Ben's Bio

Ben Richards's Bio (Tony Manero) Joanne Farrell's Bio (Stephanie Mangano) Mark McGee's Bio (Bobby C) Nina French's Bio (Annette) Richard Calkin's Bio (Monty) Daryn Crosbie's Bio (Joey) David Sellings's Bio (Double J) Richard Woodford's Bio (Gus)

Ben Richards - Tony

Ben trained at Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom, Surrey studying Musical Theatre for 3 years. He was then seen in the pantomine Babes In The Wood with Frank Bruno. In the West End he has been seen in Smokey Joe's Cafe as Ben (Prince Of Wales Theatre), Pish Tish in Hot Mikado (Queen's Theatre), Terry and later Kenickie in Grease (Dominion Theatre), Kevin in Meet The Boys (Players Theatre), and The Royal Variety Performance at the Dominion Theatre. His other theatre credits include touring with Marti Webb in The Magic Of The Musicals (available on Video and CD), and with Sacha Distel and Rosemarie Ford in The Golden Songs Of The Silver Screen. He played Grosvenor in Radio Times (Queens Theatre), Scott in Up On The Roof (Queens Theatre, Hornchurch), Ted Theodore Logan in An Excellent Adventure (Drury Lane), Simon in Sensation (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane) and as Prince in Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley. Ben appears on the soundtracks for Grease, Hot Mikado and Julie and the Cadillacs. He recently released a single from Julie and the Cadillacs called "Maybe". Television Credits include the BBC comedy Dad (Tod), The Des O'Connor Show, London Tonight, Live and Kicking, Vanessa, GMTV, Big Stage, Night Fever, CBBC, & Brookside. His film credits include Mark in Bring Me The Head Of Mavis Davis and Mike in the 60's Rock and Roll musical film Julie and the Cadillacs. Other film credits include; Even After All (Paul), Smile (Tristan), and Perceptions (Lover). Julie and the Cadillacs He is currently busy writing and recording in collaboration with various other song writers. Ben has appeared in many magazines, The August 1999 issue of Company in which there is a very revealing interview. He was in the October issue of B magazine along with John Clarke, Daryn Crosbie, Richard Woodford and David Sellings. He appeared in OK Magazine with Jo Farrell in which he revealed he drives a black Mini! More recently he's been in Company and Cosmo. You can write to Ben at his fan club address: 3 Alleyne Way, Elmer Sands, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO22 6JZ. He is very good with his fans, usually replying to them with a letter and/or email. Ben went on to the UK tour of Saturday Night Fever.

Joanne went to of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. She recently completed a run playing "Ellie" in Hal Prince's award winning production of Showboat at the Prince Edward Theatre, where she was the only British member of a 56 strong Broadway cast!! Joanne made her West End debut at the age of 13 in Bugsy Malone at Her Majesty's Theatre. Jo's West End credits include Smokey Joe's Cafe - the original British cast (Prince of Wales Theatre), Sondheim Tonight (Barbican Theatre), "Ruby" in the BOC festival's revival of the cult musical Dames at Sea (Ambassador's), "Janet" in the Rocky Horror Picture Show (Duke of Yorks), "Marty" in Grease (Dominion), "Margaret" in Michael Blakemore's award winning City of Angels (Prince of Wales) "The Bonnet maker" in Mike Batt's Hunting of the Snark (Prince Edward) and Singin' in the Rain with Tommy Steele (London Palladium). National tours include: "Penny" in A Slice of Saturday Night, "Dorcas" in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, as well as The Greatest Shows in Town, Magic of Musicals with Marti Webb and Jesus Christ Superstar in Concert with Paul Nicholas. On television Joanne has recently appeared as "Jenny" in Boyz Unlimited, "Lisa" in the popular sitcom Loved by You, "Nurse Ursula" in Channel 5's Hospital and Zig and Zag's Dirty Deeds. Joanne also played "Trish" in What If? For Saturday Night Fever, Jo has appeared on Vanessa, CBBC & Night Fever. Jo can be seen with Ben in Bring Me The Head Of Mavis Davis, in this she played "Kirsty". The film is directed by John Henderson, and stars Rick Mayall and Jane Horrocks. Following playing "Stephanie" in the second London cast of Saturday Night Fever Joanne went on to appear in Crossroads as "Sarah-Jane Harvey", "Doctors", "London's Burning", "Cold Feet", "Steel River Blues" and also appeared in the musical Grease as "Sandy" along side Ben Richards.

