Leanne Cope
{{Short description|British dancer, actress and singer}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Leanne Cope
| image = Leanne Cope in 2016.jpg
| alt = 33 year old Caucasian lady with short hair and a happy smile
| caption = Cope in 2016
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|9|13|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Bath, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| other_names =
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Ballet dancer
- Actress
}}
| years_active =
| spouse = Paul Kay
| children = 1
| known_for =
| notable_works =
}}
Leanne Michelle Cope (born September 13, 1983) is an English ballet dancer and theatre actress. She achieved prominence as First Artist for The Royal Ballet, after training in the Royal Ballet School and graduating in 2003.
In 2015, she originated the role of Lise Dassin in the original Broadway production of An American in Paris, a role originated in film by Leslie Caron. She had previously played the role in the Théâtre du Châtelet. Her performance was critically acclaimed, and Cope received both Drama Desk and Tony Award nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.
Early life and education
Cope was born in Bath, and began dancing at the age of five. She first trained at The Dorothy Colebourn School of Dance before joining The Royal Ballet Lower School at the age of 11,{{Cite web |url=http://www.roh.org.uk/people/leanne-cope |title= Leanne Cope – People – Royal Opera House |accessdate= 9 May 2015}} and started taking ballet seriously at the age of 15.{{cite web| url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/180221/an-american-in-paris-star-leanne-cope-on-auditioning-in-the-shower-her-trashy-tv-obsession/ |title= An American in Paris Star Leanne Cope on Auditioning in the Shower & Her Trashy TV Obsession |date=2 April 2015 | website=Broadway.com |publisher=Broadway.com |accessdate= 9 May 2015}}
Acting career
After graduating, Cope became a dancer for The Royal Ballet, and in 2009 she became First Artist of the company. The choreographer Liam Scarlett called her "a presence on stage like no other".
In 2014, while dancing in The Royal Ballet's Swan Lake, Cope was spotted by Christopher Wheeldon, who was looking for a leading actress for his stage version of the film An American in Paris. Having heard that Cope sang at school, Wheeldon asked her to sing for him. Cope sang "The Man I Love", and was cast in the role of Lise.{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2015/05/07/leanne-copes-surprising-leap-from-ballerina-to-tony-nominated-broadway-star/ |title=Leanne Cope's surprising leap from ballerina to Tony-nominated Broadway star |last1=Kaufman |first1=Sarah |date=7 May 2015 |work=The Washington Post|access-date=9 May 2015}} While preparing for the role, she met with Leslie Caron, who originated the role of Lise in the 1951 film, to discuss the character.{{cite web |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/an-american-in-paris-leanne-cope-on-a-fateful-meeting-with-leslie-caron-the-allure-of-french-women-and-love-in-the-age-of-tinder-343473 |title=An American in Paris' Leanne Cope on a Fateful Meeting with Leslie Caron, The Allure of French Women and Love in the Age of Tinder |last1=Purcell |first1=Cary |work=Playbill |access-date= 9 May 2015}} The show, also starring Robert Fairchild as Jerry, opened on 12 April,{{Cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/dec/08/an-american-in-paris-christopher-wheeldon-gene-kelly|title = Return to rive gauche: how Christopher Wheeldon adapted An American in Paris|last = Mackrell|first = Judith|date = 8 December 2014|work = The Guardian}} and Cope received praise for her performance. In a review, David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Cope "has delicacy and charm; she's a confident singer, and while there's only a passing physical resemblance, her diminutive size and that chic French bob subtly recall Caron."{{Cite web| url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/an-american-paris-theater-review-788025 |title='An American in Paris': Theater Review |last1=Rooney |first1=David |access-date= 9 May 2015}} In 2016, it was announced that An American in Paris will be heading to the West End, with both Fairchild and Cope reprising their roles. The musical began previews on 4 March 2017.{{Cite web| url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/184616/bonjour-london-robert-fairchild-leanne-cope-will-headline-west-end-production-of-an-american-in-paris/ |title=Bonjour, London! Robert Fairchild & Leanne Cope Will Headline West End Production of An American in Paris |last1=Lloyd Webber |first1=Imogen |access-date= 26 June 2016}}
Awards and nominations
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|4431711}}
- {{IBDB name|497702}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cope, Leanne}}
Category:21st-century British actresses
Category:20th-century British ballet dancers
Category:21st-century British ballet dancers
Category:British musical theatre actresses
Category:Dancers of The Royal Ballet
Category:Actors educated at the Royal Ballet School