Elaine Paige

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Biography

Elaine Paige Order of the British Empire|OBE (née Bickerstaff ;Fox, Sue. . The Times , 23 May 2004. Retrieved on 5 January 2008. born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress best known for her work in musical theatre . Raised in Barnet , North London , Paige attended the Aida Foster stage school, making her first professional appearance on stage in 1964, at the age of 16. Her appearance in the 1968 production of Hair (musical)|Hair marked her West End theatre|West End debut.

Following a number of roles over the next decade, Paige was selected to play Eva Perón in the first production of Evita (musical)|Evita in 1978, which brought her to the attention of the broader public. For this role, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Performance of the Year in a Musical. She went on to originate the role of Grizabella in Cats (musical)|Cats and had a Top& nbsp;10 hit with " Memory (Cats song)|Memory ", a song from the show. In 1985, Paige released " I Know Him So Well " with Barbara Dickson from the musical Chess_(musical)|Chess , which remains the biggest-selling record by a female duo. She then appeared in the original stage production of Chess , followed by a starring role in Anything Goes which she also co-produced. Paige made her Broadway theatre|Broadway debut in Sunset Boulevard (musical)|Sunset Boulevard in 1996, playing the lead role of Norma Desmond , to critical acclaim. She appeared in The King and I from 2000 to 2001, and six years later she returned to the West End stage in The Drowsy Chaperone . She has also worked sporadically in television.

In addition to being nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards , Paige has won many other awards for her theatre roles and has been called the First Lady of British Musical Theatre. She has released 22 solo albums, of which eight were consecutively certified Music recording sales certification|gold and another four multi-platinum. Paige is also featured on seven cast albums and has sung in concerts across the world. Since 2004 she has hosted her own show on BBC Radio& nbsp;2 called Elaine Paige on Sunday . She is commonly called the First Lady of British Musical Theatre due to her skill and longevity.

Life and career

Background

Elaine Jill company-director-check.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2012. Bickerstaff was raised in Barnet , North London , where her father worked as an estate agent and her mother was a Hatmaking|milliner . Her mother had been a singer in her youth, and her father was an amateur drummer.Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 11 September 1996. Retrieved on 24 February 2008. Paige stands at just under 5& nbsp;feet (1.5& nbsp;m) tall, which she says has caused her to lose out on leading roles.. The Daily Express , 14 June 2007. Retrieved on 21 January 2007. Her original ambition was to become a professional tennis player, at which point her headmistress pointed out to her "they'd never see you over the net",Copstick, Kate. . The Scotsman , 21 October 2006. Retrieved on 18 January 2008. but Paige continued to play tennis and has referred to the sport as one of her passions.. abc.net.au , 11 October 2005. Retrieved on 7 January 2008.

At 14, Paige listened to the film soundtrack of West Side Story (film)|West Side Story , which evoked the desire for a career in musical theatre.Barnett, Laura. . The Guardian , 22 May 2007. Retrieved on 7 January 2008. Paige's musical ability was encouraged by her school music teacher, Ann Hill, who was also the head of the music department. Paige was a member of Hill's choir, and her first role on stage was playing Susanna in a school production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart 's The Marriage of Figaro ,. lupus.org.uk. Retrieved on 10 March 2008. which was followed by parts in The Boy Mozart and solos in George Frideric Handel|Handel 's Messiah (Handel)|Messiah & mdash; "a difficult work for little children". Paige also recalls singing the mezzo-soprano|mezzo role of Bastienne in Mozart's Bastien und Bastienne|Bastien and Bastienne . After singing the aria, she chose to break down in character and to release a sob much to the audience's shock who, having been convinced by her acting, thought she was in real pain.

Her father later suggested that she should go to drama school, so she attended the Aida Foster stage school . Lacking confidence, she initially disliked stage school; her father encouraged her to endure and she grew to enjoy her time there.Barber, Richard. . The Daily Mail , 21 November 2009. Retrieved on 28 January 2010. After graduating, her first job was modeling children's clothing at the Ideal Home Exhibition . Prior to stage school she attended Southaw Girls' School - a secondary modern in Oakleigh Park in Hertfordshire where she had achieved just two Certificate of Secondary Education|CSE qualifications.