Mark was born in Birmingham and trained locally at Rita Cashmoore School of Dance, Birmingham School of Speech and Drama and Birmingham Conservatoire for Voice (which is part of the University of Central England, Birmingham). His singing is Tenor (A to Bb) and his skills include gymnastics, acrobatics, unicycling and juggling!! It's true - he told us himself! He can also play the piano (Grade 7). His theatre career began at the age of 10 playing Oliver at Birmingham Alexandre Theatre. In 1989, Mark was in the Willy Russell musical play Our Day Out (Birmingham Repertory Theatre). Shortly afterwards he appeared with the Birmingham Royal Ballet in the production of Les Noces (ICC Symphony Hall). Mark then joined Pro-Am Productions to tour with Jerry Herman's musical sensation La Cage Aux Folles, playing "Phaedra". (Wimbledon Theatre, Wolverhampton Grand & Birmingham Hippodrome). He did a panto season in Sleeping Beauty (York Theatre Royal). His other theatre credits include: the original cast and album recording of Mack & Mabel (Leicester Haymarket & Piccadilly Theatre, London), the original cast of Summer Holiday creating the role of "Edwin" and was understudy for the part of Darren Day's part "Don" (Blackpool Opera House and national tour), "Rick" in A Slice of Saturday Night (Liverpool Empire), Man of La Mancha (Covent Garden Festival, BBC Radio 3), and Les Miserables (national tour) where he played "Montpanasse/Marius" opposite Colm Wilkinson. His Television work includes, Talking Telephone Numbers, Royal Variety Performance 1995 (Dominion Theatre, London), GMTV and Dreamworld for BBC 1. Mark can be seen in the Summer Holiday video which also stars Darren Day, Clare Buckfield and fellow SNF cast member David Sellings! Following his time as "Bobby C" in Saturday Night Fever, Mark has been busy in many other musicals including workshop productions of Closer To Heaven (by Pet Shop Boys & Jonathan Harvey) playing "Straight Dave", Taboo (by Boy George) playing "Marilyn" and Debbie Does Dallas. Theatre work has included "Amos" in Whistle Down The Wind (Aldwych Theatre, London), "Rusty" in the long running ALW musical Starlight Express (Apollo Victoria), "Marilyn" in Taboo, "Tony" in West Side Story and "Jimmy" in Thoroughly Modern Millie (Shaftesbury Theatre).

Nina graduated from the Arts Educational Schools, London in July 1993. Since leaving she has danced in and choreographed various shows and her theatre credits include: "Svetlana" in the Scandanavian tour of Chess, The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals at the Lyric Theatre Studio, Hammersmith and the national tour of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Nina was also the lead singer for the soul/techno band Stone Drive with which she toured venues in London and East Anglia. In the West End Nina has understudied and performed the role of "Ellen" in Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, she was a member of the original cast of the recent revival of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Lyceum Theatre, and recently played "Lamb Chops" in Fame both in the West End and in Oslo. Nina played "Annette" in the second London cast of Saturday Night Fever at the London Palladium. Since the end of SNF Nina has played "Rizzo" in the UK tour of the musical Grease, appeared in Brighton Rock and Aladdin.

Richard Calkin trained at Pattisons College, Coventry and in voice and movement at RADA. His first professional work was with Dougie Squires Second Generation as a soloist in cabaret and TV throughout Europe and the USA. His West End theatre work began as an original cast member of 42nd Street at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane then the RSC's Kiss Me Kate (Gremio), Miss Saigon, Matador (Louis), Budgie (Rinaldo), and Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (Levi/Pharoah). Associated with Grease from the beginning of its incredibly successful run, Richard first played "Sonny" then "Kenickie" and was excited to have taken over as "Danny Zuko" whom he continued to play in the transfer from the Dominion o the Cambridge Theatre. His TV work includes Pull the Other One (Action Time), Talking telephone numbers, Hale and Pace, The Royal Variety Show,This Morning, Win, Lose or Draw, Pebble Mill, The Russ Abbot Show, Rory Bremner, Aspel and Eastenders ("Fernando Lopez"). He is probably best known on television as "Paco" on Bruce Forsyth's Generation Game, where he appeared on many occassions partnering Bruce's wife Winelia. Richard has also appeared on television commercials home and abroad. He has also worked with such musical artists as Gloria Estefan, Barry Manilow, Shirley Bassey and Liza Minelli. Richard appeared in Boogie Nights at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley as "Dean" and in Aladdin at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend. Richard was seen in the advertisement titles for You've Been Framed, in which he was dressed as a Mexican or something!! Richard played "Monty" in Saturday Night Fever for two years in the West End, creating the role and appearing on the cast recording. He then went on to Eternal Flame, My One and Only and appeared in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside as "Fred". We heard that in 2003 he reprised his role of "Monty" on the Scandinavian tour of SNF! He can now be seen in "Hollyoaks" on Channel 4.

