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Canada's Top 10 Dorothy's Revealed for CBC's Over The Rainbow!

Sep 17, 2012

The Top 10 Dorothys prepare to compete in the two-hour season premiere of OVER THE RAINBOW, Sunday, September 16 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT)

Viewers can enter the land of OZ in real time with the interactive OVER THE RAINBOW App

September 15, 2012 - The land of Oz called and Dorothy hopefuls from across the country responded by running to auditions, enduring hours of rigorous training and auditioning for musical theatre legend, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. This Sunday night, the Top 10 finally have the chance to perform live for Canada, on the season premiere of OVER THE RAINBOW at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC Television. The winner of the series will star as Dorothy in Andrew Lloyd Webber's upcoming Canadian production of The Wizard of Oz, opening at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto, ON this December.

Hosted by Daryn Jones, OVER THE RAINBOW premieres on Sunday, September 16th at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), when the Top 10 will dazzle the nation for the first time. Each Sunday night, the contestants will square-off in weekly competitions singing a mixture of Broadway, pop songs and standards in hopes of impressing Canada and judges Arlene Phillips, Louise Pitre and Thom Allison. Canadians can cast their votes using the ground-breaking, interactive OVER THE RAINBOW app, through the OVER THE RAINBOW Website or via telephone. Then, on Monday nights, beginning September 17th at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), the bottom two Dorothys will go head-to-head in a live sing-off to determine who will be sent home.

CANADA'S TOP 10 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.

Cassandra Hodgins - 17, London, ON Cassandra trained at the esteemed Royal Conservatory of Music for piano and voice. Her theatre credits include roles in local productions of Hairspray, Grease, Phantom of the Opera and more. She boasts a long list of winning vocal competitions, including the Kiwanis Music Festival and local Idol competitions.

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.

Jennifer Gillis - 16, Coquitlam, B.C.
Currently a high school student, Jennifer's resume includes frequent commercial work for top global brands and voiceover work for the Cancer Society, Bratz and Smarter than a Fifth Grader. She is trained in Musical theatre, voice and acting and performed in productions of Anne of Green Gables, Grease, The Wizard of Oz and Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. She has also modeled in fashion shows for leading Canadian retailers.

Jessie Munro - 18, Toronto, ON
Jessie is a recent graduated of the Etobicoke School of the Arts. Trained in voice, acting and dancing, she has been a singer/dancer in the Show Choir Canada Nationals, Chamber Choir, Woman's Choir and the SPLASH Music Theatre Company. Her theatre roles include playing Mimi in RENT, Graziella in West Side Story and an appearance as a dancer on the Canadian series Degrassi.

Julia Gartha - 17, Unionville, ON
Julia is entering her senior year at a Unionville High School for the Performing Arts. Her theatre credits include roles as Violet in Willy Wonka and Serene Katz in FAME. She has also appeared in stage productions of Peter Pan and CATS.

Kelsey Verzotti - 17, Calgary, AB
Kelsey has been part of the Top 16 on the Canadian series The Next Star, was chosen as a semi-finalist in the Calgary Stampede Talent Search and performed in Red Box Productions run of Little Red Riding Hood, Into The Woods. She is trained in dance, jazz, ballet and piano.

Michelle Bouey - 21, Charlottetown, PEIMichelle studied Musical Theatre at Sheridan College and is trained in jazz, tap, Celtic step, cello, piano, scatting and pop riffing. Her accolades include winning 1st place in a High School Division vocal competition, a multiple provincial winner at the Kiwanis Provincial Music Festival in senior voice, a Junior Rose Bowl Recipient and earned the highest mark (lyrical/cabaret) at Dance Quest. Her stage credits include playing Mimi in Rent and being the lead vocalist in Let the Light Shine In.

Stephanie La Rochelle - 17, 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.

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For more information including hi-res individual headshots of each Dorothy please visit the CBC Media Centre at https://mediacentre.cbc.ca.

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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:
Rene Weekes
Publicist
Over the Rainbow
rweekes@stratapublicrelations.com
C. 416-205-5500 / O.416.894.7209