Dianne Pilkington
| Dianne Pilkington | |
|---|---|
Dianne Pilkington, June 2007
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| Born | Dianne Lesley Pilkington 7 June 1975 Wigan, UK |
| Spouse(s) | Claude Pelletier (2010–present) |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | diannepilkington.co.uk |
Dianne Lesley Pilkington (born 7 June 1975) is an English theatre actress and singer.
Contents
Personal life
Pilkington was born in Wigan. She trained at the Guildford School of Acting, graduating in 1997 with the Principal's Award.
Pilkington married her longtime partner, Claude Pelletier, on 10 October 2010. The couple met whilst touring with the UK production of Cats in 2006. Pilkington gave birth to their son, Hugo, on 26 December 2012.[1]
Theatre
Pilkington has had an impressive career beginning in 1997 when she joined the West End production of Les Misérables, Pilkington understudied the role of Fantine whilst in the production.
Following Les Misérables, Pilkington starred in the production of Tess, going on tour with the show prior to it appearing at the Savoy, she played the role of Marion. The production only ran for 10 weeks in the West End before closing on 8 January 2000.
Pilkington joined the cast of Sweeney Todd at the Bridewell Theatre later in 2000, a production she had played the role of Mrs Lovett in whilst training at GSA.
In late 2000 Pilkington was part of the original London cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s, The Beautiful Game. She played the role of the Protestant girl as well as understudying the role of Bernadette.
In 2002 Pilkington originated the role of Kim in Boy George’s musical Taboo. She appeared alongside Boy George at the Royal Albert Hall alongside other members of the original London cast.
It was in late 2002 that Pilkington joined the UK touring production of Beauty and the Beast playing Belle. She remained with the production into 2003.
Again in 2003 Pilkington originated another role in the West End, this time in Rod Stewart musical Tonight’s the Night, as Mary at the Victoria Palace Theatre.
For the Christmas panto season of 2004-2005 Pilkington starred in the leading role in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs opposite Lily Savage.
In 2005 Pilkington starred in The Far Pavilions in the role of Belinda. Following this Pilkington again went on tour in the role of Grizabella in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s, Cats. It was whilst on tour with the production that Pilkington met her husband.
After leaving the Cats tour in early 2007, Pilkington joined the West End production of Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. She replaced Helen Dallimore as Glinda on 16 July 2007, after serving as the standby from April of that year.[2] After three years in the company, she played her final performance on 27 March 2010 and was succeeded by Louise Dearman.
Immediately after leaving Wicked, Pilkington joined played the parts of Annabella Schmidt, Pamela, and Margaret in the West End production of The 39 Steps. She replaced Natalie Walter on 26 April 2010.[3] She ended her nine-month run on 29 January 2011 and was succeeded by Laura Rogers.[4]
After leaving The 39 Steps Pilkington took part in the 2011 season of Cabaret in the House at Lauderdale House on 20 February 2011, performing many tracks from her album in a one-woman cabaret, her guests at the cabaret included Jean-Claude Pelletier, Shimi Goodman & television actress Nicole Faraday. She was accompanied on piano by Christopher Hamilton.[5]
In the Chichester Festival 2011 Pilkington played the role of Amalia in She Loves Me, from 9 May 2011 until 18 June 2011.[6]
She starred as Sophie De Palma in the West End production of Master Class, which ran at the Vaudeville Theatre from January - April 2012.[7]
It was announced in April 2013 that Pilkington would take over the role Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia! at the Novello Theatre from 10 June 2013.[8]
Pilkington has undertaken many musical workshops including: ‘Hope’ in the London workshop production of Urinetown, directed by John Rando; ‘Tonya’ in the workshop of Dr Zhivago directed by Des McAnuff; the title role in Helen of Troy - a new musical, directed by Gary Griffin; ‘Charlotte’ in Charlotte — Life or Theatre?; 'Meg' in the workshop of Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical Love Never Dies. Pilkington took part in the workshop of a new musical based on Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen.
Film
Pilkington was due to play the role of a Blind Opera Singer in 2010's The Wolfman, opposite Benicio del Toro, but her scene had been cut from the final version of the film. However, the scene was included in the Director's Cut DVD version.[9]
In July 2012 it was announced that Pilkington would star in the new Les Misérables movie, directed by Tom Hooper. Pilkington was credited as Inn Whore 1[10] starring in the Master of the House scene opposite Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. Her former Wicked co-star Kerry Ellis appears in the same scene in the ensemble.
Television
Pilkington’s television credits include appearing on the West End edition of The Weakest Link, which aired 31 December 2008. Pilkington came in a respectable 4th place.[11] She also appeared on Britain's Got Talent giving a brief tour of Wicked, on This Morning performing Popular with Alexia Khadime and on The Alan Titchmarsh Show discussing reality TV shows such as Over The Rainbow.
