Danielle Wade Explained

Danielle Wade
Birth Date:1992 6, df=yes
Nationality:Canadian
Occupation:Actress, singer
Years Active:2012–present

Danielle Wade (born 30 June 1992) is a Canadian actress and singer. She first rose to prominence for winning the 2012 Canadian reality television series, Over the Rainbow. She originated the role of Dorothy Gale in the Andrew Lloyd Webber production of The Wizard of Oz, which began performances at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in December 2012. She continued on in the role for the subsequent North American tour of The Wizard of Oz.

Early life

Wade was raised in LaSalle, Ontario. She is the oldest of three daughters born to Jodi and Doug Wade.[1] Growing up, Wade was a figure skater. She graduated from Sandwich Secondary School, and attended the University of Windsor where she pursued a BFA in musical theatre.[2] As a student, she starred as Elle Woods in a local production of Legally Blonde.[3] However, Wade dropped out following her second year after she won Over the Rainbow.

Career

In 2012, Wade auditioned for the Canadian reality television series, Over the Rainbow, which was based on the 2010 BBC series of the same name. After being named as one of the top ten finalists, Wade never placed in the bottom 2 throughout the competition.[4] Andrew Lloyd Webber referred to Wade as “an extraordinary talent". On November 4, 2012, Wade was named the winner of Over the Rainbow.[5]

As a result of winning Over the Rainbow, Wade starred as Dorothy Gale in the North American premiere of Lloyd Webber's stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. The musical opened at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto on December 20, 2012, and played until August 18, 2013. Wade then reprised her role as Dorothy for the subsequent North American tour, which opened on September 10, 2013, and concluded on June 29, 2014.[6] Overall, Wade has performed as Dorothy approximately 500 times.[7]

In 2014, Wade starred as Cinderella in Cinderella, a Ross Petty family holiday pantomime production.[8]

Between 2015 and 2017, Wade appeared in five Drayton Entertainment musical productions. In 2015, Wade played Anne Shirley in their production of Anne of Green Gables.[9] In 2016, she starred as Sophie Sheridan in Mamma Mia, and then as Ariel Moore in Footloose.[10] [11] In 2017, she played the Narrator in Drayton Entertainment's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.[12] Later in 2017, she starred as Belle in Beauty and the Beast.[13]

In 2018, Wade starred as Marian Paroo in the Stratford Festival production of The Music Man.[14]

Wade made her Broadway debut in Mean Girls, a musical based on the Tina Fey movie.[15] The musical opened at the August Wilson Theatre in April 2018, with Wade understudying the lead roles of Cady Heron and Janis Sarkisian. In August 2019, it was announced that Wade would star as Cady Heron in the first North American tour of Mean Girls.[16] She continued in the role when performances resumed following the COVID-19 pandemic.[17]

In May 2023, it was announced that Wade would star alongside Corbin Bleu in the world premiere production of Summer Stock, based on the 1950 film of the same name.[18] The musical, produced by Goodspeed Musicals, was performed between July 7 and August 27, 2023.

Personal life

On May 1, 2023, Wade married musical theatre actor Will Branner in Goldsboro, North Carolina.[19]

Theater credits

YearProductionRoleLocationCategory
2012–2013The Wizard of OzDorothy GaleEd Mirvish TheatreNorth American premiere: Toronto
2013–2014First National Tour
2014CinderellaCinderellaElgin TheatreRegional / Ross Petty Productions
2015Anne of Green GablesAnne ShirleyDunfield Theatre CambridgeRegional / Drayton Entertainment
2016Mamma MiaSophie SheridanDunfield Theatre CambridgeRegional / Drayton Entertainment
FootlooseAriel Moore Dunfield Theatre CambridgeRegional / Drayton Entertainment
2017Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatNarratorHuron Country PlayhouseRegional / Drayton Entertainment
Beauty and the BeastBelleDunfield Theatre CambridgeRegional / Drayton Entertainment
From Here to Eternityu/s LoreneOgunquit PlayhouseRegional
2018The Music ManMarian ParooFestival TheatreRegional / Stratford Festival
2018–2019Mean Girlsu/s Cady Heron, u/s Janis SarkisianAugust Wilson TheatreBroadway
2019–2022Cady HeronFirst National Tour
2023Summer StockJane FalburyGoodspeed Musicals[20] World premiere
Chris Mrs.Holly CarmichaelWinter Garden TheatreToronto: World premiere[21]
2024South PacificEnsign Nellie ForbushGoodspeed MusicalsRegional