Early career – 1968-1980: West End debut and Evita

Paige's first professional appearance on stage was during the UK tour of the Anthony Newley / Leslie Bricusse musical The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd in 1964, playing the role of a Chinese people|Chinese urchin. To audition for the role she sang "I'm Just a Girl who Cain't Say No" but was rejected the first time.. itv.com. Retrieved on 26 August 2010. She was successful the second time around after being convinced to re-audition under a new name. Browsing through a phone book for inspiration, she became aware of the "page" she was observing and decided upon that name with the addition of an "i". At the age of 20, she made her West End of London|West End debut in Hair (musical)|Hair Shenton, Mark. . The Stage , 10 December 2004. Retrieved on 12 April 2008. on 27 September 1968, remaining in the cast until March 1970.. Elaine Paige Official Website. Retrieved on 2 July 2008. While also being an understudy for the character of Sheila,Fessier, Bruce. . The Desert Sun , 10 August 2008. Retrieved on 14 August 2008. she played a member of the tribe in the chorus, for which role she was required to be naked on stage in one scene. She also appeared as an urchin in the West End's Oliver& #33; (film)|Oliver! . Over the next decade, she played roles in various musicals, including Jesus Christ Superstar ; Nuts ; Grease (musical)|Grease , in which she played the lead role of Sandy from 1973 to 1974; Billy (musical)|Billy , from 1974 to 1975 playing Rita;Barber, Lynn. . The Guardian , 16 May 2000. Retrieved on 7 January 2008. and The Boyfriend , as Maisie (1975–1976).

After months of acting and singing auditions, Hal Prince offered the still relatively unknown Paige the title role of Eva Perón in the first stage production of the Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Evita (musical)|Evita .Qiao, Michelle. . China Daily , 12 December 2006. Retrieved on 18 January 2008.. BBC News , 31 January 2006. Retrieved on 5 January 2008. Her performance won her critical acclaim and brought her into public prominence at the age of 30. Paige was actually the second choice for the part after Julie Covington, but Covington had turned the opportunity down.Logan, Brian. . The Times , 4 June 2007. Retrieved on 6 January 2008. For her performance in Evita , she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Performance of the Year in a Musical,. Society of London Theatre . Retrieved on 24 February 2008. which at that time was called the Society of West End Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and the Variety Club|Variety Club Award for Showbusiness Personality of the Year.. london.broadway.com. Retrieved on 5 January 2008. She played the role for 20 months in total, from 1978 to 1980. She also released her first studio album in 1978, entitled Sitting Pretty .Shenton, Mark. . The Stage , 10 December 2004. Retrieved on 12 April 2008. Just prior to her success in Evita , Paige had strongly considered becoming a nursery nurse, but after she sang for Dustin Hoffman , he made her promise that she would continue in theatre work.. Living North. Retrieved on 14 September 2010. She admitted that she was "fed up with the whole thing" and that she could not even afford new clothing or to eat out; "Evita saved me" she stated.. The Daily Telegraph , 20 September 2008. Retrieved on 25 August 2010.

1981–1993: Cats and Chess era

Paige went on to portray some of Lloyd Webber's most notable female characters, creating the role of Grizabella in the original production of Cats (musical)|Cats from 11 May 1981 to 13 February 1982.. BBC News, 15 January 2002. Retrieved on 5 January 2008.Marks, Peter. . The New York Times , 1 November 1998. Retrieved on 6 January 2008. She took on the role late in the rehearsal process when the actress Judi Dench had to withdraw due to a torn Achilles tendon . Paige's performance of the song " Memory (Cats song)|Memory " from Cats , with which she had a Top& nbsp;10 hit,. BBC News, 9 July 2008. Retrieved on 13 July 2008. is her signature piece.Price, Karen. . Western Mail (Wales)|Western Mail , 27 June 2008. Retrieved on 29 June 2008. The single reached number& nbsp;5 in the UK Singles Chart|UK charts and has since been recorded by a further 160 artists.Milner, Catherine. . The Daily Telegraph , 5 December 2002. Retrieved on 5 January 2008. She reprised the role of Grizabella for the CATS (film)|video release of Cats in 1998,. BBC News, 1 October 1998. Retrieved on 5 January 2008. one of only two performers in the film from the original London cast, the other one being Susan Jane Tanner as Jellylorum . Paige's website claims that the video soon became the bestselling music video in the UK and America.. Elaine Paige Official Website. Retrieved on 5 January 2008.

