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Behind the Curtain: An Interview with Stevie Doc and Tobias Turley
- Harry Brogan
- May 7
- 6 min read
In this behind the curtain interview we speak to Stevie Doc and Tobias Turley ahead of the pairs upcoming concert this Saturday.
Tobias Turley, represented by BBA Management, is an acclaimed musical theatre performer, known for winning ITV’s Mamma Mia I Have a Dream (2023) and going on to play the role of Sky in the West End’s Mamma Mia. His theatre credits also include White Rose: The Musical (Marylebone Theatre) and Sleeping Beauty (Mansfield Palace Theatre). BBA Management represents a roster of exceptional talent including Tobias Turley, and many more. For further details, visit www.bbamanagement.com
Stevie Doc having been seen on ITV’s I Have a Dream (2023) and making her West End debut in Mamma Mia and This Morning plus, playing in Mary in The Beautiful Game; Catch Me If You Can while training.
For those people who may not know - what are you currently doing or about to start, at the moment in the industry?
On Saturday 10th May, Toby and I will be teaming up for a one off concert at the iconic Cadogan Hall to celebrate our journey together so far!
So post Mamma Mia I have done a lot of concerts all around the UK, and then went into a new musical called ‘White Rose’. A beautiful true story about a group of German students who rebel against the Nazi regime. And next I am going into another new show titled ‘Hot Mess’ from the same team behind ’42 Balloons’ and ‘Babies’. It’s a 2 hander Romantic Comedy with an amazing pop-rock score.
Your concert “Stevie and Tobias: Here We Go Again” will take audiences through both of your favourite musical theatre duets. Can you give us a taste of what musical influences you have taken to create your set list? And are there any surprises that you could tell us about?
For me it was mostly about having lots of fun and good tunes! We’re bringing back some of our most iconic songs from our journey so far and also some new ones that people won’t have heard us sing before!
So as we were compiling our set-list we had lots of areas we wanted to cover. Stuff from the television show, songs people want to hear us sing and some dream roles for us. I believe we have created a set-list that covers all these points really well and i’m really excited for people to hear it.
With you both being contestants of the ITV search show “Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream” how did you both find out about the show and what were your audition processes like?
I originally saw an ad for it online and then my cousin sent me it as well and said I should audition. I actually thought it was for people who hadn’t trained at first and then I found out a few people in my year at drama school had already applied and had been auditioning so I thought why not give it a go! I had to send in a self tape of me singing. I tried to film a new one but ended up just sending one I already had on my phone because if I’m honest, I thought it was a major long shot I’d even get through this round and I didn’t like any of the new ones I had filmed haha! After that I got asked to come in and audition in front of a panel. I can’t remember how many rounds we had to do but I know it was a lot! Part of the audition process was actually on the Novello stage as well which was so surreal!
I heard about the TV show through my agents. They told me that there was an open call for the television show and I jumbled at the opportunity to apply. I think I had about 8 rounds of auditions before finding out I was one of the 7 men. It was a long process but the auditions were really fun, it was a really nice casting panel to audition for.
What impact does TV search shows have on people who want to do theatre, and if you could pick a show to do a new TV search show what would it be?
I think they give such an incredible opportunity to people who might not have the opportunity to audition for West End Shows! I’d love to see one for Grease and they could find Sandy and Danny! It’s such an iconic musical and I think people would love to watch that!
I think these kind of shows give such a nice insight into our industry for aspiring performers. Obviously it’s not a perfect re-creation into what a normal audition process is, but its a wonderful way to show millions of viewers a sneak peak into our world. I vividly remember watching the Joseph TV show ‘Any Dream Will Do’ and then subsequently going to watch the winner Lee Mead. It was a eye-opening experience for me, I learnt that I was really passionate about this industry and even that slight glimpse into the theatrical world got me really excited.
If I were to choose another show to centre a TV show around I think I would have to say either West Side Story or Mean Girls. Both shows have a large cultural following, West Side is obviously a massively beloved classic and Mean Girls has the backing of a very large production studio that could create a phenomenal show.
Since starting in the industry, what have you learnt that you didn’t know before?
The biggest thing I’ve learnt is that there’s always more to learn. This industry is always changing and that means keeping up with those changes. Pop has had such a massive influence on theatre in recent years and new shows are always being made as well as revivals of the classics! Keeping on top of that can be a struggle but it’s also one of the reasons I love this industry so much. I don’t think it’s possible to get bored because something new is always around the corner!
Oh that’s tough. I’ve learnt so many things. I often say I’ve learnt more about my craft since leaving drama school then when I was actually there. That’s not to take anything away from my training, because I definitely wouldn’t be where I am now without that. But actually being in the industry and performing in a number of shows has taught me so many things. How to maintain my vocal and physical health during an 8 show week. My vocal technique has improved by learning from other amazing performers. There’s too many things to choose one specifically.
What drives you to be a performer, and what is it about theatre that you love and why? And is there a dream role you would love to play?
As simple as it sounds, I just really love performing! I always have! I grew up with a mum who adored karaoke and an older sister who would choreograph duets for us to perform to our family and their friends at every opportunity. It gives me so much joy and there’s something about being totally emotionally invested in something that’s almost cathartic. As far as dream roles, I’d love to do a movie musical. Something like Into The Woods or Pitch Perfect I think would be so fun! However, a Disney film would be the absolute ultimate dream come true!
It’s genuinely my passion for my work that drives me. I love being an actor, taking on a character, learning everything I can about them in order to become them. That process is so exciting to me. I wouldn’t say I necessarily have dream roles anymore. Because so many shows come and go, but some roles still really call out to me. Shakespeare in Something Rotten is the biggest one. That part is so funny, has amazing songs and it would just be so much fun to play around with that character.
What are you most excited about for the “Stevie and Tobias: Here We Go Again” concert? And what would you say is the most challenging about doing a concert rather than an actual full production?
I’m so excited to be performing at Cadogan Hall! It’s such a beautiful venue and it feels like the perfect fit for Toby and me to have a wee chat and connect with our fans. I really think it’s going to be such a lovely evening! I think the most challenging part has been working out the setlist! One of the best parts of being a performer is getting to perform a variety of material from different shows and styles of music so while this can be challenging it is also something I find really exciting about doing a concert!
I’m most excited to be performing with Stevie again for our amazing fans. We’ve got some really special numbers planned which I think they are going to love. That really excites me. The most challenging part is also to do with the set-list. There’s lots of decisions to be made, and I want to make sure every choice is the correct one. So there’s bit of pressure there I guess.
Can you describe your upcoming concert in 3 words or 1 sentence to give the audiences an idea of what they can expect from the show
Fun, tunes and entertainment!
Chaos, Hilarious, Wholesome
To book your tickets click the link below.
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