Gay Soper Explained

Gay Soper
Nationality:English
Alma Mater:London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Birth Name:Gay Soper
Birth Place:Sanderstead Surrey[1]
Occupation:Actress and singer
Years Active:1965 - present
Known For:Acting in Godspell (1971 play)
Narrating The Flumps (children's television)
Singing of Les Misérables (symphonic recording)
Spouse:Barry Stokes (actor) 1975 - ? (divorced, 1 child)[2]

Gay Soper is an English actress and singer. Her career includes singing Turn Back, O Man in the original 1971 London production of Godspell. She sang the role of Madam Thenardier on the complete symphonic recording of Les Misérables and she narrated and voiced all the characters in the children's television show The Flumps.[3]

Education

Soper was trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art between 1963 and 1965.[4]

Theatrical career

Soper was an alternate Eliza Doolittle on the original UK tour of My Fair Lady in 1965. She was later cast in the original 1971 London production of the musical Godspell, alongside Jeremy Irons, David Essex, Julie Covington and Marti Webb.[5] The production opened at The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm and later transferred to Wyndhams Theatre.

In 1974 she appeared as one of the two girlfriends in the original London production of the musical Billy, with lyrics by Don Black and music by John Barry, based on the story of Billy Liar. Billy was played by Michael Crawford and the other girlfriend by Elaine Paige.

Her other theatre work includes the second production of Good;[6] Mother Courage (National Theatre); and Sunday in the Park with George,[7] Jorrocks, The Canterbury Tales, Side by Side by Sondheim, The Mitford Girls, Les Misérables, Which Witch, and Salad Days (West End).[8] She was in the original cast of the 1970s musical Betjemania based on the poems of John Betjeman.[9] [10] In 2010, she appeared with Opera della Luna as Little Buttercup in Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore.

In 2011 at the Brighton Festival she played Rattigan’s mother Vera in The Art of Concealment, a new play; and toured the UK as Norah in Star Quality by Noël Coward, as Matron in Doctor In The House, as Verity Carr in Morse, in House of Ghosts, and as Helena in Maurice’s Jubilee by Nichola MacAuliffe. She was Mrs Pearce in My Fair Lady at Kilworth House Theatre, 2013; Gay later played Mrs Higgins in the musical on a tour of Denmark. At the Birmingham Rep she was the Storyteller in Stiles and Drew’s new musical version of Peter Pan,[11] and Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret at Frankfurt; played in Cole in Hong Kong, Betjemania and Narnia in New York, and Ruth in Blithe Spirit in Stockholm, and Cherry May Waterton in Coward's Nude with Violin at the Royal Exchange Manchester for Marianne Elliott.

In 2008, Soper performed the lead role of Sister Wendy Beckett in Postcards from God - The Sister Wendy Musical at Hackney Empire Studio and reprised the role for the concept cast recording in 2010.[12]

In 2012 she received plaudits for her performance in The Busy Body at the Southwark Playhouse in London.[13]

Soper appeared in the original production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the Gielgud Theatre in London.[14]

Recorded musical career

Soper sung the role of Madam Thenardier on the complete symphonic recording of Les Misérables.[15] Her solo album, Flying Fish and Fallen Angels, was released on the Dress Circle label and featured special guest Barry James.[16]

Film and television career

Soper's film roles include an appearance as "blond girl in bed" in Love Is a Splendid Illusion (1970) and a lead role as "Maisie" in The Ups and Downs of a Handyman (1975).[17]

She appeared in the third and fourth series of Romany Jones.[18] She also appeared alongside Sid James as Angela "hot pants" in Bless This House.[19]

Selected filmography

Personal life

Soper is married to actor Barry Stokes. They had a son, Matthew Stokes (1976–2009), who was also an actor.[21]

Bibliography

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0814629/
  2. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0814629/
  3. Book: Storey . Neil R. . The Little Book of Great Britain . 31 January 2012 . . 978-0-7524-8245-3 . 68 . 11 January 2023 . en . 27 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230427152555/https://books.google.com/books?id=UXM7AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT68 . live .
  4. Web site: About . 2023-01-11 . Gay Soper . en-US . 11 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230111212725/http://www.gaysoper.com/about . live .
  5. Web site: Shenton . Mark . Original London Cast Members of Godspell, Including Marti Webb, Gay Soper, to Join David Essex for Concert Production . . 13 January 2023 . 11 March 2014 . 13 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230113193844/https://www.playbill.com/article/original-london-cast-members-of-godspell-including-marti-webb-gay-soper-to-join-david-essex-for-concert-production-com-215843?jwsource=cl . live .
  6. Book: Taylor . C. P. . Good' & 'A Nightingale Sang' . 3 January 2014 . . 978-1-4081-6204-0 . 11 January 2023 . en . 27 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230427152542/https://books.google.com/books?id=6T9DAgAAQBAJ&q=gay%20soper . live .
  7. News: Billington . Michael . Review - Sunday in the Park with George . 12 January 2023 . . 1 December 2005 . 12 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230112190129/https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/dec/01/theatre . live .
  8. Phil Hewitt, Happy memories as Gay Soper returns to Chichester Festival Theatre, Sussex Express, Aug 8 2022
  9. Dietz, D. (2010). Off Broadway Musicals, 1910-2007: Casts, Credits, Songs, Critical Reception and Performance Data of More Than 1,800 Shows. Ukraine: McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers.
  10. Stewart, J. (2012). Broadway Musicals, 1943-2004. United States: McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers.
  11. Web site: Gardner . Lyn . Review - Peter Pan . . 12 January 2023 . 7 December 2007 . 12 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230112185732/https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2007/dec/07/theatre.pantoseason . live .
  12. Web site: Bates . Stephen . People . . 12 January 2023 . 20 February 2008 . 12 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230112082345/https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2008/feb/20/3 . live .
  13. Web site: Billington . Michael . The Busy Body – review . . 12 January 2023 . 18 September 2012 . 12 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230112084109/https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/sep/18/the-busy-body-theatre-review . live .
  14. Web site: Casting Announcement: The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time. Limited. London Theatre Direct. 2014-04-04. www.londontheatredirect.com. en. 2020-03-06. 12 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230112082751/https://www.londontheatredirect.com/news/casting-announcement-the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time. live.
  15. Miletich, L. N. (1993). Broadway's Prize-winning Musicals: An Annotated Guide for Libraries and Audio Collectors. United Kingdom: Haworth Press. p129
  16. Web site: Gay Soper Flying Fish and Fallen Angels . Dress Circle . 12 January 2023 . 12 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230112193336/https://www.dresscircle.london/gay-soper-flying-fish-and-fallen-angels-cd-3744-p.asp . live .
  17. Web site: Gay Soper. BFI. 19 December 2021. 19 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211219151118/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba6d912cd. dead.
  18. Web site: Romany Jones Cast and Crew Credits. British Comedy. Guide. British Comedy Guide. 19 December 2021. 19 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211219151118/https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/romany_jones/cast_crew/. live.
  19. Web site: The Generation Gap (1971). BFI. British Film Institute. 19 December 2021. 19 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211219151121/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6f632112. dead.
  20. Mallett, M. (2012). The Primary English Encyclopedia: The Heart of the Curriculum. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.
  21. Book: Maxford . Howard . Hammer Complete The Films, the Personnel, the Company . 2019 . McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers . 9781476629148 . 767 . 11 January 2023 . 12 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230412161718/https://books.google.com/books?id=lfp1DwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Gay+soper%22&pg=PA767 . live .

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