Summer Strallen

Strallen was born in London in 1985 and has been dancing since she was 18 months old. She has three sisters who are also actresses: Saskia, Zizi and Scarlett.{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article1085807.ece|title=Scarlett and Summer Strallen|accessdate=12 September 2008|work=Times Online | date=1 October 2006}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{subscription required}} Her parents, performers Sandy Strallen and Cherida Langford, both performed in the original London production of Cats, but had met prior to this show. Bonnie Langford[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-news/5531484/Bonnie-Langford-to-return-to-Broadway.html Bonnie Langford to return to Broadway] The Telegraph, 14 June 2009 is Summer's maternal aunt. Christopher Biggins is one of her Godparents.

Summer trained at The Arts Educational Schools London with her three sisters, and for one year at Laine Theatre Arts.{{cite web

|url=http://www.laine-theatre-arts.co.uk/graduates.php

|title=Graduates

|accessdate=10 June 2012

|work=Laine Theatre Arts }} She has been involved in the West End productions of Cats, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Guys and Dolls and The Boy Friend (for which she was nominated for the 2007 Olivier Award for Best Supporting Role in a Musical).{{cite news|title=The Big Interview: Summer Strallen |publisher=Official London Theatre |url=http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/interviews/view/item71620/ |date=5 July 2006 |accessdate=17 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110321010536/http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/interviews/view/item71620/ |archivedate=21 March 2011 }} During the Christmas season of 2006 she played the title role in the pantomime Dick Whittington and His Cat. She starred in The Drowsy Chaperone (for which she was nominated for the 2008 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical), alongside Elaine Paige.{{cite news | last=Nathan | first=John | title=London Hairspray Breaks Record With 11 Olivier Award Nominations | work=Playbill.com | url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114886.html | date=6 February 2008 | accessdate=10 February 2008 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080210064703/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114886.html | archivedate=10 February 2008 | df=dmy-all }}

It was announced on 4 January 2008 that Strallen would take over the role of "Maria" from Connie Fisher in Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End revival of The Sound of Music, starting from 26 February 2008.{{cite news | last=Nathan | first=John | title=Lloyd Webber Solves Maria Problem – Again | work=Playbill.com | url=http://www.playbill.com/article/lloyd-webber-solves-maria-problem-again-com-146577 | date=4 January 2008 | accessdate=5 January 2008 }} As part of a publicity campaign, some months earlier on 2 October 2007, Strallen had been "planted" in the soap opera Hollyoaks as character Summer Shaw.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7220626.stm | title=Webber plants Hollyoaks actress | publisher=BBC News | date=1 February 2008 | accessdate=1 February 2008 }} The character's storyline eventually involved her auditioning for, and being awarded, the role of Maria in The Sound of Music. Her character left Hollyoaks as Strallen debuted in the actual stage production of The Sound of Music at the London Palladium on 26 February 2008. For this role she was nominated for the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Takeover in a Role.[http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821228143290&title=WOS+Theatregoers%27+Choice+Nominees+Announced WOS Theatregoers' Choice Nominees Announced] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209055304/http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821228143290&title=WOS+Theatregoers%27+Choice+Nominees+Announced |date=9 December 2008 }} Whatsonstage.com, 5 December 2008 Strallen remained with the production until its closure on 21 February 2009.[http://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/12-2008/the-sound-of-music-confirms-closing-date-21-feb_18605.html|title=The Sound of Music Confirms Closing Date, 21 Feb] whatsonstage.com, 4 December 2008]

In December 2008, Strallen competed on a special West End edition of The Weakest Link and finished in second place.[http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8831229362377&title=West+End+Musical+Stars+Line+Up+for+Weakest+Link West End Musical Stars Line Up for Weakest Link] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616052001/http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8831229362377&title=West+End+Musical+Stars+Line+Up+for+Weakest+Link |date=16 June 2011 }} Whatsonstage.com, 28 December 2008

Strallen was cast as Meg Giry in the sequel to Phantom of the Opera called Love Never Dies, from February 2010 to March 2011 in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre.[https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Full-Cast-Announced-For-LOVE-NEVER-DIES-In-West-End-20091217 Full Cast Announced For LOVE NEVER DIES Premiere] Broadwayworld.com, 17 December 2009 For this role Strallen won the Broadwayworld.com UK Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical[http://broadwayworld.com/article/LOVE_NEVER_DIES_The_Big_Winner_In_First_BWWUK_Awards_20101122 LOVE NEVER DIES The Big Winner In First BWW:UK Awards!] BroadwayWorld.com, 22 November 2010 and was also nominated for the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.[http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831291348480/Whatsonstage.com+Awards+Nominees+Announced.html Whatsonstage.com Awards Nominees Announced] Whatsonstage.com, 3 December 2010 She also received another nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical for this role.[http://broadwayworld.com/article/2011_Olivier_Award_Nominations_Announced_LOVE_NEVER_DIES_and_AFTER_THE_DANCE_Lead_20110207_page2#ixzz1DILYwC4K 2011 Olivier Award Nominations Announced; LOVE NEVER DIES and AFTER THE DANCE Lead] BroadwayWorld.com, 7 February 2011

