Wayne Sleep appears on GB News
4 years ago
United Kingdom Dave Willetts has established himself as a distinguished actor and singer in musical theatre, performing in key roles across numerous West End and touring productions.
Dave Willetts is represented by Intertalent Group, highlighting his status as a leading musical theatre star with over 25 years in the industry.
The official website for Dave Willetts, detailing news such as his starring role as Newman Carter in the musical 'OUT THERE'.
Dave Willetts has worked alongside Mestre Esteves for over 15 years to promote Rio samba in the UK, being the first person to do so.
Dave Willetts was featured in news for leading the cast of 'Pure Imagination' alongside Siobhan McCarthy and Julie Atherton.
An interview feature with Dave Willetts discussing his role as Old Deuteronomy in Cats and his musical interests.
BroadwayWorld frequently covers Dave Willetts's career, including his roles, news updates, and award nominations, such as his Olivier Award nomination for 'Sunset Boulevard'.
Dave Willetts was born on June 24, 1952, in Birmingham, England. His early years included attending Cottesbrooke Infants primary school and Sheldon Heath Comprehensive. After leaving school at 16, he became an apprentice at Girling Brakes in Cwmbran, Wales, later moving to Pontypool. Willetts developed an interest in amateur dramatics, joining the New Venture Players in Newport and later the Leamington and Warwick Operatic Society. His performance as ‘Charlie Gordon’ in an amateur production of ‘Flowers for Algernon’ at the Priory Theatre in Kenilworth garnered positive reviews and brought him to the attention of Bob Hamlyn, artistic director of the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry. In his early thirties, Willetts transitioned from a quality manager role at British Leyland to pursue acting, working part-time as a waiter while his wife, Lyn, worked as a childminder.
His professional career began in the chorus of London’s original West End production of ‘Les Misérables’, where he quickly became an understudy for Jean Valjean, taking over the lead role in 1986. The following year, in 1987, Willetts succeeded Michael Crawford as The Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ at Her Majesty’s Theatre. He later reprised the role in Manchester and on the UK tour, receiving an Evening News Theatre Award for his performance. In 1990, he originated a role opposite Petula Clark in the musical ‘Someone Like You’.
Throughout his career, Willetts has taken on numerous lead roles, including Sweeney Todd in Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’, Old Deuteronomy in the 20th-anniversary production of ‘Cats’, and Jean Valjean in the 10th-anniversary production of ‘Les Misérables’ in Sydney, Australia. He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical for his role as Max in a 2008 production of ‘Sunset Boulevard’. More recently, he appeared in ‘Mia and Me: The Hero of Centopia’ in 2022 and played Sir George Dillingham in a 2023 West End revival of ‘Aspects of Love’ at the Lyric Theatre.
Curious about our offerings or have inquiries? We're eager to assist!
Just complete the form, and we'll respond promptly.
