Call To Stage with Amber Davies

On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber is joined by the extraordinarily talented, endlessly wise and brilliantly warm Killian Donnelly.
Killian is one of the most decorated and versatile performers of his generation. A GRAMMY Award nominee and two-time Olivier Award nominee, his remarkable career began — with no formal training — as a swing in Les Misérables in the West End, a show he has returned to time and again, eventually playing Jean Valjean in the West End, World Arena Tour and the iconic 40th Anniversary Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall.
His other landmark credits include Charlie Price in Kinky Boots in the West End and on Broadway, Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera, Hughie Calhoun in Memphis The Musical, Tony in Billy Elliot, and Deco in The Commitments under the direction of Jamie Lloyd.
On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Killian talk about the extraordinary moment he performed at the Academy Awards in LA, what it was like standing on the Royal Albert Hall stage surrounded by 400 amateur theatre performers for the Les Misérables 40th Anniversary Royal Variety Performance and how he went from no training to becoming one of the most sought-after leading men in British musical theatre.
There are also brilliant stories from Kinky Boots, Memphis, Billy Elliot and his time on Broadway, as well as a masterclass in acting — the power of the pause, honouring the most important thing in the room, and why banging a table always means you've lost the argument.

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On this episode of Call To Stage, we're joined by the gloriously warm, funny and brilliantly candid Helen Woolf.
Helen has become one of the most beloved Glinda's in the history of Wicked, accumulating an extraordinary six contracts with the show across more than a decade — including the first UK Tour and multiple West End runs — before bringing her time with the show to a close alongside Lucy St. Louis, playing the role over 1,000 times in total.
Her career also includes performing in the West Side Story Arena Tour, as well as concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, Cadogan Hall, Royal Festival Hall and many more.
On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Helen talk about the long and winding journey to landing Glinda, the terrifying reality of being thrown in at the deep end as an emergency cover in week one of the first UK Tour, and the extraordinary experience of attending the Wicked film premiere surrounded by an array of Glinda's past and present.
There are also brilliant stories from the bubble as well as a deeply honest and moving conversation about the realities of returning to eight shows a week as a new mum and why the industry urgently needs more job-sharing options for working mothers.

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We're joined by a true legend of the British stage on this episode of Call To Stage - the endlessly charming, irrepressible, genre-defining Michael Ball.
With over four decades in the industry, two Olivier Awards for Best Actor in a Musical, two BRIT Awards and GRAMMY nomination - Michael is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in the industry. Having made his West End debut originating the role of Marius in Les Mise´rables (a show he has returned to multiple times in his career), he has gone on to define such iconic roles as Edna Turnblad in the West End production of Hairspray, Sweeney Todd in the revival of Sweeney Todd and Alex in Aspects of Love (which led to him charting in the Top 5 UK Singles Charts).
Michael has also had renowned starring roles in The Phantom of the Opera and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, released numerous albums and has sold out every venue from the Royal Albert Hall to Radio City in New York.
Michael Ball's new album Glow is out on May 22nd. You can order it here: https://michaelball.tmstor.es/
On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Michael talk about the advice that has underpinned his four decade career, his experiences performing in front of royalty, why he keeps returning to Les Mise´rables and how he asked Imelda Staunton to star in Sweeney Todd alongside him...
There are also stories from Hairspray and Aspects of Love as well as a masterclass in nerves, superstition and what it means to savour the rare perfect moments.

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We're joined by a true icon of British musical theatre on this episode of Call To Stage... the extraordinary Kerry Ellis is on the show!
Kerry Ellis is undoubtedly one of the most storied and gifted performers in British theatre. Having made her professional debut in the West End production of My Fair Lady, she has gone on to play among the most iconic roles in the West End - including Nancy in Oliver!, Grizabella in Cats, Fantine in Les Miserables, Meat in We Will Rock You... and, of course, Elphaba in Wicked, where she was the first British Elphaba in the West End (taking over the role from Idina Menzel), a role she then reprised on Broadway.
Kerry is currently on the road with the Gravity Tour alongside Louise Dearman and Rachel Tucker, a celebration of their decades-long friendship and shared history with Wicked — with a solo UK tour, Rock Anthems, also on the horizon.
On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Kerry share stories from many of Kerry's most iconic roles - including Wicked, the Miss Saigon tour, We Will Rock You... and how Kerry's recent experience in 101 Dalmatians ended up with a very large surprise!
They also talk about the sheer audacity of going on as Eliza Doolittle at the National Theatre with no rehearsals, how Brian May changed the course of her career, as well as a deeply honest conversation about vocal fatigue, guilt, the Elphaba community looking out for one another.

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We're joined by the effortlessly cool and funny Jamie Chatterton on this episode of Call To Stage!
This episode was recorded in between shows in Liverpool in Amber's dressing room!
Having trained at ArtsEd, Jamie has since gone on to star in The Sound of Music (Curve), as well as originating the roles of Tom Fraser in the critically acclaimed West End production of The Little Big Things and Alan Osmond in the world premiere National Tour of The Osmonds.
On this episode of Call To Stage, Amber and Jamie talk about the journey of going from training to West End stages, the emotional weight and life-changing impact of originating a role in Little Big Things and why touring keeps a show fresh in ways that a long West End run simply can't replicate.
There are also stories from The Osmonds, Sound of Music and Legally Blonde - including Jamie's audition process, being a six-foot-two nun floating across the stage, and the unexpected way love has a habit of finding you when you least expect it.

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