Daryn Crosbie comes from Dublin, Ireland. He started dancing at the Billie Barry Stage School and has since appeared in numerous stage and television productions throughout the country. These include Guys and Dolls at the Gaiety (Leicester) and JFK where he played "Fidel Castro". He has since been involved in the pantomime productions at the Gaiety for the past nine years, for which he was choreographer for the past three. Daryn has also worked on Second Ages adaptation of Othello. Other companies for which Daryn has danced include Irish Modern Dance , Coiseim and Daghda Dance Company. Daryn was "Cesar" in the original London production of SNF and then went on to play "Joey" in the second year of the show at the London Palladium.

David initially trained at the Barbara Speake Theatrical School and subsequently at the Urdang Academy in Covent Garden, completing his training in the summer of 1996. As a child he appeared in the films Yentl and Monty Python's Meaning Of Life (blink and you'll miss him!!!) His television credits include Hanger 17 (BBC), Mr Mijaca and Disney Adventures (ITV). He also appeared in Ary Bocs for Alfresco (Welsh TV). He has done an advert for Ciddona for Irish television and Kool Aid for broadcast in America. David has appeared as a soloist for the Pyro Space Ballet Jazz Comapny in Germany and the original Souls in Motion for the Youth Olympics. He has also been seen in Overture, played the role of "David Brackern" in Fifteen Streets in Eastbourne, and danced in the pantomime Peter Pan in Brighton. He was then in Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the Hexagon Theatre, Reading where he appeared with Mr. Motivator!! David has been in Fame (Oslo) and Summer Holiday (UK tour) where he was understudy for "Steve". More recently he appeared in Beauty And The Beast (Dominion Theatre, London), following this he was asked to perform in an MGM charity event, partnering Cyd Charisse at the London Palladium. David enjoys choreographing for other dancers, his credits include, London Leopards (Budweiser Basket Ball League Team) for Sky TV and the Urdang summer show 1998 at the Bloomsbury theatre, London. David was in B magazine (October 1999) along with Ben Richards, John Clarke, Daryn Crosbie and Richard Woodford. David has also been seen in many TV progs - Live and Kicking, GMTV, Big Stage and Night Fever. After playing "Double J"/first understudy "Tony" and "Bobby C" at the Palladium, David went on to appear in the UK tour.

Richard trained at Theresa Kerr's Bodywork Dance Studios in Cambridge on the 3 year musical theatre course graduating in 1995. His Credits include: "Don" in A Chorus Line, "Jesus" in Jesus Christ Superstar, "Tony" in West Side Story, "Lamar" in Godspell, Gotta Dance 2000 (Hackey Empire) and Claude Paul Henry's Aspects of Dance (Wimbledon Theatre). Richard was also an active member of the National Youth Music Theatre whose credits include: Poppy, Lighting the Candle and the original musical adaptation of Richard Attenborough and Bryan Forbe's Whistle Down the Wind which toured the country. Richard's theatre credits include: "Gad/The Butler" in the national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat with Phillip Schofield, "Victor", "Macavity", "Gus" (spooky!!) and "Mukustrap" in Cats (New London Theatre), "Lover/Harmonica Player" and "Captain Walker" in the national tour of The Who's Tommy. Richard made an appearance in B Magazine with Ben, David, Daryn and John whilst in SNF. Richard was in the original cast of Saturday Night Fever at the London Palladium, playiny "Mike". In the second year he went on to play "Gus" and understudy for "Bobby C" and "Tony". Following SNF, Richard went on to play "Marcos" in the new musical La Cava, "Bobo" and understudy "Electra" in Starlight Express, and is now appearing in the German Version of Starlight Express over in Bochum. Bio's taken from various SNF programs and the official SNF website