WhatsOnStage Award winner? Tick! In the SIX family? Tick! An inspiring story from a dedicated performer? Triple Tick! From being in the Ensemble in Kinky Boots in the West End, to understudying for Evita at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, portraying Catherine of Aragon in the UK Tour of Six and even a stint on ITV's The Voice... Lauren Drew has done it all (including winning a WhatsOnStage Award for the Regents Park Open Air Theatre production of Legally Blonde). On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Lauren talk about training at Mountview, her stint on The Voice during COVID-19, performing Fantine in Les Misérables for Claude-Michel Schönberg and touring Six across the UK. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Wicked to Mamma Mia, Hello Dolly to Mary Poppins, Half A Sixpence, Crazy For You and Kiss Me Kate, Charlie Stemp is undoubtedly one of the West End's hottest stars. Having been discovered by Sir Cameron Mackintosh and selected to take leading man status in the West End production of Half A Sixpence, Charlie has performed everywhere from the London Palladium to Broadway. He has even been nominated for three Olivier Awards... and won a WhatsOnStage Award! On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Charlie talk about training at Laine Theatre Arts, the differences between West End and Broadway, starring opposite Zizi Strallen as Bert in Mary Poppins and gaining the support of Sir Cameron Mackintosh. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This one gets emotional... Jade Davies is undoubtedly one of the most exciting rising stars of the stage. She has swung in major productions including Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera and she currently stars in the touring production of Wicked. In addition to her illustrious list of on-stage credits, she also serves as Amber's biggest inspiration. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Jade share their memories of performing together as kids, the journey from a small-town in North Wales to major productions and they talk about the importance of celebrating the swings! Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Newsies to Elf, the original casts of both Back To The Future and 42 Balloons, Morgan Gregory has starred in some of the most exciting productions in the West End. In his role as a swing, Morgan has the super-human task of understudying multiple ensemble roles... including covering 13 out of 16 tracks in Newsies! In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Morgan talk hilarious backstage mishaps (including getting his foot stuck in a prop track!), the demanding life of a swing, the importance of a supportive family and the new production of 42 Balloons. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The boy is back! Following the incredible response to Ben Joyce's first episode on Your 5 Minute Call, the West End's leading man returns to the sofa to answer your questions with Amber. Amber and Ben talk about navigating love and success in the entertainment industry, how they make the most of their free time together, learning lessons as a couple, and his experience playing Frankie Valli (in Jersey Boys) and Marty McFly (in Back To The Future The Musical). Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shan Ako's journey to centre stage started in the halls of the acclaimed Brit School, where she started releasing self-produced music as a teenager. Just a few years later she would find herself touring arenas as part of The X Factor Arena Tour, after being mentored by Simon Cowell in the final series of The X Factor, only to then be thrust into the West End to play Eponine in Les Miserables (The Staged Concert). Currently, Shan is playing her dream role, Eliza Hamilton in the West End production of Hamilton. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Shan talk two years of being in Hamilton (and her impending departure from the show), her X Factor journey, knowing her "why" and, of course, her pre-show ritual. Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He is our most-requested guest to-date... Ben Joyce's West End debut saw him take on the lead role of Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys. His second role? Marty McFly in Back To The Future The Musical. Having graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in 2021, Ben has launched into leading roles and has never looked back since! Alongside all of this, he is of course Amber's boyfriend. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Ben talk about going from theatre school to leading roles, tribute shows, playing for the people rather than the critics and they share their story of falling in love! Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who else can play both Elle Woods AND Anne Boleyn?! Courtney Bowman is quickly becoming one of the West End's most exciting stars. Having won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Performer in a Musical for Legally Blonde last year, alongside roles in Pretty Woman, Six The Musical and Everybody's Talking About Jamie... it's all happening for Courtney Bowman! In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Courtney talk hilarious confessions, life in Sheffield and Doncaster, going from dancing to acting and more. Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oliver Savile has travelled the world performing on stages. From the European Tour of The Rocky Horror Show to the USA Tour of The Last Ship, as well as playing Fiyero in the West End production of Wicked alongside roles in Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables and more... listening to this episode, it feels like there are more countries Oli has gone to than hasn't! In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Oliver talk about when he discovered his voice, his experiences travelling the world as a performer, his favourite roles and... training as a tree surgeon! Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olivier Award nominated actress Natalie Paris made her name in the theatre as Jane Seymour in the hit musical Six! But, she's been dominating the stage since the age of 10 - when she starred in the West End productions of Les Miserables, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Sunday In The Park With George, amongst others. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Natalie talk about life in the West End as a child, getting into RADA, audition anxiety and being in the original cast of Six The Musical. Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First known as the friendly face of CBBC's Newsround, Ore Oduba has become one of the nations most-loved presenters, having hosted The One Show and This Morning, as well as participating in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and, perhaps mostly famously, winning Strictly Come Dancing. In recent years, he has switched the screen for the stage - starring in the 2019 "Grease!" National Tour as well as the West End production of "Curtains" and the UK Tour of "The Rocky Horror Show". In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Ore talk about going from studying sport at University to being on stage, winning Strictly and what it's actually like working with Amber! Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With over 20 years of experience on stage and screen, Caroline Sheen is a theatre legend who has ticked off a record amount of "dream roles". From making her West End debut in Grease at the Cambridge Theatre, to being in the original cast of Mamma Mia!, as well as playing Fantine and Eponine in Les Miserables, Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the titular role in Mary Poppins in both the UK and US Tours... her credits are endless. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Caroline talk about meeting Dolly Parton whilst making their 9 To 5 debut together at the Savoy Theatre, behind the scenes at Plaza Suite, going from stage to TV and deciding when the time was right to become a mother whilst taking the industry by storm. Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She is one of the West End's most loved actors (and Olivier Award and WhatsOnStage Award-nominated at that!)... this week we're joined by Zizi Strallen! From her acclaimed performance as Mary Poppins on tour and at the Prince Edward Theatre to the National Theatre's Follies and a stand-out run in Strictly Ballroom at the Piccadilly Theatre, over the past decade Zizi has become one of London's most celebrated leading ladies. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Zizi talk about growing up in a theatre family, her experience at the Royal Variety Performance, playing Mary Poppins and Zizi's role in the star-studded Cats film. You can catch Zizi Strallen in Oklahoma In Concert! at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th August: https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/rodgers-hammersteins-oklahoma/ Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Francis is undoubtedly one of theatre's most prominent rising stars having broken through in the West End revival of Sunset Boulevard, following roles in & Juliet, Hair (at the London Palladium) and the Hope Mill Theatre's revival of Rent. His iconic scenes were posted all over social media last Autumn... and now he's on the podcast! In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Tom talk about taking on The Strand for Sunset Boulevard, working with Nicole Scherzinger, finding his feet in drama school and making the move to LA. Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karis Anderson's journey is full of unique twists and turns: from UK chart success as part of the pop group Stooshe (including touring with J-Lo and Nicki Minaj!) to losing it all in an instant and then working her way back to leading roles in Motown The Musical and now taking on the role of Tina Turner in TINA The Musical. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Karis talk about manifesting dream roles, funny backstage moments, the journey from pop music to centre stage and the real story behind Stooshe. Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Legally Blonde to Disney's Newsies, Choir Boy and now starring alongside Cara Delevingne in Cabaret... Michael Ahomka-Lindsay is occupying some of the theatre's most exciting roles. And for good reason: he's not just incredibly talented, but also one of the nicest men in the industry! In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Michael talk about dropping out of medical school, meeting Tim Rice, playing Regents Park Open Air Theatre with hayfever and opening the door to following your dreams. Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Layton Williams had the West End in his sights from an early age - from his first role in "Billy Elliot" and portraying Young Michael Jackson in "Thriller Live", his star has been rising for over 15 years. In 2019, Layton became London's latest leading man, taking on the role of Jamie New in the acclaimed "Everybody's Talking About Jamie". In 2023, he was a runner-up on Strictly Come Dancing. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Layton talk about landing the leading role of dreams, the highs and lows of drama school and competing in mainstream television competitions. Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amber is solo for this week's episode of Your 5 Minute Call as she reflects on her Dancing On Ice experience. The semi-finalist talks about the highs and lows on the rink and what she has learnt from being in the competition. Amber also talks about her upcoming projects and exclusively reveals her return date for Pretty Woman and answers your submitted questions! Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When ITV announced they would be televising their search for the new Sky in Mamma Mia, Tobias Turley took his shot. Over the course of 2 and a half months, Tobias proved what anybody who has seen him in “Heathers” or “West Side Story” already knew - he was made for it! Now just 5 weeks in to his leading role, Tobias settling into his newfound platform and ticking off some bucket list desires along the way. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Tobias talk all things talent shows, pre-show rituals… and how to (not) lose a football match. Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Louise Redknapp may have been introduced to the world as the member of a pop group, but she had been training at theatre schools for years beforehand. Following a dazzling performance on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, Louise has gone on to play some of theatre's most iconic roles - including Sally Bowles in the National Tour of Cabaret as well as in 9 To 5 The Musical, Fatal Attraction and Grease. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Louise talk about their journeys of getting into musical theatre, re-finding your identity in parenthood and their experience working together on 9 To 5... Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Coronavirus pandemic shut down the the theatre world, Hannah Lowther stepped onto TikTok and made social media her stage. From documenting her life working in Tesco, to proudly proclaiming her outfit of the day, Hannah's journey of self-determination has led to stellar credits in Heathers (as the only actor to play all three leads), The SpongeBob Musical and, most recently, SIX. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Hannah talk about big breaks, being a child actress, translating TikTok fame to West End roles and the first time they met at a big audition... Thank you to our sponsors... Factor’s delicious, ready-to-eat meals make eating better every day easy. Head to factormeals.com/your5minute50 and use code your5minute50 to get 50% off. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Lucie Jones stepped on The X Factor stage at 18 years old, even she couldn't have predicted what the next 15 years of her life would bring. From representing the UK at Eurovision to defying gravity as Elphaba in Wicked, Lucie's credits are as spectacular as her voice. In the first guest episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Lucie sit down to talk about finding your feet after competing on a TV show, letting go of crutches, how to grasp the power of your voice and the importance of finding a champion for your dreams. Resources Referenced: Stream Lucie Jones' Eurovision single "Never Give Up On You" here: https://open.spotify.com/album/1xJ1EcwsR2ePM3pGbazW6b Stream "Lucie Jones Live At The Adelphi" here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2fa4LTyPN8o0lQnTTyuLuq Discover the Lucie Jones Academy here: https://www.luciejones.com/academy Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Your 5 Minute Call... the first ever episode! Your host with the most Amber Davies is starting our season by talking about her journey into musical theatre - from attending Urdang to winning Love Island, jumping into 9 to 5 and booking her first UK Tour. Amber also answers your MT questions from social media covering everything from audition tips to securing an agent... and even teases next weeks guest! Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are we seeing deja vu... or is this TWO Vivian Ward's? This week's guest didn't just originate the role in the West End production of Pretty Woman - she also originated the roles of Katherine Howard in the West End production of SIX The Musical and Daniela in the London production of In The Heights (at the King's Cross Theatre). That might sound like a lot of originating, but it's all in a days work for this Olivier Award-nominated triple-threat. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Aimie Atkinson talk about going from dance lessons to centre stage, originating major West End roles and the importance of persistence, and supportive friendships, in theatre. