With the series finale of CBC’s live competition series, OVER THE RAINBOW just around the corner, Andrew Lloyd Webber will make a special appearance this week and will join the judging panel formed by Arlene Phillips, Louise Pitre and Thom Allison during finale week.
Canada’s votes mean more than ever now in casting the country’s next big star, and Lloyd Webber is urging fans to make their votes count via a special video message. Following the final performance episode by the Top 3 contestants on Sunday, November 4 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), Canada decides who will become Dorothy in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, opening this December at the Ed Mirvish Theatre, in Toronto, ON.
The Toto judging panel formed by comedians Deb McGrath and Colin Mochrie, along with award-winning dog breeder, Mike Macbeth will be the special guests during the live results episode on Monday, October 29 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT). Following this episode, Canada will have 24 hours to vote online for their favourite pooch, with the top dog winning the title of Canada’s Honorary Toto and the chance to perform live with the Dorothys in the season finale.
CANADA’S TOP 4 DOROTHYS ARE:
AJ Bridel - 18, Kitchener, ON
AJ graduated from Eastwood Collegiate Institute’s Integrated Arts Program, where she trained in vocals, drama and dance. Her theatre credits include playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Rusty in Footloose, Mimi in RENT, and Pepper in Annie. She is also a solo vocalist in the KW Symphony Orchestra and has sung the National anthem at various functions across her city.
Colleen Furlan - 19, Winnipeg, MB
Colleen is in her first year at the University of Manitoba. She was the 2012 Recipient of the Rainbow Stage trophy and scholarship and holds the title of 2012 Provincial Highland Dance Adult Champion. She has had principle roles in productions of A Funny Thing Happened at the Office, Snapshots, Get Your Act Together and Street Scenes.
Danielle Wade - 20, La Salle, ON
Danielle recently completed her second year at the University of Windsor, where she studies acting. She has over 10 years of vocal training and recently played Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, The Musical, Cinderella in Into The Woods and was part of the cast in Carner & Gregor’s Barely Legal Showtune Extravaganza in New York City. Her previous stage credits include playing Belle in Beauty and the Beast and Sandy in Grease.
Stephanie La Rochelle - 18, Ottawa, ON
Stephanie is a recent high school graduate, a musician/songwriter and the 20th most viewed musician on YouTube (Canada). She is trained in singing, dancing, acting, guitar and piano. Her theatre credits include playing Anne in Anne of Green Gables and parts in Willy Wonka and Annie Warbucks.
OVER THE RAINBOW, hosted by Daryn Jones, broadcasts live one-hour performance episodes at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) each Sunday, where the Dorothys will perform a variety of Broadway, standards and pop numbers in front of a live studio audience. Then on the weekly half-hour results episodes airing on Mondays at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) the bottom two Dorothys, as determined by a public vote, will go head-to-head in a live sing-off. Judges Arlene Phillips, the famed UK TV judge, dance choreographer and director, Louise Pitre, Canada’s first lady of musical theatre, and one of Canada’s most popular leading men, Thom Allison, will then determine who will be sent home.
Twitter: @cbcrainbow, Hashtag: #overtherainbow
Facebook: facebook.com/CBCOverTheRainbow
CBC.ca: cbc.ca/overtherainbow
For more behind-the-scenes footage and exclusive content, visit CBC LIVE at cbc.ca/live. Follow CBC Live on Twitter at twitter.com/cbclive and on Facebook at facebook.com/cbclive.
For more information including hi-res individual headshots of each Dorothy please visit the CBC Media Centre at https://mediacentre.cbc.ca.
Tickets for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new production of The Wizard of Oz are now on sale. Performances begin December 20, 2012 at the Ed Mirvish Theatre. To purchase tickets and for further information go to mirvish.com.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages, plus five languages for international audiences. In 2011, CBC/Radio-Canada celebrated 75 years of serving Canadians and being at the centre of the democratic, social and cultural life of Canada.
About Temple Street Productions
Temple Street Productions is a leading producer of television, film and digital media content based in Toronto, Canada. A selection of Temple Street’s past and present projects includes: Being Erica (CBC, SOAPnet), Wingin’It (Family Channel), Cover Me Canada (CBC), Recipe to Riches (Food Network, Global), Billable Hours (Global, Showcase), Canada’s Next Top Model (CTV), How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? (CBC), Queer as Folk (Showtime, Showcase) and Darcy’s Wild Life (NBC, Discovery Kids, Family Channel). For more company information www.templestreetproductions.com, twitter @TempleStreet or connect with us on Facebook.
For further information, please contact:
Renée Weekes
Publicist, Over the Rainbow
E. rweekes@stratapublicrelations.com
C. 416-205-5500 / O.416.894.7209
