and Cheryl Baker, formerly with Eurovision winning band Bucks Fizz, as Mrs Cunningham. With her cast now in place, and her regional tour booked, there’s only one question to be answered – is her cast good enough to interest a major West End theatre? Amy has one chance to pitch to West End theatre owner Nica Burns to find out.