Rachel Not Heading For Broadway.....Yet

Put those holiday plans to the US on hold. Rachel has confirmed on Twitter that the rumours circulating about a possible Wicked London/Broadway cast swap are definitely false.

That's bad news for Broadway but good news for my bank balance.

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Rachel's feeling a little under the weather at the moment, so feel free to tweet her your best wishes.

Vote For Rachel - The Final Push

Right guys and gals it's the final week to vote for Rachel in the 2011 Whatsonstage.com Awards, the “theatregoers’ choice”. Voting ends 31st Jan.

As previousy mentioned Rachel has been short listed in the 'Best Takeover in a Role' category.

Now we all know Rachel should win this award but a few crazy people are inexplicably voting for someone else so our girl needs your support.

They have now hidden the latest results on the WOS website but Rachel's been 1st or 2nd from the day voting began and stands a real chance of winning with your help. You can make a difference.

Remember multiple votes from the same computer don't count but feel free to persuade - or bribe - friends, family members and colleagues to vote for our girl.

Below is a direct link to the voting page. Please vote before it's too late.

VOTE FOR RACHEL

You can also vote for Wicked as the best West End show.

Rachel Drawing By Richard Payne

New Team Tucker member Richard Payne from the USA sent us this excellent drawing of our beautiful Rachel.

Thanks Richard and welcome to the team.

Questions For Rachel

I'm hoping to make another trip to the Apollo Victoria - my second home - in a few weeks time but I know you don't want to read yet another Andy review saying the same old things; we already know Rachel and Wicked are both amazing.

I therefore thought it would be a good idea to think up 5 or 6 questions to ask Rachel at the stage door and post her answers on the blog when I return. Now this is where you guys come in, I'd like you to come up with the questions.

Basically send me your questions by either leaving a comment or via email and I'll randomly select 5 or 6 before I make my trip to London.

Email: andrew@gasattack.wanadoo.co.uk

Please remember it will be about 11:00pm on what could be a freezing cold or very wet February night so they need to be questions to which Rachel can give a quick short answer.

Rachel Won't Be At Album Signing

As Dan mentioned in the original post, due to work commitments Rachel will not now be attending the album signing.

Whether this has anything to do with the mysterious 'exciting news' she tweeted about recently we're not sure.

The Broadway cast swap story would appear to be just a rumour.

Rachel Heading For Broadway?

This has not been confirmed but according to Wussey.com, Wicked London and Wicked Broadway are set to do the first ever 'cast swap', with ALL principles swapping roles for a 2 week celebration both sides of the Atlantic this summer.

Rachel Tucker and Louise Dearman will tread the boards at the Gershswin Theatre on Broadway, while Teal Wicks and Katie Rose Clarke will tread the Apollo Victoria's!

As I said this is not confirmed but Rachel did tweet on Jan 15th that she'd had some exciting news.

As soon as we hear anything official we'll let you know.

WUSSEY.COM LINK

What do you think guys? Any truth in this rumour? If true, will you be heading to Broadway?

Rachel's Official Website Now Live

After some last minute tweaking Rachel's amazing new official website is now up and running.

David emailed me a few minutes ago and we both agree it's a truly breath-taking site, fitting of such a special lady.

Visit the gallery to see some stunning unseen photos or try out the unique voice show reel feature. You will even find links to this very blog - thanks Rachel.

What are you waiting for, check it out NOW!

RACHEL'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Vote For Rachel Reminder

The nominations in the 2011 Whatsonstage.com Awards, the “theatregoers’ choice”, were announced recently and you can vote for Rachel in the 'Best Takeover in a Role' category by clicking on the below link.

VOTE FOR RACHEL

Multiple votes from the same computer wont count but feel free to persuade friends or colleagues to vote for our girl.

You can also vote for Wicked as the best West End show.

Another 'Hunger Project' Pic

The Hunger Project Pictures

Yesterday Rachel appeared in the a gala concert at the Apollo Victoria Theatre - Dionne Warwick and Friends - to promote World Hunger Day.

Nobody from the blog was able to be there last night but I have come accross a few pictures which I thought deserved a post.

The picture above is of an excited Rachel and Louise just before they're due to go on stage. Rachel admitted on Twitter that she was actual a little star struck at being introduced by Dionne Warwick. Now she knows how I feel when I meet her at the stage door.

The official event pictures below show a stunning Rachel and Louise on stage.

If any of our readers were lucky enough to be at this special event we'd be delighted to feature your reviews on the blog.

'More With Every Line' Album Signing

A quick post to let you know that Rachel will be attending an album signing for the Tim Prottey-Jones CD 'More With Every Line'.

It will take place @Dress Circle on Saturday 12th February, starting at 11:30am.

Click on the picture at the top of this post for more details.

