| Samantha Barks | |
|---|---|
| Born | Samantha Jane Barks 2 October 1990 Laxey, Isle of Man |
| Occupation | Actress, singer, West End Performer, |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Awards |
I'd Do Anything, 3rd place Cabaret (UK Tour), Sally Bowles Aladdin Pantomime (Theatre Royal, Windsor), Aladdin Les Misérables (musical), London, Éponine Les Misérables 25th anniversary concert at the O2 Groove High (Disney), Zoe (Due to be released) Oliver! UK Tour Nancy |
Samantha Barks (born 2 October 1990, Laxey)[1] is a professional singer and actress who came third in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008.[2]
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Samantha was born and brought up on the Isle of Man. She attended Laxey Primary School in Laxey and St Ninian's High School in Douglas[3] before moving to London to study A levels at The Arts Educational Schools (ArtsEd) in Chiswick.[4]
Samantha has been dancing since the age of 3, training in Ballet, Modern and Tap with Dancers Barre, then Stagecoach Isle of Man, Theatrix, Stage One and the Manx Ballet Company. She was also a member of the Manx Operatic Society, which provided her with a lot of performing experience.[5]
Her previous work includes playing the role of Snow White, aged 4, in a school production, and the following roles in amateur productions at the Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man and The Villa Marina, Isle of Man: Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, The Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, The Scarecrow in a ballet version of The Wizard of Oz, Dancing in Coppélia, La Boutique fantasque, La Sylphide, The Nutcracker, Dick Whittington, Cinderella, Robinson Crusoe, Rizzo in Grease, a Hot Box Girl in Guys and Dolls, Cyndi Gibson in Back to the 80's (a role which she reprised in August 2007 at the Gaiety Theatre), and she understudied Lucy in Jekyll and Hyde.[5]
Samantha's film credits include Jimmy Spud, Chromophobia and she also had a singing role in the ITV1 TV movie, The Final Quest, directed by and starring David Jason.[5]
In April 2007, she released her debut album, Looking in Your Eyes at the Peel Centenary Centre, Isle of Man, which sold over 600 copies! She co-wrote 2 songs on her album and even wrote 1 of them herself.[6] She has performed the songs with her band (including her sister, Kim) to many thousands of people (details below) and also when she sang during a Strictly Dancing exhibition featuring Lilia Kopylova and Darren Bennett (from BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing), called Essentially Dancing.[5]
Samantha represented the Isle of Man in the Maltese International Song Competition in December 2007, where she won the main prize of €2000 and the title of Best Foreign Singer. She sang "Nothing Else" (Holland/Barks) from her album Looking In Your Eyes and "Play On", a hit song in Malta.[5]
She also performed at the Peel Bay Festival in June 2007 supporting Matt Willis and the Sugababes, which also saw appearances by Madness and The Who.[5]
In 2008, Samantha competed in I'd Do Anything in which she was one of the finalists in a search for a new, unknown lead to play Nancy in a West End revival of the British musical Oliver!. She reached the final where she finished third. On the 29th of April, 2008, the Isle of Man was renamed by the Tourism Minister Adrian Earnshaw to be the "Isle of Sam" as a sign of support. Welcoming signs at Ronaldsway Airport and Douglas Sea Terminal were changed after a renaming ceremony.[7]
In week eight she performed "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked and in the week leading up to the show she was given support from American actress, Idina Menzel, who achieved fame for her performances as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West in Wicked.[8]
In week nine, Samantha received the lowest number of public votes and so had to participate in the sing-off with Rachel Tucker. They sang "Memory" from the musical Cats. Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Samantha and eliminate Rachel saying, "Last night Cameron and I were both saying that we thought both of you would be fantastic Nancys and now here am I faced with this. But I've got to make a decision and I've got to think of where the show ultimately for Cameron is going to go and I think I have to go with you Samantha.[9]
In the week leading up to the final shows on 31 May, the Nancy finalists posed for publicity pictures recreating some of Madonna's iconic images. Samantha was dressed in hotpants copying the pose from the cover of the 2008 album, Hard Candy.[10] Each Nancy also had a "Master Class" with Liza Minnelli in London.