The 1983 production of Abbacadabra , written by former ABBA members, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson ,Blackman, Jaine. . Swindon Advertiser , 15 July 2006. Retrieved on 19 January 2007. saw Paige star in the role of Carabosse.. Elaine Paige Official Website. Retrieved on 5 January 2008. She then originated the role of Florence for the 1984 concept album of Chess (musical)|Chess , with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Ulvaeus and Andersson.. whatsonstage.com, 11 January 2008. Retrieved on 19 January 2008. Her albums, Stages (Elaine Paige album)|Stages (1983), and Cinema (Elaine Paige album)|Cinema (1984), rejoined the cast recording of Chess in the UK top& nbsp;40 chart, giving her three consecutive successful albums. In 1985, Paige released " I Know Him So Well ", a duet from Chess , singing with Barbara Dickson . The single held the number& nbsp;1 position in the British singles charts for four weeks,Corliss, Richard. . Time (magazine)|Time , 18 March 1985. Retrieved on 5 January 2008. and still remains the biggest-selling record by a female duo, according to the Guinness Book of Records .. The Independent , 7 June 2000. Retrieved on 29 January 2008. From 1986 to 1987, Paige appeared as Florence in the stage production of Chess , a role that earned her another Laurence Olivier Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Musical.. Society of London Theatre . Retrieved on 24 February 2008. She next sang at the White House in 1988.

Paige then took on the part of Reno Sweeney in the musical production of Anything Goes , which she co-produced and starred in from 1989 to 1990. Patti Lupone was appearing as Sweeney on Broadway around that time, so Paige sought to become the co-producer of the West End production as a way to secure the role there before Lupone could take it.Shenton, Mark. . london.broadway.com, 11 June 2007. Retrieved on 20 April 2008. Playing Reno Sweeney was Paige's first experience using an American accent on stage,Trucco, Terry. . The New York Times , 25 July 1989. Retrieved on 21 March 2008. and the part obtained her third nomination for an Olivier Award.. Society of London Theatre . Retrieved on 24 February 2008. Beyond her theatre roles, she appeared in the television programme Unexplained Laughter in 1989 alongside Diana Rigg .

In 1993, Paige signed up for a year as French chanteuse Édith Piaf in Pam Gems ' musical play, Piaf (play)|Piaf , to critical acclaim. The Guardian wrote that Paige was "a magnificent, perfect Piaf". The demanding production required Paige to sing 15 songs, some in French, and to be on stage for 2& nbsp;hours 40& nbsp;minutes in total, and forced her to leave early due to exhaustion. Her portrayal of Piaf earned her nomination for a fourth Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical;. Society of London Theatre . Retrieved on 24 February 2008. she subsequently released an album, entitled Piaf , containing Édith Piaf songs.. Amazon (website)|Amazon . Retrieved on 19 February 2008.

1994–2001: Sunset Boulevard and Broadway debut

In 1995, Paige was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth for her contributions to musical theatre.. BBC News, 18 January 2007. Retrieved on 5 January 2008.

