Editing Dave Willetts

{{Short description|English singer and actor}}
{{about|the actor|the politician|David Willetts}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name            = Dave Willetts
| image           =
| image_size      =
| landscape       = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank -->
| alt             =
| caption         =
| birth_name      =
| alias           =
| birth_date      = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1952|06|24}}
| birth_place     = [[Marston Green]], England
| origin          =
| death_date      = <!-- {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date 1st) -->
| death_place     =
| occupation      = Singer and actor
| years_active    = 1984–present
| known_for       = ''[[The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)|The Phantom of the Opera]]''
}}

'''Dave Willetts''' (born 24 June 1952) is an [[England|English]] singer and actor known for having leading roles in [[West End theatre|West End]] [[musical theater|musicals]].

His West End credits include leading roles in ''[[The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)|The Phantom of the Opera]]'', ''[[Cats (musical)|Cats]]'', ''[[Ragtime (musical)|Ragtime]]'', ''[[Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables]]'', ''[[Sunset Boulevard (musical)|Sunset Boulevard]]'' and ''[[Aspects of Love]]''. He also played leading roles in the UK tours of ''The Phantom of the Opera'', ''[[South Pacific (musical)|South Pacific]]'', and ''[[Legally Blonde (musical)|Legally Blonde]]''.

For his performance in ''Sunset Boulevard'', he was nominated for a [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical]].

== Early life ==
Born in [[Marston Green]], [[Birmingham]], in 1952 and then brought up in [[Acocks Green]].<ref name="Alison">{{cite news|last1=Jones|first1=Alison|title=Willetts still on song|url=https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/whats-on/theatre/willetts-still-on-song-3967134|accessdate=24 March 2018|work=Birmingham Post|date=31 May 2013}}</ref> He first went to Cottesbrooke Infants primary school and later to Sheldon Heath Comprehensive (now known as [[King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy]]). His father worked at [[Rover Company|Rover]].<ref name="moseley">{{cite web|last1=Solomon|first1=Deryck|title=A profile - Dave Willetts: Birmingham's Star of the Musical|url=http://colonel-moseley.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/profile-dave-willetts-birminghams-star.html|date=5 April 2012|publisher=colonel-moseley.blogspot.co.uk|accessdate=25 March 2018}}</ref><!-- based on a profile first appeared in Birmingham Life magazine--> He has completed a [[Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme]] programme.<ref name="Goldstein">{{cite web|last1=Goldstein|first1=Nicole|title=20 Questions: Love Beyond's Dave Willetts|url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/dave-willetts-interview_35814.html|date=22 September 2014|publisher=whatsonstage.com|accessdate=24 March 2018}}</ref> After leaving school at 16, he joined [[Lucas Industries#Girling|Girling Brakes]] as an [[apprentice]],<ref name="moseley"/> in [[Cwmbran]], [[Wales]].<ref name="Owens">{{cite news|last1=Owens|first1=David|title=West End star Dave Willetts returns to 'home-from-home' Wales to star in 42nd Street|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/showbiz/west-end-star-dave-willetts-2024487|accessdate=25 March 2018|work=walesonline.co.uk|date=26 March 2013}}</ref> He then moved to another Girlings plant in [[Pontypool]], with his then girlfriend Lyn.<ref name="Owens"/> 
One night he went out with workmates to see “No, No Nanette” by the [http://www.ventureplayers.wales New Venture Players], an amateur drama group based in [[Newport, Wales|Newport]].<ref name="moseley"/> based at the [[Dolman Theatre]].<ref name="Owens"/> Despite rarely ever visiting a theatre, impressed by the play, he became interested in amateur dramatics. He auditioned for the New Venture Players next production, and finally landed a role.<ref name="moseley"/> After 10 years in South Wales, he returned to Birmingham to take up a managerial post.<ref name="moseley"/> He then worked as a [[Quality control|quality manager]] for [[British Leyland]], an engineering company producing components for the automotive industry in the [[English Midlands|Midlands]].sheridan engineering <ref name="Goldstein"/> But he also joined the Leamington and Warwick Operatic society to later star in “Music Man”.<ref name="moseley"/> He then played 'Charlie Gordon' in amateur production of [[Charles Strouse]] musical, ''[[Flowers for Algernon]]'',<ref name="Goldstein"/> at the Priory Theatre in [[Kenilworth]].<ref name="Warwickshire"/> Peter McGarry, the theatre critic of the Coventry Evening Telegraph gave him a rave review of his performance.<ref name="moseley"/>

He then came to the attention of Bob Hamlyn, artistic director of the [[Belgrade Theatre]], in [[Coventry]] who cast him as "third flunky from the left" in another show by Strouse, ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]''.<ref name="Warwickshire">{{cite news|title=Dave Willetts: Living the Musical Dream|url=http://www.warwickshirelife.co.uk/people/dave-willetts-living-the-musical-dream-1-1570392|accessdate=23 March 2018|work=Warwickshire Life|date=20 February 2013}}</ref> It was at this time, while Willetts was in his thirties, that he began his meteoric rise to the top, with the support of his wife.<ref name="Alison"/> He decided to give up his management career and became an 'actor', while working part-time as a waiter  and his wife as a childminder.<ref name="moseley"/>

== 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>

== Discography ==
Willetts has recorded several albums, mostly collections of songs from musicals.<ref name="castalbums"/> Including 'Once in a Lifetime', released just before his 60th birthday.<ref name="Warwickshire"/> He has performed on albums alongside [[Lesley Garrett]], [[Clive Rowe]] and [[Claire Moore (singer)|Claire Moore]] amongst others. Including appeared on 'Music And Songs From Aspects of Love/Phantom of the Opera' in 2008.<ref>Dan Dietz {{google books|WPLaDAAAQBAJ|The Complete Book of 1990s Broadway Musicals|page=8}}</ref>

==Personal life ==
He has a wife Lyn (originally from [[Warwickshire]],<ref name="Warwickshire"/>) a former nursery nurse and teacher.<ref name="Alison"/> They married in 1972. He has 2 daughters<ref name="Owens"/> and 3 grandchildren.<ref name="wilma">{{cite web|title=Dave Willetts has Tea With Wilma|url=http://www.westendwilma.com/dave-willetts-has-tea-with-wilma/|website=14 September 2014|date=14 September 2014 |publisher=westendwilma.com|accessdate=25 March 2018}}</ref> They live in [[Baginton]], near Coventry.<ref name="Warwickshire"/>

==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Willetts, Dave}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English male musical theatre actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English male singers]]