At the end of Show one of the final, Samantha was announced as finishing third with Andrew Lloyd Webber saying, "Do you know what, I did think this would happen. But you've done so well to have got this far Samantha." Samantha said, "'It's been the most amazing experience of my life. Thanks to everyone and the panel for making it so incredible."[11]
| Show | Song | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Week one | "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" | Safe |
| Week two | "See the Day" | Safe |
| Week three | "Somewhere" from the musical West Side Story | Safe |
| Week four | "Hurt" | Safe |
| Week five | "Since U Been Gone" | Safe |
| Week six | "Sway" | Safe |
| Week seven | "Survivor" | Safe |
| Week eight (quarter-final) | "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked | Safe |
| Week nine (semi-final) | "When You Believe" from the film The Prince of Egypt | Bottom Two |
| Week ten (final) | "Anyone Who Had a Heart" | Third Place |
In June 2008, she sang the Isle of Man National Anthem 'O Land Of Our Birth' on Senior Race day of the Isle of Man TT to begin the races.[12]
Samantha played the lead role of Sally Bowles in the UK tour of Cabaret from 29 August 2008 to 11 July 2009.[13]
She put on her own concert, 'An Audience with Sam Barks', at the Villa Marina, Isle of Man on 3rd Jan 2009 to thank everybody that supported her during her time on I'd Do Anything and to thank those that have continued to carry on their support for her.[14]
Samantha performed alongside her I’d Do Anything buddies Sarah Lark and Jodie Prenger at the Theatregoers Choice Awards in Feb 2009.[15]
She launched the new Manx Ship, the Caly Manx, in Shanghai, China on 30 September 2009.[16]
Samantha, along with Wendy Craig and Jess Conrad (fellow cast members in Aladdin) switched on the Christmas Lights in Windsor's town centre on 21 November 2009.[17]
She played the title role in Aladdin during the Christmas Pantomime Season 2009/10.[18]
Samantha officially launched BreastHealth UK's new clinic at the Spire Thames Valley Hospital in Wexham on 27 November 2009.[19]
She starred as Éponine in the London production of Les Misérables at the Queen's Theatre from 21 June 2010 to 18 June 2011.[20]
Samantha was chosen to play Éponine in the 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Misérables at the O2 Arena on 3 October 2010 by Cameron Mackintosh after he saw her play the role in her opening night at the Queens Theatre in London's West End.
She was asked to sing 'On My Own' from Les Miserables at the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium on the 9th December 2010.
Samantha has just released a new song called 'Let Go' [21] which she co-wrote with Garry Lake.[21]
She starred in a new concert, 'Direct From The West End'. Run by a company called 'Musical Ovation Ltd' set up by Scott Garnham (current Les Mis cast member) and Martin Neely (2010-11 Les Mis cast member), They did 3 nights - 23rd Jan in York, 6th Feb in Oxford and 13th Feb 2011 in Windsor. It also starred Antony Hansen (from BBC1's Any Dream Will Do) and took the audience on a journey through some of the world's greatest and best-loved musicals featuring two hours of spectacular songs from Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia, Oliver, West Side Story, Miss Saigon, Hairspray and many more....
Samantha performed 'On My Own' at the Classical Brits 2011 at The Royal Albert Hall on 12th May 2011.
Samantha is going to star in a new Disney TV series called 'Groove High' which will be aired on the Disney channel in Spring 2012.[22]
She performed in a concert at the Battersea Barge in London on 21st August 2011, singing work by British composer/lyricists Laurence Mark Wythe, Grant Olding, Dougal Irvine and Tim Sutton. She performed alongside fellow West End stars Stephen Ashfield, Annalene Beechey and George Ure.[23]
Samantha is now starring as Nancy in the UK tour of Oliver!, which is running from 10th December 2011 until 2nd March 2013.[24]
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