How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria - Episode 2

The final 20 arrive in London for their concert before Andrew Lloyd Webber and some friends. They have had 2 days of preparation in Canada. They go straight from the airport to the Palladium and immediately start their third and final day of rehearsals, this time under the watchful eye of musical director Simon Lee as well as vocal coach Elaine Overholt, who has been working with them all along.

The girls get the night off. They have had little sleep and, after a walking tour of the West End theatre district, turn in early. The next day the invited guests arrive. They include the Canadian High Commissioner and Toronto producer David Mirvish.

Before dressing for their entrance the top 20 wander wide eyed on the Palladium stage. They make their formal entrance, all dressed in black cocktail dresses, from the rear of the cavernous theatre. Webber and his posse of a dozen or so theatre professionals and twice that many hangers-on are already seated at the back of the stage. They will watch the girls perform facing them as they face the empty theatre. Feels like bad ju-ju to me. As the performances begin we get cutaways to various performers addressing the camera.

Samantha, a young woman of East Indian descent, views Stacey, the lisper, as tough competition. Am I the only person who can’t see Samantha as an Austrian nun during World War II?

Amazon Andrea tells us she doesn’t know where she is ranked, but she herself thinks she’s in the top 3.

Amy, stand-out Marissa and Webber favorite Allie all identify Janna as the one to beat.

Webber surprises the girls with personal congratulations after the concert. The girls then retire to a waiting room set up with food and wine to relax and await their fate.

Meanwhile the judges deliberate. Casting director David Grinrod likes young Katie or quirky-perky Allie and thinks Samantha was flat in her singing. Producer Mirvish, who isn’t part of the judging, is happy with the caliber of what he saw.

For the first time in the series, the judging takes center stage. Kyla and Michelle are asked in first. Hair model beautiful Kyla is moving on, Michelle is not. Leslie and Jayne are next. Leslie is out, tall blonde Jayne continues. Amazon Andrea, Amy and Janelle are shown in. All three get the boot. Two of the biggest personalities, Donna and Stacey, laugh their way in, as if each is trying to out-personality the other and it has escalated to hysterics. Webber tells Stacey she is too brassy, more a Chicago type. She never stops smiling, even when she is losing the part. It makes me think of her desperate confession to the camera in the previous episode about having to always hide that she is only holding on by her fingernails. I fear for her. Donna gets complimented by Webber and stays.

Tamara is brought in alone. She will be singing for us live on Sunday. Allie and Alison follow. Both pass. The judges have a discussion about Jennifer versus Katie. They have lumped the two together based on the fact that both are small. Webber is concerned that small actors can get lost on big stages, but on TV all actors are reduced to the same size. Simon says if they are going to consider a short leading lady, they should only promote one of the type to the final 10. Jennifer loses out and Katie is in. They break the news to Jennifer alone; they let Katie know in the company of Julia, who is let go.

We are down to three spots for five girls. Marissa and Janna are asked in. In an aside to the camera we learn that Janna always watches what Marissa and Stacey are doing. Interesting that she didn’t mention Allie. Webber tells Marissa right off that she could be Maria (just drop the ss). He cruelly toys with Janna and finally lets her off the hook. Both girls will be with us Sunday night.

That leaves 1 spot for 3 performers. Samantha, Stacey and Elicia are the final group. I think it has to be Stacey and am surprised to a cutaway of Webber stating that he can’t get past her lisp. He dumps Samantha and Stacey (who looks like she’s been gut-punched) and takes Elicia. While she accepts congrats from Samantha and Webber, Stacey stands still as a doe, thunderstruck by her failure.

See you and Alison, Allie, Donna, Elicia, Janna, Jayme, Katie, Kyla, Marissa and Tamara Sunday night.