JULIE ATHERTON, Preston (England) 1978

Her professional debut was playing the role of Iris Bentley in the critically acclaimed new musical Let Him Have Justice at the Covent Garden Festival.

Other Theatre credits include  the role of Sophie in MAMMA MIA! making her West End debut at the Prince Edward Theatre. It was then off on the national tour of FAME as Serena Katz. Julie is a founder member of the company of Notes from New York - a groundbreaking series of shows bringing work from US composers to the West End stage. Having performed in four of the five Notes from New York shows to date, she recently reprised her role as Serena in the West End production of FAME . Julie has most recently played the leading role of Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut in the West End premiere of Broadway hit AVENUE Q. Julie has also just released her debut album "A Girl of Few Words".

Currently she is rehearsing for a new musical ONCE UPON A TIME AT ADELPHI, that will open at Liverpool Playhouse next June, and she will perform in a gala concert to celebrate 25 years of collaboration of the song-writing team George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

- The first musical you saw and/or most impressed you: The first musical I ever saw was Joseph and his amazing technicoloured dream coat and as I kid I thought it was so exciting and colourful, but the musical that really impressed and inspired me was Miss Saigon! I used to sing the songs in my bedroom over and over and when I finally got to go to London and see it I wasn’t disappointed!

- Webber o Sondheim? Sondheim.

- London or New York? I’ve never been to New York.

- Do you keep the programmes of the musicals you watch? I keep them if I buy them (which isn’t very often).

- The worst moment you’ve had live on the stage was: (as a performer and/or as a spectator) Getting stage fright was my worst moment… which you get whilst doing a long running show! After doing it for so long suddenly you doubt yourself that you know it and then you realize everyones looking at you and you haven’t said anything yet! Usually the audience don’t notice but it feels like an eternity to you! I’ve also missed a whole scene before because I was day dreaming in my dressing room…that was scary!

- An unforgettable moment: (as a performer and/or as a spectator) As I was running on to take a bow I slipped and my shoe went flying into the air and hit an audience member in the head!

- Do you have any superstitions before the opening night? No I try not to…but sometimes after a while of doing a show I have a favourite hair clip or pair of tights that I will only wear when I have people in or when I know I really have to impress! Or if someone usually says something to me and one day they don’t then I panic that I’ll have a bad show! Silly really!

- A musical character that you would like to BE (not perform): Kate monster – SHE ROCKS!

- A character of your opposite sex that you would like to perform: Probably the male lead in PARADE by Jason Robert Brown.

- What do you like best/least about your work? Not knowing what you’ll be doing next is both the worst and the most exciting!

- What is your favorite musical movie?  THE LITTLE MERMAID or THE LION KING!

- The last CD/DVD related to Musicals that you have bought is: SPRING AWAKENING.

- What is your favorite line from a musical: Too hard.

- Agree or disagree with TV Shows finding new Musical Stars: Mostly disagree! I wouldn’t mind if the winner just got the job and we all moved on, but when all the runners up go into roles that they’re not very good at just to get bums on seats, then it drives me mad! Its great that its getting more people to come and see musicals but I feel the quality is slipping because of it!

- You feel proud of: My friends and family for always believing in me.

- Of this moment you’re living as an actress, the most important thing to you is: Working on things because I believe in them not because I think they might make me famous! And making sure that I don’t sacrifice my real life for the sake of a job- friends and family are the most important thing to me ever!

- Other projects you are working on: ONCE UPON A TIME AT THE ADELPHI at the Liverpool Playhouse (and various workshops of new musicals).