She created the Ginger Rogers role of Dale Tremont in the musical, Top Hat, which began a UK tour in August 2011.[http://www.playbill.com/article/tom-chambers-summer-strallen-to-star-in-irving-berlins-top-hat-in-the-uk-com-174107 Tom Chambers, Summer Strallen to Star in Irving Berlin's Top Hat in the U.K.] Playbill.com, 3 December 2010 The production began at the West End's Aldwych Theatre on 19 April 2012 and opened on 9 May 2012.[http://www.theatermania.com/london/news/11-2011/tom-chambers-summer-strallen-to-star-in-west-end-t_44667.html Tom Chambers, Summer Strallen to Star in West End Transfer of Top Hat] Theater Mania, 11 November 2011 Interview with Summer Strallen (Dale Tremont in Top Hat)[https://www.londontheatre1.com/index.php/25563/interview-with-summer-strallen-dale-tremont-in-top-hat/"Interview with Summer Strallen], LondonTheatre1.com, 7 July 2012 For this role she earned her fourth Olivier Award nomination. She also went on tour with Strictly Come Dancing'' professional Anton Du Beke, performing both songs and dances to audiences around Britain.

On 30 May 2015, she began playing the role of Maud Marshmoreton, in a musical adaptation of the novel A Damsel in Distress at the Chichester Festival Theatre.{{cite web | url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/chichester-theatre/news/richard-fleeshman-summer-strallen-damsel-in-distress_37569.html | title=Cast announced for A Damsel in Distress musical | publisher=Whats On Stage | work=whatsonstage.com | date=13 April 2015 | accessdate=30 May 2015}} Strallen portrayed Inga in the London production of Young Frankenstein, which premiered at Theatre Royal, Newcastle in August 2017 and then transferred the following month to the Garrick Theatre.{{cite web|author=Cole, Emily |url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/188344/hadley-fraser-summer-strallen-more-to-star-in-londons-young-frankenstein/ |title=Hadley Fraser, Summer Strallen & More to Star in London's Young Frankenstein |publisher=Broadway.com |date=21 April 2017 |accessdate=2017-04-22}}

In 2019 she played Alice in Intra Muros at the Park Theatre, followed by playing Anna in the UK tour of What's in a Name?.

For winter 2021, she will make her debut at the Royal Shakespeare Company as the Countess in the new musical The Magician's Elephant.

Strallen voiced the part of "Princess Lucy" in The Big Knights, a British animated children and adult’s television series.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

Summer played the role of Nancy Morrell in BBC One's World War Two drama Land Girls broadcast in September 2009.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

She also played the role of Summer Shaw in Channel 4's soap Hollyoaks, in which she was planted as a character in the show to publicise the West End Show The Sound of Music. Summer's character won herself the part of Maria in The Sound of Music, while Summer actually was preparing to play the part in real life.{{cn|date=April 2023}} In April 2023, she appeared in an episode of the BBC soap opera Doctors as Jemma Dunham.{{cite news |last1=Timblick |first1=Simon |title=Doctors spoilers: Rob Hollins struggles in the aftermath of Karen's death... |url=https://www.whattowatch.com/spoilers/doctors-spoilers-rob-hollins-struggles-in-the-aftermath-of-karens-death |access-date=19 April 2023 |work=What to Watch |publisher=(Future plc)}}

In 2008 Strallen recorded a song for the CD Act One – Songs From The Musicals Of Alexander S. Bermange, an album of 20 brand new recordings by 26 West End stars, released in November 2008 on Dress Circle Records. She can also be heard on the Love Never Dies cast recording as Meg Giry.

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20061024100828/http://www.reallyuseful.com/rug/shows/cats/cast/SummerVStrallen.htm 2001 Cats Biog] The Really Useful Group

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Category:Living people

Category:English stage actresses

Category:English musical theatre actresses

Category:1985 births

Category:Actresses from London

Category:English women singers

Category:English voice actresses

Category:English television actresses

Category:English female dancers

Category:People educated at the Arts Educational Schools

Category:Singers from London

Category:English soap opera actresses

Category:English child actresses

Category:20th-century English actresses

Category:21st-century English actresses