Paige stepped briefly into the role of Norma Desmond in Lloyd Webber's West End production of Sunset Boulevard (musical)|Sunset Boulevard in 1994, when Betty Buckley was taken ill due to her undergoing an emergency appendectomy.Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 15 September 1996. Retrieved on 25 August 2010. The nature of the situation meant that Paige only had two-and-a-half weeks in the rehearsal process before her first performance. She admitted feeling daunted by the task which would follow having seen Glenn Close in the role just prior to entering her own rehearsals. London critics were largely won over by Paige in a performance that "not only wrings out every ounce of dramatic action but delivers some unexpected humor as well" and she took over the part full time the following year. She then won the Variety Club Award for Best Actress of the Year, and was nominated for a best actress Olivier Award in 1996 for her performance in the musical.. Society of London Theatre . Retrieved on 24 February 2008.

During the run of Sunset Boulevard at the West End's Adelphi Theatre in 1995, Paige discovered a lump in her breast, prompting her to consult her doctor, who at first reassured her there was nothing to be concerned about.Hardy, Rebecca. . The Daily Mail , 8 May 2004. Retrieved on 6 January 2008. She returned twice, and her doctor subsequently sent her for tests that confirmed the lump was cancerous, nine months after she discovered it.Cummins, Fiona. . Daily Mirror , 8 May 2004. Retrieved on 7 January 2008. Continuing her role in the production Paige did not miss a show, and stated, "When I did the show I became very emotional. Some of the lyrics suddenly took on an entirely different meaning. Words like, 'as if we never said goodbye' became more real". Paige went in for day surgery on a Sunday due to her theatre commitments, had five years of medical treatment and completed a radiation programme. She spoke for the first time of her encounter with breast cancer in a 2004 interview, and has since described the period as "the most awful thing that’s happened to me in my life".

Paige transferred to the American production of Sunset Boulevard to make her Broadway theatre|Broadway debut at the Minskoff Theatre on 12 September 1996, staying with the show until it closed on 22 March 1997.Weber, Bruce. . The New York Times , 24 March 1997. Retrieved on 11 July 2008. On the Sunset Boulevard set in Broadway, the staircase steps had to be raised six inches (15& nbsp;cm) in order to accommodate Paige's short stature, or it would have been hard to see her behind the banister.Brantley, Ben. . The New York Times , 13 September 1996. Retrieved on 27 March 2008. Paige was welcomed to the Broadway stage with a long standing ovation from the audience,Donovan, Deirdre. . theatrescene.net, 17 September 2010. Retrieved on 19 February 2011. and received largely positive reviews for her New York performance as Norma Desmond: "The lush sound and the sheer power of her voice are, to put it simply, incredible", wrote one critic, whilst another said "Her voice has great range, remarkable clarity and emotional force".Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 13 September 1996. Retrieved on 24 February 2008. Paige was the first Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard to sing one of the show's key songs, "With One Look", which she did first at Lloyd Webber's wedding to Madeleine Gurdon , although at the time the song was called "Just One Glance". Lloyd Webber noted, regarding Paige's performance of one of the show's other prominent songs, "As If We Never Said Goodbye", that it was "as good, if not the best, of anything I've ever heard of mine". Regarding the key lyric in the song, "This world's waited long enough. I've come home at last", Paige had sought to change the way the melody was sung, despite being fully aware of Lloyd-Webber's fastidious tendencies. To her, the moment was not exploited to its fullest potential, so she approached the show's director, David Caddick, and expressed her wish to hold the word "home", to which he agreed. Although she had been disappointed when she hoped to perform on Broadway in Evita , Cats and Chess , Paige stated of her debut there, "It was just the most perfect time to go with that particular show". After Sunset Boulevard finished, she suffered from depression, commenting that the show's closing "was the most terrible feeling.& nbsp;... I'd felt I'd lost something so very important to me. I thought it had died and gone away".Barber, Richard. . Daily Mirror , 16 April 2000. Retrieved from findarticles.com on 6 January 2008.

Arts commentator Melvyn Bragg hosted a special edition of The South Bank Show about Paige's career in 1996, entitled The Faces of Elaine Paige .Torreano, Bradley. . MTV . Retrieved on 29 March 2008. The episode saw her visiting parts of the world where plays she had starred in had been set.