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2012Over the RainbowHerselfWinner
2021The Old GuardsTV short

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2020Night TerrorNight TerrorShort film
2022SquattingSophieShort film

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Danielle Wade: A Star is Born . Windsor Star . 16 June 2023 . 10 November 2012.
  2. Web site: Danielle Wade is off to see the Wizard . Windsor Star . 16 June 2023 . 5 November 2012.
  3. Web site: Ouellette . Kelly . The musical set to paint the town pink! . OurWindsor . 14 June 2023 . 20 April 2012.
  4. Web site: Roberts . Soraya . Danielle Wade wins ‘Over the Rainbow’ on CBC . Yahoo News . 16 June 2023 . 6 November 2012.
  5. Web site: Danielle Wade lands Dorothy role after winning popular vote on Over the Rainbow . National Post . 15 June 2023 . 6 November 2012.
  6. Web site: Gans . Andrew . Danielle Wade Will Star in North American Tour of Wizard of Oz; Itinerary Announced . Playbill . 15 June 2023 . 6 May 2013.
  7. Web site: Danielle Wade, Over the Rainbow winner, wraps Wizard of Oz tour . CBC . 15 June 2023 . 28 June 2014.
  8. Web site: Ouzounian . Richard . Wizard of Oz star Danielle Wade to play Cinderella in Ross Petty panto . Toronto Star . 15 June 2023 . 8 August 2014.
  9. Web site: Doucet . Bill . Danielle Wade makes Anne Shirley her own . Peterborough Examiner . 15 June 2023 . 7 October 2015.
  10. Web site: Tomasek . Keith . Blyth Wilson, Danielle Wade to star in Drayton’s Mamma Mia! . Stratford Festival Reviews . 15 June 2023 . 7 March 2016.
  11. Web site: Doucet . Bill . Everybody cut Footloose: Favourite musical comes to Dunfield . Cambridge Times . 16 June 2023 . 13 October 2016.
  12. Web site: Doucet . Bill . Joseph brings his dreamcoat to Dunfield Theatre Cambridge . Hamilton News . 15 June 2023 . 23 February 2017.
  13. Web site: 'Beauty and the Beast' almost sold out . Cambridge Times . 16 June 2023 . 21 November 2017.
  14. Web site: Fricker . Karen . Musical brings joy after bomb threat . The Hamilton Spectator . 15 June 2023 . 31 May 2018.
  15. Web site: Gilbert . Ryan . Mean Girls' Danielle Wade on Bringing the 'Quirky, Feisty, Funny' Cady Heron Across the Country . Broadway.com . 15 June 2023 . 29 February 2020.
  16. Web site: McPhee . Ryan . Full Cast Set for National Tour of Mean Girls Musical . Playbill . 14 June 2023 . 15 August 2019.
  17. Web site: Meyer . Dan . Mean Girls Tour Returns November 2, Starring Danielle Wade, Adante Carter, More . Playbill . 14 June 2023 . 2 November 2021.
  18. Web site: Gans . Andrew . Corbin Bleu and Danielle Wade Will Lead Cast of Goodspeed's Summer Stock Musical . Playbill . 14 June 2023 . 5 May 2023.
  19. Web site: Danielle & Will . TheKnot . 14 June 2023.
  20. Web site: Summer Stock . Goodspeed Musicals . 14 May 2024.
  21. Web site: Wild . Stephi . Liam Tobin, Danielle Wade, and Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane Join World Premiere Of Chris, Mrs in Toronto . BroadwayWorld . 18 October 2023 . 4 October 2023.