Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream sees 14 hopefuls compete to win the life-changing roles of Sophie and Sky in the London West End production of MAMMA MIA!.
In order to find the next two musical stars, the contestants will head to the Greek islands where the film is famously set and will be put through their paces, taking on challenges, masterclasses and giving performances all while being judged by industry experts Alan Carr, Jessie Ware, Amber Riley and Samantha Barks.
The top performers will then battle it out for the roles in a grand finale in a West End theatre.
Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream starts on Sunday 22 October on ITV1 at 6.00 pm. Let's meet the contestants...
Meet the Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream contestants
The Sophies
Here are the contestants hoping to land the role of Sophie in the West End production of MAMMA MIA!...
Desmonda
Desmonda is 27 and from Indonesia.
She's eager to make her mark on the West End industry and represent her people.
Desmonda said: "ITV is one of the biggest TV networks and reaches far beyond the musical theatre world. What I really want to show from my involvement, is that people can see that there is this Indonesian girl striving to be on the West End and as an Indonesian, we’ve not yet had that Indonesian West End musical theatre star. I just want to represent my people I guess and show another thing that we can strive towards. There’s a place for us in musical theatre."
Esme
22 year old Esme from Chester got into musical theatre at a young age after watching Les Misérables.
She said: "My musical theatre journey started when I was around 12 and I watched the Les Misérables film for the first time. I also remember watching a pantomime and I couldn’t believe people get paid to sing and dance and have the most fun on stage. I left school at 16 to go train in musical theatre at a college in Liverpool, and this is where I really found my love for the industry."
Leah
Leah, 20, is from Redcar and believes it would be a "full circle moment" if she won the show.
Leah shared how much it means to her to appear on Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream: "Being on this show means the entire world to me! This industry is full of rejections from jobs, and this was my first audition and I very luckily got a yes. This show gives me hope and it makes me very grateful to be able to have worked with incredible people and to be a part of the wonderful MAMMA MIA! family. This is also very educational for me as it's my first professional look into the industry."
Maddy
Maddy is 20 years old and resides in Bolton.
She recently graduated from Urdang and would love to play the role of Sophie because "I admire her a lot as a character, as she’s always so bubbly and headstrong and she cares a lot about the people she loves! It would be such a fun role to play, and it’d be a dream to be in such an iconic show."
Maisie
Maisie is 22 and from Margate.
She fell in love with the artform when her mum signed her up for musical theatre classes when she was younger.
Maisie said of her favourite ABBA song: "This is quite easy one for me as it’s always been my favourite. ‘My Love, My Life.’ It was featured in the MAMMA MIA! sequel and it was such a beautiful and emotional way to end the movie. It’s about Sophie and Donna’s relationship and I’m very close to my mother so I could relate. I covered the song on my YouTube channel and have had loads of lovely messages. The song is very special to me."
Stephanie
Stephanie is from St Albans and is 22 years old.
She grew up listening to ABBA and watching the film, so landing the role of Sophie would be "a dream come true" for Stephanie.
Stephanie said of having the opportunity to appear on the show: "To see a musical set in Greece showing Greek traditions is so nostalgic to me and to make my family proud doing what I love with my heritage would just be incredible. I have worked so relentlessly throughout my life, training to get even get an audition for anything musical related, so to be considered for the role of Sophie in the West End is so ridiculous to me. I am eternally grateful for the creatives taking a chance on me."
Stevie
Stevie is 22 and from Glasgow.
She got into musical theatre at the at the age of 15, and said playing the role of Sophie has "always been a dream role for me. It’s probably one of the first musicals I was introduced to and also it’s a big musical for my family. They all know it, they all love it and for me to play Sophie would mean a lot to them as well."
The Skys
Here are the contestants hoping to land the role of Sky in the West End production of MAMMA MIA!...
Callum
22 year old Callum is from Oxfordshire.
Callum narrowed his focus slightly away from musical theatre to acting and MAMMA MIA! I Have a Dream was his first ever musical theatre audition.
He said of why he wanted to play the role of Sky: "Having the opportunity to play a lead role in the West End is something that actors dream of — and on a London stage like the Novello theatre where you’re acting alongside amazing people. It’s also an amazing opportunity to get to play Sky alongside a Sophie you’ve met on this TV show — that makes it special. I had just come out of drama school with no expectation when I did that first audition and now I’m here."
Craig
Craig is 26 and resides from Perthshire.
He revealed about his musical theatre journey: "I started training after school when I was six or seven and I did that all the way through school and high school and decided at some point along the way that I wanted to give it a crack and continue to do that. I went to Guildford School of Acting and graduated in 2018 and went to perform on a cruise ship for a year... I've also been a part of UK and international tours. My goal has always been to sustainably have a career in something that I love doing."
Darcy
Darcy is 23 years old and from Hampshire.
He brands himself as "a Jack of all trades" and alongside auditioning, he's worked in events, did landscaping with his Dad and now works in a gym.
"For me it’s all about proving to my younger self that I was right when I questioned whether I was following the right pathway. I’m doing something out of my comfort zone and showing that anything is possible. It’s about defying the odds!" he said about taking part.
Marcellus
Marcellus, 36, is from High Wycombe.
Marcellus has had a strong musical theatre career so far, appearing in many diverse roles in plays and shows.
To have the opportunity of playing Sky, he said: "To get a principal role, that would be good. It would be a great achievement for me but more importantly I want to inspire others to never give up on their dreams."
Owen
Owen is 25 and from Belfast, who is eager to "steer Sky in a different direction" if he were to win the role.
He shared about his favourite ABBA song: "I love ‘Voulez-Vous' I think it’s one of the best anthems ever. When I watch the movie, ‘Slipping Through My Fingers’ makes me cry every time. Maybe that’s because of my mum. My mum is a single parent and I resonate with the moment that they have in the movie."
Tobias
22 year old Tobias is from Somerset.
Tobias has worked for the Strictly Theatre Company on Giovanni Pernice’s tour, "This Is Me", performed West Side Story at the Ljubljana Festival in Slovenia and then went into "Heathers" in London.
On why he wants to play the role of Sky, he revealed: "MAMMA MIA! is timeless isn’t it, it’s one of the biggest shows in the West End and has been on for ages. Auditioning for that is an exciting thing. Not only that, but they are putting on this massive TV show with amazing people behind it, on and off screen. It’s one of those things you think, ‘That would be so cool to do!’ It’s a show I love, the music is incredible, I thought I’ll apply and try my best and we’ll see... and then here we are!"
Zachkiel
Zachkiel is 21 and from London, who wants to add coolness and fun to Sky while staying faithful to the character.
It means everything to Zachkiel to appear on the show as he shared: "I don’t want to be cliché and say ‘everything’ but everything about the experience has been amazing to me. It’s surreal. I love it. There is nothing like it! It’s a completely new opportunity and has been amazing. The show is making me a better performer with the challenges, opportunities and working with the professionals."