In 1997, Paige made her United States concert debut when she opened the Boston Pops season, which was aired on WGBH-TV|WGBH in America.Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 16 May 1997. Retrieved on 24 February 2008. The following year, she made a guest star appearance at Andrew Lloyd Webber 's 50th birthday celebration at the Royal Albert Hall .Van Gelder, Lawrence. . The New York Times , 7 April 1998. Retrieved on 7 January 2008. During the birthday tribute show, she sang "Memory" and " Don't Cry for Me Argentina ", two songs from her past musical productions by Lloyd Webber. Paige's next role was Célimène in the non-musical play Le Misanthrope in 1998, but she admitted that she missed the musical element and that the silence was slightly unsettling to her. A Lifetime Achievement Award from The National Operatic and Dramatic Association soon followed. She later performed alongside Bette Midler in a 1999 New York concert to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation .Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 7 May 1999. Retrieved on 24 February 2008.

From 2000 to 2001, she starred as Anna Leonowens in a revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein 's The King and I at the London Palladium . Paige had turned down an offer for the role the first time she was approached, but later accepted, admitting that she had "forgotten what a fantastic score it was",Low, Valentine. . The London Evening Standard , 25 April 2000. Retrieved on 21 January 2007. although she did question her own suitability for the role. Before the opening, the box office had already taken in excess of £7& nbsp;million in ticket sales.. BBC News, 4 May 2000. Retrieved on 20 April 2008. The critic for The Independent commented, "It may well be impossible to be a success as Evita and a success as Anna" complaining that Paige was not refined enough for the role,Butler, Robert. . The Independent , 8 May 2000. Retrieved on 20 April 2008. whereas The Spectator asserted that the role further strengthened her title as the "First Lady of British Musical Theatre".Morley, Sheridan. . The Spectator , 13 May 2000. Retrieved on 20 April 2008. During her time in The King and I , her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Despite Paige wanting to pull out of the show, her mother insisted that she should continue until her contract had finished, and Paige's sister, Marion Billings, admitted, "That was very hard for Elaine, having to go on stage night after night knowing she wanted to be with Mum".

2002–present: Radio and return to West End and Broadway

Paige sang at the opening of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah , and then made her Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles concert debut at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium .Ehren, Christine.. Playbill , 15 February 2002. Retrieved on 24 February 2008. In 2003, she played Angèle in ''Where There's a Will'', directed by Peter Hall (theatre director)|Peter Hall . She next sang the role of Mrs Lovett in the New York City Opera production of Stephen Sondheim 's Sweeney Todd (musical)|Sweeney Todd in March 2004,Zinoman, Jason. . The New York Times , 30 January 2004. Retrieved on 6 January 2008. earning positive reviews from critics,. The Stephen Sondheim Society , 12 March 2004. Retrieved on 9 May 2008. and a nomination for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 25 June 2006. Retrieved on 24 February 2008. Paige then embarked upon a UK tour which was entitled "No Strings Attached".Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 25 December 2003. Retrieved on 24 February 2008.

In September 2004, Paige began a weekly radio show, Elaine Paige on Sunday , on BBC Radio& nbsp;2 , featuring music from musical theatre and film.. BBC News, 3 August 2004. Retrieved on 5 January 2008. In an unfavourable review, the show was described by Elisabeth Mahoney of The Guardian (UK)|The Guardian as "a chilly, alienating listening experience" and a "rare wrong move" on the part of Radio& nbsp;2.Mahoney, Elisabeth. . The Guardian , 30 May 2005. Retrieved on 5 January 2008. Lisa Martland of The Stage agreed that "it is by far the music that brings me back to the programme& nbsp;... and not her lightweight presenting style".Martland, Lisa. . The Stage , 30 April 2007. Retrieved on 12 April 2008. However, the show regularly attracts 3& nbsp;million listeners, and interviews are also featured each week.Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 11 August 2004. Retrieved on 24 June 2008. Paige also focused on television appearances, playing Dora Bunner in the 2005 ITV adaptation of Agatha Christie 's A Murder is Announced in the Marple (ITV TV series)|Marple series, before performing a guest role as a post mistress in Where the Heart Is (1997 TV series)|Where the Heart Is .Marlow, Will. . Manchester Evening News , 17 October 2006. Retrieved on 6 January 2008. The episode of Marple was watched by 7.78& nbsp;million viewers.. Broadcasters' Audience Research Board . Retrieved on 9 March 2008.