Awards
Pilkington was nominated in the "Best Takeover Role" category for her role in Wicked at the 2008 Theatregoer's Choice Awards, but lost to co-star Kerry Ellis.[12] She and Alexia Khadime won the "Art and Culture Woman of the Future" category at the 2009 Women of the Future Awards.[13] Pilkington also won the Broadwayworld.com UK Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play for The 39 Steps.[14]
Theatre credits
| Year | Show | Venue | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–1998 | Les Misérables | Palace Theatre | Ensemble | Also understudied the roles of 'Fantine' and 'Cosette' |
| 1999 | Tess | Savoy Theatre | Marion Dewy | 30 October 1999 – 8 January 2000 Pilkington toured with the production prior to its West End appearance. |
| 2000 | Sweeney Todd | Bridewell Theatre | Beggar Woman | |
| 2000–2001 | The Beautiful Game | Cambridge Theatre | Protestant Girl | 26 September 2000 – 1 September 2001 |
| 2002 | Taboo | The Venue Leicester Square | Kim | |
| 2002–2003 | Beauty and the Beast | UK Tour | Belle | |
| 2003–2004 | Tonight’s the Night | Victoria Palace Theatre | Mary | |
| 2004–2005 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Victoria Palace Theatre | Snow White | |
| 2005 | The Far Pavilions | Shaftesbury Theatre | Belinda | 24 March 2005 – 17 September 2005 |
| 2006–2007 | Cats | UK Tour | Grizabella | |
| 2007–2010 | Wicked | Apollo Victoria Theatre | Glinda | 16 July 2007 – 27 March 2010. Replaced Helen Dallimore after briefly serving as her standby in 2007. |
| 2010–2011 | The 39 Steps | Criterion Theatre | Annabella Schmidt/Pamela/Margaret | 26 April 2010 – 29 January 2011 |
| 2011 | She Loves Me | Chichester Festival Theatre | Amalia | 9 May 2011 – 18 June 2011 |
| 2012 | Master Class | Vaudeville Theatre | Sophie De Palma | 7 February 2012 – 28 April 2012 |
| 2013 | Mamma Mia! | Novello Theatre | Donna Sheridan | from 10 June 2013 |
Discography
| Year | Song(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "Love Is A Question Mark", "Pretty Lies", "Independent Woman" | Taboo |
| 2003 | "Reason To Believe" | Tonight’s The Night |
| 2007 | "God's Own Country" | The Beautiful Game |
| 2008 | "I Only Wish For You" | "Act One — Songs From the Musicals of Alexander S. Bermange" |
| 2010 | "Stuck On You" | "Bush Tales" by Matthew R Jameson |
| 2010 | see details below | Little Stories |
| 2011 | "Trusting You" | with Shimi Goodman on his debut album "When You Hear My Voice" |
| 2012 | "She's My Sister" | The In-Between: A New Musical |
Album
Pilkington's début solo album, entitled Little Stories, was released in December 2010.[15]
| Little Stories: Tracklisting | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
| 1. | "Meadowlark" (From The Baker's Wife) | Stephen Schwartz | 5:32 |
| 2. | "Someone Else's Story" (from the musical Chess) | Benny Andersson, Tim Rice, Björn Ulvaeus | 3:36 |
| 3. | "Burn (*)" | Christopher Hamilton, Tennessee Williams | 3:43 |
| 4. | "Remember (*)" | Christopher Hamilton | 3:26 |
| 5. | "As Good As New (*)" (Melody Towers) | Christopher Hamilton, Susannah Pearse | 2:31 |
| 6. | "Somebody's Wife (*)" (from Over The Threshold) | Christopher Hamilton | 3:18 |
| 7. | "The Man That Got Away" (From A Star Is Born) | Harold Arlen, Ira Gershwin | 5:29 |
| 8. | "It's Never Easy / I've Been Here Before" (From Closer Than Ever Feat. Nicole Faraday) | Richard Maltby, Jr., David Shire | 5:39 |
| 9. | "Memory" (From Cats) | Andrew Lloyd Webber | 4:30 |
| 10. | "Quando M'en Vo" (From La Bohème) | Giacomo Puccini | 2:31 |
| 11. | "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" (Feat. Mark Goldthorp) | Cole Porter | 4:18 |
(*) Previously Unrecorded
All songs performed by Dianne Pilkington and Accompanied on the Piano by Chris Hamilton.
References
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- ↑ Alternate versions for The Wolfman
- ↑ Full cast and crew for Les Misérables (2012). IMDb.
- ↑ West End Musical Stars Line Up for Weakest Link.
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