Monday Opening For Rachel's Website

Rachel has tweeted that her new official website should go live sometime tomorrow - Monday 10th Jan. As soon as it does, the below link will take you straight to it:

RACHEL'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Check it out!

I've also just added a fan run Twitter page to our list of Rachel sites - see links on the right of the blog. Another source of information to help keep you up to date with everything Rachel.

'Love Shine A Light'

I'm pretty sure we featured this video on the blog back in 2009 but Rachael - not Rachel! - sent me the link this morning and it's such a stunning performance that I decided to post it again. Rachel was representing 'We Will Rock You' at West End Eurovision 2009.

'More With Every Line' Album Review

Team Tucker member Laura Roberts was kind enough to send us this mini review of the brilliant new album "More With Every Line - The Music Of Tim Prottey-Jones", which as previously mentioned features our very own Rachel.

For Christmas, I got a £15 Amazon gift voucher from my granddad, and I was on the site almost instantly. I had read loads about the album 'More With Every Line: The Music of Tim Prottey-Jones' and was desperate to get it, especially as it had our Rachel on it. So I ordered it during the Christmas holidays, and it arrived on the 6th of January. It only took two days to get here! It was so tempting to just skip to track 13 to listen to Rachel's 'Rain on Me', but I dilligently listened to the other twelve. I have to say, all of the songs are stunning- particular highlights were Louise Dearman's 'Fallen', Jessie Buckley's 'I Will be There' and Samantha Barks' 'Strong Without You'. So there I was, buzzing with excitement, whilst waiting for number 13. Unlucky for some, but not for me!! 'Rain on Me' starts with a thunder rumble (very dramatic!) and then a piano plays. Then, the moment that I had been waiting for: Rachel's voice. Just spine-tingly and gorgeous :) She starts softly and then it just builds up. Her range is incredible! She goes way down low at some points, and then in the middle bit she goes very high! Maybe a high A? Overall, the song is just in a different league. After listening to it three times in a row (I would have listened to it many more times but I had to go to Youth Orchestra!) I decided that this is probably the best Rachel has sung... EVER! My compliments to Tim Prottey-Jones for creating such beautiful music. If you don't have the album I suggest you get it A.S.A.P! It's £13.99 VERY well spent!

Andy's Perfect Start To 2011

Back in November I started to think about the new year and as it drew closer I thought what better way to start 2011 than with another trip to Oz. So I logged on to Ticketmaster and managed to secure an excellent seat in Row E of the stalls.

What I hadn’t actually thought of was how I might feel on the morning of Jan 1st. My plans for a sober night didn’t quite work out but I somehow managed to drag myself out of bed and get myself on the road to London. Thankfully I seemed to feel better as the day went on and by the time I approached the Apollo Victoria I was too excited to feel ill.

It was another superb show with the full cast present. I wont go into great detail as I know I’ve said it all before but even now I’m picking up new amazing things that Rachel brings to the role of Elphaba,

Her acting during ‘Loathing’ is nothing short of sensational. I was in stitches as she flicked her glasses up and down, went cross eyed and stuck her tongue out at Glinda, who was prancing around with her Shiz classmates on the other side of the stage.

It also has to be said that she has really perfected the wicked witch laugh, it’s enough to give you nightmares lol.

I braved the cold after the show to meet Rachel at the stage door and she was as lovely as always and was kind enough to chat with me for some time despite the freezing temperatures.

I didn’t get a picture because I forgot my camera and the one on my phone is rubbish but trust me when I say she looked incredible. Particularly loving the boots and hat Rachel.

She did inform me of some exciting news that she is having a professional official website set up and it should go live later this month. She was almost apologetic because I think she felt David and I might be disappointed but Rachel is a superstar now and really should have her own site. I can’t wait to see it and will of course add a prominent link on the blog.

Don’t panic, the blog will continue to run as David and I enjoy showing our support to such a special lady and interacting with her equally special fans, but now you’ll have 2 excellent sources of information to keep up to date with everything Rachel. She still reads the blog regularly and actually commented on the ‘Accelerator’ clip that I’d only posted earlier that day.

Going to Wicked and meeting Rachel was the perfect start to 2011 and I’m already looking forward to my next trip which I’m hoping will be sometime in February.

Accelerator Clip

As you may remember if you've followed the blog since we began, Rachel made a brief appearance as a nurse in a filmed called 'Accelerator' back in 1999.

It was about a Belfast man, who steals cars for a living, dreams of retiring to Barcelona. He finds himself in conflict with a crazed gangster, who desires the first man's girl friend. The two decide to settle the situation with a race run with 12 of their friends. The trick is that they have to steal the cars for the race.

One of our readers - Rebecca - was kind enough to upload that small section of the film to You Tube.

Yes, Rachel was blonde!