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Call To Stage, the new podcast from Amber Davies, where musical theatre takes centre stage. From unforgettable backstage stories to exclusive news and insights, each week musical theatre and Dancing On Ice star Amber is joined by stars of the stage (and sometimes just fans of it!) to chat, laugh… and maybe even sing. If one thing’s for sure, Amber and her guests will be leaving it all on the mic. New episodes every Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Hairspray to Hamilton, Jordan Benjamin is in the spotlight in some of the West End's most talked about shows. Currently appearing as John Laurens & Phillipp Hamilton in the West End production of Hamilton, he also starred in the acclaimed, Olivier Award winning production The Little Big Things as well as Back To The Future... where he met his friend, Amber Davies. In this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Jordan talk about meeting his girlfriend on-stage (and her Olivier Award win), landing a role in Hamilton, his audition process and, of course, his pre-show ritual. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is not a drill... we got Alice Fearn on the podcast! Having occupied some of the West End's most iconic roles - from nearly three years as Elphaba in Wicked, to Rapunzel in the Regents Park Open Air Theatre production of Into The Woods as well as Beverley Bass in the critically acclaimed Come From Away - Alice Fearn has undoubtedly cemented herself in West End history. In this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Alice talk about playing characters based on real people (and meeting them!), the challenges of playing Elphaba, accepting older characters as she prepares to play Heidi Hansen in the UK Tour of Dear Evan Hansen and the events that led to Ariana Grande following her on Instagram! Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Her name is Georgina Castle, and she is a massive deal. Currently your Regina George in Mean Girls in the West End, Georgina is firmly one of the West End's most exciting rising stars. Over the past few years, she has played key roles in the West End productions of Dirty Dancing, Elf The Musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber's CINDERELLA and 9 To 5 The Musical, alongside our very own Amber Davies. In this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Georgina recount their six-year friendships and the highlights of Georgina's vibrant career. They also dig into audition processes as well as your listener-submitted questions. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you don't know, now you know! Welcome to Season 2 of what is now officially called: Call To Stage with Amber Davies! This season we have even more exciting guests, special announcements and we're getting closer and closer to being centre stage. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber talks about this exciting news and then shares a never-before-heard story about getting ill whilst on-stage and talks about taking care of your skin whilst performing 8 shows a week. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Elphaba to Maria, Laura Pick has played some of theatre's most iconic lead roles. Having trained at Mountview, the triple-threat rose from stand-by in the West End production of Wicked to defying gravity, a role she still fly's in night after night in the UK Tour of the production. She has also starred in the Regents Park Open Air production of The Sound of Music and performed everywhere from The Palace Theatre to the Royal Albert Hall. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Laura talk about starting in youth groups, Laura's background doing impersonations as well as the mental and physical demands of playing such a tough leading role. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are lots of different routes into the musical theatre world, and this weeks guest proves that if drama school isn't for you, there are other routes to achieve your dreams! Carl Man went from a bar in Soho to roles in Disney's Aladdin, the West End production of &Juliet, Starlight Express (at The Other Palace) and, today, he is your Fiyero in the touring production of Wicked. Along the way, he's performed on cruise ships and truly hustled his way to centre stage. In this episode of Your 5 Minute Call, Amber and Carl talk about early days at the Archer Street Bar, the unseen roles on stage, navigating the industry without formal training and his journey with Wicked. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With over a decades experience in the West End, Frances Mayli McCann has just about done in all. Having been nominated for an Olivier Award and a WhatsOnStage Award (including one for Best Performer in a Musical), Frances made her West End debut in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre and has gone on to play the titular roles in Bonnie & Clyde and Heathers in the West End, as well as roles in Les Misérables and Here Lies Love at the National Theatre. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Frances cover everything from breaking out in Bonnie and Clyde to her early TV work in River City and Britannia High. Frances also shares her experience training at Glasgow Academy of Musical Theatre Arts and the differences between working on stage and screen. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are joined by a true legend of the theatre! Having grown up in Manila, Joanna Ampil auditioned at an open call for the original production of Miss Saigon - and, despite having no experience - landed the lead role of Kim and was flown to London to open the show at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Since then, Joanna has played the most desired roles in the West End including both Éponine and Fantine in Les Miserables, Mimi in Rent, Grizabella in Cats and played Mary Magdalene in the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. She currently stars as Carlotta in The Phantom of The Opera at His Majesty's Theatre. