Tracy Turnblad (Leanne Jones)

Leanne Jones (born 21 March 1985) is a British actress. She was born in Stoke on Trent and grew up in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, where she attended St Ivo School, before studying at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in Wood Green,^[1] in north London, graduating in 2006. Apart from two minor productions, including Karaoke Wedding at the Union Theatre and Enchanted: The Rock Opera at Valley Gardens, Pontefract, Jones' first professional role was that of Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 London production of Hairspray.

Debut

Her London West End debut as Tracy Turnblad in the musical Hairspray won her a Laurence Olivier Award on 9 March 2008 for Best Actress in a Musical.^[2] She had previously won the Theatregoer's Choice Awards for Best Actress in a musical for the same role.^[3] And also the Critics Circle Award 2008 for Most Promising Newcomer. Leanne was also nominated in 2009 for a Glamour Woman of the Year Award, for best actress.

Current work

Leanne is due to star in a production of the Johnathan Larson musical Tick, Tick...Boom! at the Union Theatre.^[4] Leanne will also be singing live with YouTube comedy sensation Miranda Sings at the Leicester Square theatre.^[5] Leanne has also signed up to perform in Jordan Production's "Beauty and the Beast" at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage for the 2011/2012 Pantomime season (26 Nov-22 January)^[6] Leanne has also announced that she is due to be Stage Door Thanet's new patron!

Last Updated-12th July 2012
Accessed-Wednesday 3rd October 2012
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leanne_Jones



Award-winning West – End musical star, Leanne Jones, is visiting Oban to give a one off workshop based on her starring role in the musical “Hairspray”.
Leanne Jones became an overnight star when she landed the role of Tracy Turnblad in the award-winning West End production of “Hairspray” in 2007, starring alongside Michael Ball and Mel Smith.

“Hairspray” was an instant success in the West End, wowing critics and audiences with its up-beat, feel-good message, memorable songs and stunning choreography. The musical won many awards during its first year and 22 year old Leanne was awarded the 'Critics Circle Award for Best Newcomer', the 'Theatregoers Choice Award 2008' for Best Actress in A Musical and 'The Laurence Olivier Award 2008' for Best Actress in a Musical. After almost 2 years in the role, Leanne decided to leave the show in July.
As well as her stage roles, Leanne has also appeared on numerous television programmes, including The Paul O'Grady Show, The Royal Variety Performance 2007, I'd Do Anything, BBC Let's Dance for Comic Relief 2009 and BBC1's Tonight's The Night with John Barrowman.
This is not Leanne’s first visit to Oban. In 2003, she stole the show in Ballet West’s production of “Fame – the musical” as Mabel Washington. She has maintained contact with Ballet West since the show and despite her very busy schedule is coming to the school to work with the full time students and run an open workshop. The event will be at Energie Fitness on Tuesday 6th October from 7.15pm to 8.15pm. Places are limited and the cost is £10. Call 01866 822641 for more details.
This is the latest development in a new partnership between Ballet West and Energie Fitness. Ballet West already has a small number of classes at the venue and will be starting more classes from the end of October.
 
Accessed-Wednesday 3rd October 2012
http://www.balletwest.co.uk/leannejones.html

'Good Morning Baltimore' Lyrics

Oh, oh, oh woke up today feeling
The way I always do
Oh, oh, oh hungry for something that I can't eat
Then I hear that beat

The rhythm of town starts calling me down
It's like a message from high above
Oh, oh, oh pulling me out to the smiles and the
Streets that I love

Good morning Baltimore
Every day's like an open door
Every night is a fantasy
Every sound's like a symphony

Good morning Baltimore
And some day when I take to the floor
The world's gonna wake up and see
Baltimore and me

Oh, oh, oh look at my hair
What do can compare with mine today?
Oh, oh, oh I've got my hairspray and radio
I'm ready to go

The rats on the street all dance round my feet
They seem to say, "Tracy, it's up to you”
So, oh, oh don't hold me back
'Cause today all my dreams will come true

