just wondering what people think about this, this series has been a strange one, especially with some of the ones that have already gone.

but on a positive note, part of me cant help thinking that the ones that dont win may have the better result, as they have the exprience of the show and the exposure, but without necessarily of having the stigma of "the winner of x reality show"

cant help but think of:

daniel boys who had a long run in avenue q,

rachel tucker who played meat in we will rock you in the west end and will be playing elphiba in wicked,

niamh perry playing fleck in love never dies

siobhan dillon - lead in two uk tours (cant smile without you and cabaret,) and patty in grease and is now sandy in grease in the west end

aiofa mullholand as brooke in legally blonde

sam barks - lead in the tour of cabaret, and will be joining the west end cast of les miserables playing Eponine (now would love to see her do on my own!)

seamus cullen played che in evita uk tour

and so on.

yeah this hahs been the debate in my house for a while! I honestly think they probably do benefit more from not winning-however they do get more publicity if they win...

Ben James-Ellis came 4th and played Link in Hairspray for 21months. He's also toured with John Barrowman and Michael Ball

And probably the most successful contestant is Aoife Mulholland who was in The Sound of Music, Chicago and now Legally Blonde.

I think so and have said this on other threads. Winning seems to type cast people. What is Connie Fisher doing now? We all know what Jodie is doing - judging dogs Lee, who was an understudy in Phantom of the Opera before winning Joseph, is now, rather than following his dream career in the West End, touring provincial theatres, pretending he's always only wanted to be a singer. As if.

I never really noticed Tara Bethan in Nancy but saw her in Dublin as the Narrator in Joseph . She was fantastic and , brilliant and shone on stage .
I actually went to see it again to see her and watch her . I know many who saw her here and all said the same ,She stood out in it .

Jodie's about to go on tour with Spamalot.

I think Connie's still on tour with The Sound of Music.

Lee's about to go into Wicked

Agree with the OP..... I would love to hear Sam Barks sing 'On My Own' as well. Have to make another booking to see Les Mis again. Brill show tho' so no hardship

i know i am now considering booking to see the show again just for her, (though it would be the 8th time i have seen the show if i do lol as its one of my favorites!!!!!!)

Lee is in 'Wicked' in the West End as of tomorrow.

Lee has been in a straight play, and is going into Wicked. Plus having a new wife and baby - seems to have been pretty busy IMO.

I'm pretty sure Rachel Tucker would have the title as the most successful non-winning contestant from any of these shows. You don't get much bigger than Elphaba in Wicked really!

Connie is touring in The Sound of Music as I saw her a couple of months ago and she's getting married in September.

Don't forget Ashley Russell, the red haired Scottish girl who did quite well in the Nancy programme, she toured in We Will Rock You as the teacher and understudy for Killer Queen and she played Killer Queen when Brenda Edwards was off and I saw her one night as Killer Queen and she played it well and showed off her acting skills and her powerful voice!

I think Ashley is now at the Palladium in Sister Act

I'm not sure that any of the previous winners have been anything less than extremely successful in musical theatre terms (and certainly in Lee's case in terms of record sales too).

And I'm sorry but calling any of them 'type-cast' at this early stage in their careers is just plain ridiculous!

I do take the point though that not winning is definitely no barrier to a long and successful career on stage after the show. There are at least four or five girls this year who could already hold down a lead role in a major production even now IMHO

forgot about ashley and i even saw her in wwry! woops

I think by the time you get to this stage in the competition, the contestants get great exposure and therefore are able to land other roles. But the winners have also done really well, esp Lee. So winning is great, but leaving now is also fine and can lead to great things. If the contestant is talented, they'll get a role, whether they win or not!

I do think so.

Jodie finished Nancy and is now back on ALW's show looking for a dog and about to go on tour

Connie is still playing Maria, just on tour

Lee however has done well by managing to secure Fiyero

HOWEVER

Niamh Perry, Daniel Boys, Rachel Tucker, Siobhan Dillon, Sam Barks..

all seem to be getting bigger and better!

amy booth steele is in sister act too i didnt realise till i was on the site the other day