Lee Mead Forum

Yeah, it's hard to seperate fact from fiction...especially on the internet. Even if they come from reliable sources there is plenty of gossip that just stems from rumors.

I could see them offering Rachel to do "Oliver" as did Aiofe in "SOM" and Lewis in "Joseph" but it sounds like so much is still up in the air. They've got 6 months to let Jodie get ready for the role and there's no telling how ticket sales will tell from here. I do hope the PR doesn't swamp her as I thought it was grueling enough for Lee who had a little less than a month to jump into the dreamcoat role.

Pumpkinpuss, I agree with all of your comments. Didn't like BH on the show which left DVO and JB to be the useful critics. And the viewers have to be reminded to look for someone with talent AND stamina. There's no use having a good voice unless you're strong enough to prove it again and again. Furthermore, you need a person who wont get carried away with the PR glitter. Jodie may have some preparation in that because IDA was her second reality show so perhaps she wouldn't get as overwhelmed as the other girls in front of cameras and during interviews.

Breakfast with Jodie

Jodie's interview on BBC Breakfast is up at YouKnowWhere and she's really lovely. I think she's going to handle whatever crap Cam Mac or the media dishes out with good humor and grace. I'm not sure if it's in this interview or another one, but she doesn't start rehearsals until September (presumably when they have finished casting the rest of the company), so she'll have a bit of a break except for doing media stuff. And probably starting some preparation for the job.

I thought it was interesting that even the BBC interviewers pointed out how ungracious Cam Mac was about favoring Jessie over her, but she answered it with ease and didn't look uncomfortable about it at all.

I wouldn't be surprised if Cam Mac made things difficult for her, but he may have to be careful -- if that sort of behaviour came out in the media, it could affect ticket sales. However, I haven't seen any news about how ticket sales are going for Oliver. But it's been reported that 2007 tickets sales for West End musicals had gone up 19% over the previous year and the credit for that has gone to ALW's casting shows. Ticket sales for non-musical shows have gone up only 1% in the same time period. No wonder Kevin Spacey was whinging about these shows! Maybe he should cast Lee in one of his plays soon LOL.

Jodie was on the radio this morning, and is doing 6 shows a week. She seemed very excited about it all!

Jodie’s had that experience of rejection and insults before so I think it's what has made her stronger and more thick-skinned (no pun intended) to handle any negative comments. I’m glad she’s got a while to rest before starting “Oliver” practice. Looking back, I know they wanted to make money off Lee by getting "Joseph" running asap but sometimes I think “What were they doing?!”. Giving Lee a mere 37 days PLUS media attention on such a tight deadline is ludicrous. What a miracle he pulled it off!!



Maybe he's jealous 'cuz he didn't spot Lee first. I can see the concern of theatre business getting too "commercialized" by shows like this but it's a challenging industry for newbies or unnoticed individuals. So hard for them to get a break that this may be a window of opportunity for them. Just don't overdo it.



6 shows sounds like a safe strong bet. I'm sure she wouldn't want to take too much on like Connie who got drained out. Still can't predict what'll happen depending when the show comes out or how ticket sales will go. If they go well she can always take on more shows.

Denise was saying to her it's the norm for leading ladies, and she found when she was in Rent, she got ill doing 8 shows a week. Johnny cut in and asked how many shows Lee does. She said 8, but he's built up the stamina!!!

Lee's a star :)

Chrissi, that's interesting! I always thought 6 shows a week was the norm as well. Even for Broadway shows with no marquee names, you'd expect to see the understudies for the leads at the Wednesday and Saturday matinees. However, Joseph is a bit different since it is a star vehicle -- plus Lee understands and appreciates that people are coming just to see him. I think Pipz has quoted Dean as saying that the show will end when Lee leaves, presumably because there's no expectation of finding anyone who could fill the house as well as Lee has.

Rosefire, I quite agree -- that was a ridiculously short interval between the end of ADWD and the preview shows for Joseph! How could anyone but Lee (or possibly Daniel) have managed it? And frankly, Daniel would've probably had a harder time since he did not have the loincloth body (not even remotely, sorry Daniel fans) during ADWD whereas Lee did.

How on earth could an amateur like Keith or Lewis have possibly managed? And obviously, they didn't have the loincloth body either. Sorry, there aren't enough protein shakes in the world to get one of those guys into loincloth-readiness in 37 days.

Do you ever have terrible "what if" moments? Once when I was watching the Lee/Connie duet from When Joseph Met Maria, it popped into my sick little brain -- what if Keith or Lewis had won? How scary would it have been to see one of them singing All I Ask of You with her?

Yeah. Scary thought, isn't it? ::SHUDDER::

Maybe they would've done Sixteen Going On Seventeen from TSOM instead?

Pumpkinpuss, I had a “what if” moment yesterday when I imagined "if" Lee got voted off ADWD and singing CED. The impression of the boys ripping his bright red coat off…oh no no no. (Daniel had said during the competition, “They’ll have a hard time taking that coat off Lee) I’m sure he wouldn’t cry but singing CED as an exit would break our hearts. *Sniffs* Then I put on my mp3 and listened to him sing ADWD right after winning in the final. Much better.

I laugh at the ignorance of the marketers. They try to peddle the wrong things to bring in profit. The public isn’t satisfied with Lewis as Joseph or a Jason Donovan CD. They say L-E-E M-E-A-D and that means Mead all the time.

In a similar vein, CM and ALW will have to suck it up that the public want Jodie, not Jessie, as their Nancy. Unlike her predecessors--who had both the public and panel approval--Jodie will have to work extra hard to wow the critics and prove she’s capable. I watched the BBC interview and she appears to have become more polished and calm on camera. No doubt she’s relieved that the IDA pressure is over. I think she’ll handle the role and attention very well.

Isn’t it funny how different the winners are? There’s willowy Connie, quiet modest but wonderful Lee and now it’s bubbly Jodie all the way. I cannot wait to see some publicity photos of all the winners together!

OMG! That is AWFUL!

I'd read that in one of the studio run-throughs before the live show that Lee was picked to do the CED sing-out and just thinking of that is heartbreaking.

It would have been a travesty -- even greater than ALW keeping Lewis over Daniel -- if Lee had not won.

BTW, when did Daniel say that about Lee? I don't remember seeing or reading that.