Good morning Baltimore
There's the flasher who lives next door
There's the bum on his bar room stool
They wish me luck on my way to school

Good morning Baltimore
And some day when I take to the floor
[. From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/h/hairspray-lyrics/good-morning-baltimore-lyrics.html .]
The world's gonna wake up and see
Baltimore and me

I know every step, I know every song
I know there's a place where I belong
I see all those party lights shining ahead
So someone invite me before I drop dead
Before she drops dead

So, oh, oh give me a chance
'Cause when I start to dance I'm a movie star
Oh, oh, oh something inside of me makes me move
When I hear the groove

My ma tells me no but my feet tell me go
It's like a drummer inside my heart
Oh, oh, oh don't make me wait
One more moment for my life to start

Good morning, good morning
Waiting for my life to start

I love you Baltimore
Every day's like an open door
Every night is a fantasy
Every sound's like a symphony

And I promise Baltimore
That some day when I take to the floor
The world's gonna wake up and see
Gonna wake up and see Baltimore and me

Yes, more or less we all agree
Baltimore and me
Someday the world is gonna see
Baltimore and me

Accessed-21st September 2012
http://www.elyrics.net/read/h/hairspray-lyrics/good-morning-baltimore-lyrics.html 

Tracy Turnblad sang the whole of this song on her own at the beginning of the musical and I think it is a way of her introducing herself, her town and her love for dancing!

Hairspray the Musical Research

Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues. In 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, plump teenager Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show.^[1] When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight. She then launches a campaign to integrate the show. Hairspray is a social commentary on the injustices of parts of American society in the 1960s.
The musical's original Broadway production opened on August 15, 2002^[2] and won eight Tony Awards out of thirteen nominations. It ran for over 2,500 performances and closed on January 4, 2009.^[3] Hairspray has also had national tours, a London West End production, and numerous foreign productions and was adapted as a 2007 musical film. The London production was nominated for a record-setting eleven Laurence Olivier Awards, winning for Best New Musical and in three other categories.

Accessed-21st September 2012
Last Updated-19th August 2012
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairspray_%28musical%29

 

Principal roles and casts of major productions of stage productions of Hairspray

 

Tracy Turnblad – Leanne Jones

Edna Turnblad – Michael Ball

Amber Von Tussle – Rachael Wooding

Velma Von Tussle – Tracie Bennett

Penny Pingleton – Elinor Collett

Link Larkin – Ben James-Ellis

Motormouth Maybelle – Johnnie Flori

Seaweed J. Stubbs – Adrian Hansel

Wilbur Turnblad – Mel Smith

Corny Collins – Paul Manuel

Little Inez – Natalie Best

Female Authority Figure – Wendy Somerville

Male Authority Figure – Dermot Canavan

 

Last Updated-27th September 2012

Accessed-Wednesday 3rd October 2012

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairspray_(musical)

Week Two-Thursday 20th September 2012

In today's lesson, we began by doing a physical warm-up and then a vocal warm-up. We then split into four groups and got given the four songs which we have to sing in those groups for the first assignment. I found the vocal warm-up quite challenging as it is not something which I am used to so I was doing something new, however I feel like it benefitted me when it came to rehearsing the songs as we had been taught how to breathe properly and control our voice. The four songs are:
-'Popular' fromWicked
-'Mama Mia' from Mama Mia
-'All That Jazz' from Chicago
-'Hopelessly Devoted to You' from Grease
My groups song was 'Popular' from Wicked, however when we listened to the song we realised that it was much harder than the other three songs and it would be difficult to achieve a performance of it so we made a decision with the tutor to change the song to 'Good Morning Baltimore' from Hairspray.

Week One-Thursday 13th September 2012

In today's lesson, we were introduced to all the asignment briefs for Musical Theatre so that we all fully understand what is required of us to get pass, merit or distinction in our work including practical and theory. We then just sang 'All that Jazz' from Chicago to get used to the lesson itself and to get an idea of what we will be doing in future lessons.