The release of Paige's first full studio album of new recordings in 12& nbsp;years was marked in 2006, entitled Essential Musicals . The album included popular songs from musicals identified by a poll on her radio show, in which 400,000 listeners voted. At this point, Paige had recorded 20 solo albums in total, of which eight were consecutively certified Music recording sales certification|gold and another four multi-platinum, and she had been featured on seven cast albums. Paige also appeared in concert in Scandinavia, Hong Kong, Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore .. The Stage , 20 September 2005. Retrieved on 12 April 2008. On 20 and 21 December 2006, she performed in concert in Shanghai, extending her concert tour to two dates to satisfy demand. With a noticeable absence from musical theatre, having not taken a role for many years, she explained in 2006 that "there's been nothing that I've wanted to do, and if you're going to commit to a year at the theatre, six days a week, and have no life, then it's got to be something that you want to do with all your heart". She also affirmed that she believes for older actors it becomes harder to obtain theatre roles.Bishop, Caroline. . Society of London Theatre , 6 June 2007. Retrieved on 6 January 2007.

In 2007, Paige made a return to the West End stage for the first time in six years, as the Chaperone/Beatrice Stockwell in The Drowsy Chaperone at the Novello Theatre .Baluch, Lalayn. . The Stage , 10 July 2007. Retrieved on 5 January 2008. The production ran for a disappointing 96 performances,Hastings, Chris and Jones, Beth. . The Daily Telegraph , 29 July 2007. Retrieved on 8 March 2008. although it had opened to a standing ovation from the audience and a generally optimistic reaction from critics.Ouzounian, Richard. . Toronto Star|The Star , 8 June 2007. Retrieved on 20 April 2008. The Daily Telegraph wrote, "Elaine Paige is a good sport& nbsp;... enduring jokes about her reputation for being 'difficult' with a grin that doesn't seem all that forced.& nbsp;... Only the self-importantly serious and the chronically depressed will fail to enjoy this preposterously entertaining evening".Spencer, Charles. . The Daily Telegraph , 7 June 2007. Retrieved on 20 April 2008. Paul Taylor from The Independent was less impressed and wrote "a miscast Elaine Paige manages to be unfunny to an almost ingenious degree as the heroine's bibulous minder".Taylor, Paul. . The Independent , 8 June 2007. Retrieved on 20 April 2008. For her performance, Paige was nominated for a What's On Stage Award in the category of Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.. whatsonstage.com, 7 December 2007. Retrieved on 22 February 2008. She next collaborated with the duo Secret Garden (duo)|Secret Garden in recording the song "The Things You Are to Me" for their 2007 album, ''Inside I'm Singing''.Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 4 December 2007. Retrieved on 24 February 2008.

To raise money for Sport Relief Paige danced the Tango (dance)|Tango on Strictly Come Dancing#Sport Relief Does Strictly Come Dancing 2008 .26 2010|Sport Relief does Strictly Come Dancing with Matt Dawson in March 2008, where they were voted second overall.. The Daily Mirror , 14 March 2008. Retrieved on 15 March 2008. She opened the Llangollen International Eisteddfod|International Musical Eisteddfod in July 2008, performing some of her well-known songs from her 40-year career.. Wrexham Evening Leader , 15 January 2008. Retrieved on 8 May 2008. She next started her world tour, with dates in China, America and Australia. To further celebrate 40 years since her professional stage debut, in October 2008 Paige released a picture-based autobiography entitled Memories .Gans, Andrew. Playbill , 2 October 2008. Retrieved on 18 October 2008. The book took around eight months to compile; "Since Evita I suppose, I had kept a yearbook. My parents always kept cuttings and things like that for me. I did have quite a lot of reference material to work out" Paige commented.Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 18 September 2009. Retrieved on 28 January 2010.