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Joanna talk about the difference between theatre audiences worldwide, navigating different singing styles, being the first person of colour to play Fantine in Les Mis and the incredible story behind her breakthrough. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh off the back of standout reviews for her portrayal of Lois in Kiss Me, Kate at London's Barbican Theatre, the theatre world is finally giving Georgina Onuorah her flowers. Alongside her latest critically acclaimed performance, she also played Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton and Ado Annie in the Olivier-award winning retelling of Oklahoma! in the West End. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Georgina talk about discovering theatre as a career path, winning the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Scholarship, the importance of resilience and her work in Bad Cinderella, Oklahoma! and The Wizard of Oz. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glinda in Wicked? Tick. Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz? Double tick. Wales Online's 5th Sexiest Woman In Wales of 2010... Triple Tick! The world discovered Sophie Jenkins (Evans) when she rose to fame on Andrew Lloyd Webber's BBC show Over The Rainbow, and then again in her two stints in Wicked on the West End... but her story starts long before then, in Tonypandy in Wales. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Sophie discuss Sophie's crazy wedding drama, stepping into Glinda's shoes and her rise to fame on national TV. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You might recognise todays guest from TikTok where, as part of the duo Brookie and Jessie, she has over 4M followers! Jess Qualter has become known for her dance choreography - her choreo for Meghan Trainor's "Made You Look" became internationally renowned (with over 59M views) - and her dance videos have gained a combined over 235M Likes on TikTok. Now starring as Daphne in the World Premiere of Burlesque The Musical, Jess formally trained at Lane Theatre Arts. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Jess talk about rising to fame on TikTok, collaborating with everyone from Shania Twain to JoJo Siwa, manifesting career opportunities and making her professional debut in Burlesque. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some could say it was written in the stars... but when Rebekah Bryant and Amber Davies just missed each other in 9 To 5 The Musical (with Rebekah joining the cast as Amber left), who could have guessed that they would not just work together on Pretty Woman The Musical but become close friends?! As well as her credits as 1st Cover Vivian Ward and Swing in Pretty Woman, Rebekah also played the lead in the UK Tour of Saturday Night Fever, has danced her way through The BRITs and The FA Cup Final and is going on to be in the European Tour of Grease next! On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Rebekah are live backstage on tour in South End to share audition anecdotes, the reality of life as a swing, advice for their younger selves and they give a final farewell to their time at Pretty Woman. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nathania Ong's journey to the West End is, much like the actress herself, unique and outstanding. Having been born and raised in Singapore, she made her West End debut in 2021 in the transfer of Be More Chill, before joining the UK Tour of Les Misérables as Éponine that same year. That kicked off a journey that has led to her joining the cast as Elizabeth Schuyler in Hamilton. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Nathania talk about the journey from Singapore to the UK, Nathania's transformative training at Mountview, the perseverance that led her to iconic roles on the West End and her surprising dream role... Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You might recognise him as Jamie New (or even from The X Factor), this week's guest is Luke Bayer! Luke was in the Original West End Cast of Everybody's Talking About Jamie, and has also appeared in Hair at the London Palladium, and the 20th Anniversary Concert of Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Luke talk about the importance of vocal health, the highlight of his Everybody's Talking About Jamie experience and his one-man musical Diva: Live From Hell. They also talk skincare journeys and the importance of having a good attitude! Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having become one of the most-talked about performers in the West End over the past few years, Rob Madge is proving that they're here to stay. Having written and starred in the WhatsOnStage Award winning and Olivier Award nominated autobiographical show My Son's A Queer (But What Can You Do?), they have gone on to star in the UK Tour of Bedknobs and Broomsticks, the Off West End production of Buyer & Cellar and gain further critical acclaim for their self-penned show Rob Madge's Regards to Broadway. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Rob talk about the creation story behind My Son's A Queer (But What Can You Do?), Rob's start as a child actor in the West End productions of Mary Poppins, Macbeth and Oliver! as well as the significant importance of family support... especially when your dreams of Broadway hit a (very public) problem. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Thank you to our sponsor OneSkin: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code CALLTOSTAGE at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She has the voice of a hundred people.. literally, this week's guests is one of the world's greatest impressionists! Christina Bianco first broke through with her viral impressions of the likes of Ariana Grande, Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, which led to millions of YouTube views and appearances on Ellen, The Today Show, This Morning and even RuPaul's Drag Race. Now, many Drama Desk Award nominations later, Christina has starred in the West End productions of Forbidden Broadway and OKLAHOMA! In Concert, the 2023 revival of The Wizard of Oz and even Funny Girl in Paris. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Christina talk about training in New York, the differences between American and British audiences, her passion for impressions and going from open calls to Broadway success. Plus Christina reveals her next exciting project... Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have two legends of the game on the podcast this week! Ramin Karimloo has ticked off more dream roles than most people could ever hope to: The Phantom and Raoul de Chagny in The Phamtom of the Opera, Jean Valjean, Enjolras and Marius in Les Misérables, Gleb Vaganov in Anastasia, Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl and more. He has also starred in both the 25th Anniversary performance of both Phantom and Les Mis. Hadley Fraser made his West End debut as Marius in Les Misérables alongside leading roles in Young Frankenstein, Chess, The Secret Garden and also starred - alongside Ramin - in the 25th Anniversary performances of the West End's longest running shows. To celebrate their leading roles in the West End concert of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels this Winter, Ramin and Hadley join Amber on this episode of Call To Stage to talk about chemistry, dealing with rejection, their most memorable performances and working with legends, including Barbra Streisand. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Sam Tutty became one of the youngest Olivier Award recipients when he won Best Actor In A Leading Role In A Musical for Dear Evan Hansen, it confirmed what everyone already knew: He is undoubtedly one of the brightest rising stars in the West End. Now with multiple Stage Awards - as well as a WhatsOnStage Award and Critics Circle Theatre Award - and his celebrated role in the hit musical "Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)", Sam is on his way to becoming a bankable West End leading men. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Sam talk about his break-out role as Evan Hansen, navigating performance anxiety, his work on Two Strangers and the benefit of having creative freedom on stage. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Thank you to our sponsor OneSkin: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code CALLTOSTAGE at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got a very special episode of Call To Stage this week as the cast and director of the blockbuster movie adaptation of Wicked join Amber Davies on the show! Ariana Grande (Glinda) and Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) talk about their musical options and share their appreciation for each other; Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero) and Jeff Goldblum (The Wizard of Oz) give their best Defying Gravity impersonations... and fanboy over Amber; and, director Jon M. Chu gives advice for actors and speaks on the choreography in the film. Plus at the end of the episode, Amber shares her reflections on interviewing these screen stars and has her review of the must-see movie of the year. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few who have done it like Mazz Murray! Not just has she played many of theatre's most-loved roles (from Mabel in Fame to Maureen to Rent, Matron Mama Morton in Chicago and Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard), she has played some of them longer than anybody else! She is the longest-running cast member to be involved with We Will Rock You, having played the role of Killer Queen from 2004 to 2011, and currently she plays Donna in the West End production of Mamma Mia! - having played Tanya from 2015-2017. Mazz Murray is a West End legend. On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Mazz talk about unexpected opportunities in We Will Rock You, the challenges of learning your lines and taking on the role of Donna in Mamma Mia. Mazz also shares a wild story about stepping into Rent and anecdotes from her time in Pippin and Sunset Boulevard. Plus, Mazz shares her heartfelt advice to aspiring theatre students... Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Call To Stage was recorded in front of a live audience at Call To Stage LIVE at The Other Palace on November 24th 2024. Sign-up to hear about Call To Stage LIVE 2025 at this link: https://calltostage.lnk.to/liveshow When it comes to West End royalty, few are as acclaimed as Carrie Hope Fletcher. Having built a loyal audience in the millions across social media, Carrie is one of the most bankable stars in British theatre. Having made her West End debut at the age of 9 as Young Éponine in Les Miserables, Carrie is the only British actress to have played Young Éponine, Older Éponine and Fantine in the West End production of the show. She won a WhatsOnStage Award for her portrayal of Older Éponine. Her list of theatre credits are endless - including being in the original cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as Jemima Potts, Jane Banks in Mary Poppins, Beth in the Arena tour of Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds, Wednesday Addams in the UK tour of The Addams Family, Veronica in Heathers, Cinderella in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella (another WhatsOnStage award winning role) among many others. In 2025, Carrie stars in the titular role in the UK tour of Calamity Jane. In this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Carrie talk about landing major roles young, her experiences in some of the West End's biggest shows, balancing her career with her new role as a mother and her plans to tour Calamity Jane. There's also stories from Heathers, Cinderella and growing up with a rock star brother... Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Christmas! Who better to spend our Christmas with than one of the most festive performers in the UK... it's Alfie Boe! Alfie Boe is one of the most accomplished leading men in West End history. Having played Jean Valjean in Les Misérables multiple times - including in the epic 25th Anniversary Concert and most recently in the Arena World Tour - he has the unique gift of making a legendary role his own. Outside of the French revolution, Alfie was selected by Baz Luhrmann to play the lead in the Broadway production of La boheme, alongside leading the Broadway production of Finding Neverland and the West End production of Carouse. He has also notably collaborated many times with fellow West End star Michael Ball, as part of the duo Ball & Boe. In this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Alfie talk about transitioning from being a mechanic to becoming a singer, inhabiting the role of Jean Valjean, his friendship with Michael Ball and adapting to playing in arenas. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The New Year is here and we're kicking it off with a special season of Call To Stage... Broadway Edition! Who better to start this season with than the Broadway legend Shoshana Bean! Shoshana Bean is a multi-Tony Award nominated performer who has occupied many of Broadway's biggest roles. Having starred in the original production of Hairspray, Shoshana has gone on to star as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, Elphaba in Wicked (opposite Jennifer Laura Thompson and Megan Hilty as Glinda) as well as her Tony-nominated performances in Mr. Saturday Night and Hell's Kitchen. Not forgetting her beloved performance as Jenna in Waitress! Jenna's voice can also be heard on the GRAMMY nominated Original Cast Recording of Mr Saturday Night and even on the soundtrack of the Disney film Enchanted. In this episode of Call To Stage: Broadway Edition, Amber and Shoshana talk about preparing for iconic roles, her experiences in the West End, the emotional journey of occupying the role of Jenna in Waitress and her current experience in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with another Broadway Edition episode of Call To Stage, and this week we're meeting the (American) Marty McFly to our Lorraine Baines! Casey Likes is best known for his Outer Critics Circle Award nominated performance as Marty McFly in Back To The Future: The Musical at Broadway's historic Winter Garden Theatre. He also originated the role of William Miller in the Broadway production of Almost Famous... and did you know that Casey was also cast as Ponyboy Curtis in the workshop production of The Outsiders?! A true Broadway icon in the making... In this episode of Call To Stage: Broadway Edition, Amber and Casey talk about the differences between performing on Broadway vs in the West End, being apart of Lin Manuel Miranda's Warriors album, how he prepared himself for his Broadway debut and his experience of playing Marty McFly in Back To The Future. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with another episode of Call To Stage: Broadway Edition! This week we're joined not just by a multi-hyphenate UK-to-US transplant... but also someone who has played a very special role in Amber's performing career. From playing Fiyero in Wicked and Sam Wheat in Ghost The Musical on the West End through to numerous Broadway roles - including in The Play That Goes Wrong, Waitress, Mrs. Doubtfire, Titanique and, most recently, Tammy Faye - Mark Evans is a hugely successful Welsh actor who has made Broadway his home. Amongst his iconic roles are Elder Price in the North American tour of The Book of Mormon and even Troy Bolton in High School Musical On Stage! On this episode of Call To Stage: Broadway Edition, Amber and Mark talk about performing in North Wales, his first role in High School Musical, the commitment of joining a new show, his journey to America and his experience in Mrs Doubtfire over the pandemic. Follow Call To Stage Instagram: @calltostagepod TikTok: @calltostagepod YouTube: @calltostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices