Editing Dave Willetts (section)

== Life and career ==
Director [[Trevor Nunn]] put Willetts into the chorus of [[London]]’s original [[West End theatre|West End]] production of ''[[Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables]]'' and within a year he was understudy to [[Colm Wilkinson]] in the lead role of [[Jean Valjean]], which Willetts eventually took over when Wilkinson left in 1986 to join the [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] company. 

In 1987, when [[Michael Crawford]] departed the London production of [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]]'s ''[[The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)|The Phantom of the Opera]]'' for its Broadway premiere<ref name="Warwickshire"/><ref name="Alison"/> Willetts succeeded him in [[Erik (The Phantom of the Opera)|the title role]] at [[Her Majesty's Theatre]] in the West End. He subsequently played the role of The Phantom in [[Manchester]],<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mack|first1=Gary|title=The Phantom of the Opera Review|url=https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/the-phantom-of-the-opera-2006|date=24 July 2006|accessdate=23 March 2018}}</ref> on the UK tour to critical acclaim, winning an ''Evening News'' Theatre Award. 

In 1990, he was given his first opportunity to originate a role when he appeared opposite [[Petula Clark]] in ''[[Someone Like You (musical)|Someone Like You]]'', a musical for which she had composed the score.

Since then, Willetts has appeared in a concert version of ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]'', taken the lead role in [[Leicester]] Haymarket's acclaimed production of [[Stephen Sondheim]]'s ''[[Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street]]'', appeared as [[Old Deuteronomy]] in the 20th anniversary production of [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]]'s ''[[Cats (musical)|Cats]]'' in London,<ref name="house">[https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-74501417 The House That Dave Built], ''[[Coventry Telegraph]]'', 14 May 2001</ref>  and as Jean Valjean in the 10th anniversary production of ''Les Misérables'' in [[Sydney]], [[Australia]]. He took the role of [[Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights)|Heathcliff]] in the studio recording of [[Bernard J. Taylor]] musical version of ''Wuthering Heights''.<ref name="castalbums">{{cite web|title=Dave Willetts Discography|url=http://castalbums.org/people/Dave-Willetts/7667|publisher=castalbums.org|accessdate=24 March 2018}}</ref>

In 2004, he appeared in the London premiere and West End production of ''[[Ragtime (musical)|Ragtime]]'' as the Father alongside [[Maria Friedman]].<ref name="stagetalk">{{cite web|last1=Hasted|first1=Michael|title=Dave Willetts talks about THE MAN INSIDE|url=http://stagetalkmagazine.com/?p=2729|date=6 March 2014|publisher=stagetalkmagazine.com|accessdate=24 March 2018}}</ref> In December of the same year he appeared in ''[[Aladdin]]'' in [[Bromley]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Revel|first1=Paul|title=Jay Bunyan: Interviewed December 2004|url=http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/551634.jay_bunyan_interviewed_december_2004/|accessdate=24 March 2018|work=harrowtimes.co.uk|date=3 December 2004}}</ref> He has played the starring role of 'Adam Pontipee' in ''[[Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (musical)|Seven Brides for Seven Brothers]]'' in the West End (2006).<ref>{{cite web|title=Actor, director and taxi driver Maurice Lane reminisces about the Chiswick of yesteryear|date=26 June 2006 |url=http://www.chiswickw4.com/default.asp?section=property&page=conmauricelane.htm| publisher=chiswickw4.com |accessdate=24 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Taggart|first1=Bronagh|title=Seven Brides for Seven Brothers|url=http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/7bridesTRH-rev|publisher=britishtheatreguide.info|accessdate=25 March 2018}}</ref> and the national tour in 2002.<ref name="moseley"/> He then played the role of 'Emile de Becque' in a UK touring production of ''[[Rodgers and Hammerstein|Rogers and Hammerstein's]]'' ''[[South Pacific (musical)|South Pacific]]'', which toured the UK until July 2008.<ref name="Alison"/><ref name="happy talk">[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10058318.html Happy talk as actor finally gets the girl]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''[[Hull Daily Mail]]'', 8 September 2007</ref>

In 2007, Dave played the role of 'Julian Marsh' in a UK Tour of ''[[42nd Street (musical)|42nd Street]]''. He returned to the role in 2012, when the show again toured the UK.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/05-2012/willetts-and-webb-headline-new-uk-tour-of-42nd-str_4272.html|title=Willetts & Webb headline new UK tour of 42nd Street|work=WhatsOnStage.com|access-date=2017-05-03}}</ref> He played Max in a scaled-down production of ''[[Sunset Boulevard (musical)|Sunset Boulevard]]'' at the [[Comedy Theatre]] (now The Harold Pinter), directed by [[Craig Revel Horwood]] in September 2008,<ref name="stagetalk"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2008/dec/16/theatre-view-sunset-boulevard-stage|title=Sunset Boulevard|last=Billington|first=Michael|date=2008-12-15|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-05-03|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> 
for which he was nominated for [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical]].<ref>[http://www.olivierawards.com/about/previous-winners/view/item106339/Olivier-Winners-2009/ "Olivier Winners 2009"] {{webarchive |url=https://archive.today/20120527053141/http://www.olivierawards.com/about/previous-winners/view/item106339/Olivier-Winners-2009/ |date=27 May 2012 }} olivierawards.com. Retrieved 29 March 2011</ref>

In July 2011, he originated the role of Professor Callahan in the UK tour of [[Legally Blonde (musical)|''Legally Blonde'']]. In October 2014, he appeared as Father God in 'Love Beyond' at [[Wembley Arena|SSE Wembley Arena]].<ref name="wilma"/> Then in 2015, he appeared in 'Pure Imagination' at the [[St James Theatre, London]] in a musical based on the work by [[Leslie Bricusse]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Shenton|first1=Mark|title=Mark Shenton's theatre picks: September 24|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/opinion/2015/mark-shentons-theatre-picks-september-24/|website=24 September 2015|publisher=thestage.co.uk|accessdate=23 March 2018}}</ref> In 2017, he appeared as the [[White Rabbit]] in [[Wonderland (musical)|Wonderland]], a new musical by [[Frank Wildhorn]] also starring [[Wendi Peters]] and [[Kerry Ellis]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/edinburgh-theatre/news/kerry-ellis-wonderland-wendi-peters-musical_41551.html|title=Kerry Ellis to star in Wonderland alongside Wendi Peters and Dave Willetts|work=WhatsOnStage.com|access-date=2017-05-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Porter|first1=Hilary|title=Don't be late for an important date at the Mayflower |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/leisure/news/15235449.Don__39_t_be_late_for_an_important_date_at_the_Mayflower/ |accessdate=24 March 2018|work=Daily Echo|date=20 April 2017}}</ref>

In 2023, Dave played the role of Sir George Dillingham in a West End revival of ''[[Aspects of Love]]'' at the [[Lyric Theatre, London|Lyric Theatre]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Cashell|first=Eleni|title=Dave Willetts joins ASPECTS OF LOVE revival |url=https://www.londonboxoffice.co.uk/news/post/dave-willetts-joins-aspects-of-love |accessdate=2 May 2023|work=London Box Office|date=28 April 2023}}</ref>