An album entitled Elaine Paige and Friends was produced by Phil Ramone in 2010.Hetrick, Adam, Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 18 August 2010. Retrieved on 25 August 2010. The album features duets with Paige and artists such as Johnny Mathis , Barry Manilow and Olivia Newton John as well as a duet with Sinéad O'Connor on a new song 'It's Only Life' penned by Gary Barlow and Tim Rice. Having entered the top 20 of UK album charts,Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 8 November 2010. Retrieved on 7 December 2010. Elaine Paige and Friends went on to achieve gold status.Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 20 December 2010. Retrieved on 19 February 2011.

Paige played the role of Carlotta Campion in the Kennedy Center production of Follies in May and June 2011 at the Eisenhower Theatre in Washington, DC, receiving favorable reviews for her performance of the showstopper, "I'm Still Here." The principal cast starred Bernadette Peters , Jan Maxwell , Ron Raines and Danny Burstein .Gans, Andrew. . Playbill , 7 May 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2011. She reprised this role in the Broadway transfer of the musical at the Marquis Theatre beginning 7 August 2011 and ending on 22 January 2012. Paige will play Carlotta when this production transfers to the Ahmanson Theatre , Los Angeles, California from May 3, 2012 through June 9, 2012.

Legacy

Having had so many starring roles in famous musicals, many to critical acclaim, Paige is often referred to as the First Lady of British Musical Theatre. In 2008, she celebrated the 40th anniversary of her professional debut on the West End stage debut. Paige has never married nor had children, although she had an 11-year affair with the lyricist Tim Rice throughout the 1980s.Bertodano, Helena de. . The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved on 6 January 2008. She has said that she wanted to have children, but "it's a wonderful life I have, so I'm very fulfilled in other ways".

Paige's singing abilities have won her worldwide praise, as have her acting skills with Andrew Gans of Playbill magazine writing that "Paige's gift is to dissect a role and determine what phrasing, gesture or emotion can bring a scene to its fullest dramatic potential". Mark Shenton also highlighted her voice in 2008 as "one of the most distinctive and impressive voices in the business".Shenton, Mark. The Stage , 24 September 2008. Retrieved on 25 August 2010. Lloyd-Webber insists that her rendition of "As If We Never Said Goodbye" is one of the best interpretations of a song by him.

Paige has gained herself a reputation as someone who can be "difficult". '' The Times|The Times' '' Brian Logan wrote, "Paige is not exactly known for her humility. In newspaper profiles, that dread word 'difficult' is often applied". On one occasion, she told a male interviewer that she was going to stop giving interviews to female reporters because, in her own words, "I don't trust other women in these situations. They establish a sisterhood with you and then betray it every time". What has been seen as a cold side to her personality was also noted by Logan, but Paige has said that a common misconception of her is that she is confident and very serious.Dykes, Andy. . The Independent , 14 May 2007. Retrieved on 18 January 2008. Another editor found her "refreshingly down-to-earth" and "very friendly".

Views on theatre

Though Paige has enjoyed a long career in musical theatre, she rarely goes to watch musicals, much preferring to watch films or plays.Ellis, James. . Metro (Associated Metro Limited)|Metro , 5 January 2001. Retrieved on 7 January 2008. Furthermore, she considers herself primarily an actress before a singer, stating, "I really prefer to be in character". Comparing the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein to that of Lloyd Webber, Paige has said that she finds Rodgers and Hammerstein songs more difficult to sing, and described them as challenging. She concluded, "it's a quieter kind of singing, more controlled, not belting it out".

In light of the physical demands of performing in theatre Paige has said "Musical theatre is the hardest thing any actor will ever do. You become obsessive about sleeping, eating the right food, not speaking and giving yourself vocal rest and keeping exercised". Regarding the pressure of having to be in a fit condition to perform in theatre each night, she remarked "you wouldn't want to read the letters people write when you're off and they're disappointed — it's so awful, the guilt one feels for not being there". As part of a rigorous routine before musical roles to look after her voice, Paige stops eating dairy product s and drinking alcohol and also focuses on keeping fit. After about three months into the production when her voice is tiring from performing, she even gives up her social life, sometimes only communicating by notepad and fax. The rehearsal process is when Paige is most contented, using the valuable time to "delve and discover" without the need to feel embarrassed. She also never reads her reviews from critics, finding that it is not helpful to have too many opinions.

Paige has named reality television series such as Any Dream Will Do (TV series)|Any Dream Will Do , which aim to find an unknown actor to play the lead role in a musical, as the greatest threat to theatre today, believing that "actors already striving in the theatre wouldn't dream of putting themselves on these shows". In a later interview, she questioned the seriousness of the actors auditioning for these types of shows: "you wouldn't put yourself up for one of those shows in case you got bumped off the first week and all your colleagues saw it". She has also expressed a wish for more new musicals to be put into production, instead of frequent revivals.

Stage roles

Duration	Production	Role	Theatre	Awards
1968–1970	Hair	Member of the Tribe	Shaftesbury Theatre
1973–1974	Grease	Sandy	New London Theatre
1974–1975	Billy	Rita	Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
1975–1976	The Boyfriend	Maisie	Haymarket Theatre, Leicester
1978–1980	Evita	Eva Perón	Prince Edward Theatre	Won: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical Won: Society of West End Theatre\|Society of West End Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical Won: Variety Club\|Variety Club Award for Showbusiness Personality of the Year
1981–1982	Cats	Grizabella	New London Theatre
1983–1984	Abbacadabra	Miss Williams / Carabosse	Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith	1984: Rear of the Year\|Rear of the Year Award
1986–1987	Chess	Florence Vassy	Prince Edward Theatre	Variety Club Award for Recording Artiste of the Year Nomination: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical Head of the Year Award
1989–1990	Anything Goes	Reno Sweeney	Prince Edward Theatre	Nomination: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical
1993–1994	Piaf	Édith Piaf	Piccadilly Theatre	Gold Badge of Merit Award BASCA Nomination: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical
1994, 1995–1996, 1996–1997	Sunset Boulevard (musical)>Sunset Boulevard	Norma Desmond	Adelphi Theatre (West End) Minskoff Theatre (Broadway)	Variety Club Award - Best Actress of the Year Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) Queen's Birthday Honours Nomination: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical HMV Lifetime Achievement
1998	Le Misanthrope	Célimène	Piccadilly Theatre	Lifetime Achievement National Operatic and Dramatic Association
2000–2001	The King and I	Anna Leonowens	London Palladium
2003	''Where There's a Will	Angèle	Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Theatre Royal, Brighton
2004	Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street	Mrs. Lovett	New York City Opera	Nomination: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical
2007	The Drowsy Chaperone	The Drowsy Chaperone / Beatrice Stockwell	Novello Theatre	Nomination: Theatregoers' Choice Award\|What'sOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
2011	Follies	Carlotta Campion	Kennedy Center (Washington DC) Marquis Theatre (Broadway)	Pending: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

TV roles

In the 1980 ITV drama series, "Lady Killers", Paige played convicted murderer Kate Webster .

Discography

Solo albums

Year	Album title	Other notes
1978
1981
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1990
1991
1991
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
2004
2006
2007
2009
2010

Cast recordings

Year	Album title	Other notes
1970
1974
1978
1978
1981
1984
1989
1992
2000
2011

Other albums and guest appearances

Elaine featured with the group 'The Colors of Love' on three singles in 1968/9 on the label 'Page One' with three records written by Mike Hazelwood and Alan Hammond.

The group consisted of Elaine Paige, Jill Longstaff, Joan Knighton, Terry Pritchard, John Shepherd and Russel Stone.

POF060: I'm A Train / Up On A Cotton Cloud

POF086: Just Another Fly / 2010

POF124: Mother of Convention / Songs Mother Made

Year	Album title	Other notes
1972
1998
2000
2001
2010

Videos and DVDs

Year	Album title	Other notes
1985
1998
1991
1998
2001
2009

Copyright Citations

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