{{Short description|British actress (born 1982)}} {{EngvarB|date=October 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} '''Abigail "Abi" Finley''' (born 10 September 1982) is an actress and musical theatre performer from Prestwich, Greater Manchester, England,<ref name="icliverpool">{{Cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/|title=Liverpool Echo: Latest Liverpool and Merseyside news, sports and what's on|website=Liverpoolecho.co.uk|accessdate=12 August 2020}}</ref> the daughter of a local Jewish performer.<ref name="totallyjewish">[http://www.totallyjewish.com/entertainment/features_and_reviews/?content_id=5002 Totally Jewish] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222430/http://www.totallyjewish.com/entertainment/features_and_reviews/?content_id=5002 |date=27 September 2007 }}</ref>
Finley has notably played Fiona in ''Blondel'' at the Pleasance Theatre, Islington London and Serena in ''Fame'' on a UK national tour. Since landing these leading roles, Finley has been highly praised for her singing voice and acting skills.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{Cite web|url=https://reviewsgate.com/news-from-the-seventh-floor-to-31-may/|title=NEWS FROM THE SEVENTH FLOOR. To 31 May|website=Reviewsgate.com|date=16 May 2018 |accessdate=12 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theinternetforum.co.uk/node/2258|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080203055601/http://www.theinternetforum.co.uk/node/2258|url-status=dead|title=Abi Finley stars in Fame! – a review!! | The Internet Forum|archivedate=3 February 2008}}</ref> Finley first came to national attention for her appearance on the BBC Reality TV programme ''How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?'' in 2006, where she was known as ''Tomboy Maria''. This was produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian to find someone to play Maria von Trapp in ''The Sound of Music''. She appeared on the show with her best friend from college, Aoife Mulholland, and reached the semi-final of the BBC competition; but in a twist of fate she lost out to Mulholland in the sing-off, singing "Any Dream Will Do".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/maria/marias/abi_index.shtml |title=BBC - How do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? - Homepage |access-date=20 December 2019 |archive-date=10 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110234044/http://www.bbc.co.uk/maria/marias/abi_index.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Career== Shortly after ''How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?'' finished in late 2006, Finley was cast by the Oscar-winning lyricist Sir Tim Rice in his revival of ''Blondel''. On casting Finley, Rice said in an interview with ''Hello Magazine'', "Fiona has to be funny, feisty, and sexy. Plenty of candidates have two of the necessary attributes. Only Abi had all three... when you see Abi on stage, you actually want to look at her. I'd be amazed if Abi is not a big star pretty soon."{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}<!-- former link was broken --> Geoff Ambler, reviewing ''Blondel'', said of Finley's performance, "Abi Finley, the beautiful and talented one from ''A Problem like Maria'', proves that she can act with confident poise among the best, as well as sing, in what is her professional stage debut. This tight, witty show with its tremendous cast is one of the best to open in London this year."<ref name=autogenerated1 />
In early 2007, straight from Blondel, Finley landed the part of Serena in ''Fame'' on a UK national tour. She had to audition for the part, then rehearse, while also learning the part of Fiona in Blondel. Ian Pearce, who reviewed the show for the BBC, said, "The first thing that strikes you is the quality of the live band and the sheer exuberance of the dancing... a strong performance comes from Abi Finley as the somewhat dowdy Serena."<ref>Pierce, Ian [https://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2007/02/06/fame_review_feature.shtml "In all reality it's Fame!"] BBC – Entertainment 6 February 2007</ref>
On Christmas Eve 2007, Finley was seen performing with Lee Mead and Connie Fisher and some of the other ''How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?'' and ''Any Dream Will Do'' finalists in a BBC special "festive" reunion show called ''When Joseph met Maria!'', celebrating both the hit Andrew Lloyd Webber BBC shows, recorded earlier on 2 December 2007. ''How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?'' won an international Emmy Award in 2007 for best non-scripted entertainment.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7102271.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=British shows scoop Emmy awards | date=20 November 2007 | accessdate=23 April 2010}}</ref>
From 6 May 2008, Finley starred as Miranda, the disembodied German head in ''Betwixt! The Musical''. The show opened on 6 May 2008, and ran until 22 June at The King's Head Theatre, Islington.
Finley starred as Jane in Gareth Peter's ''Bluebird the Musical'', a musical set in the Second World War, alongside ''I'd Do Anything'' finalist Sarah Lark and Ramin Karimloo. During December 2011 and January 2012, Finley will be appearing in the German production of the tribal-rock musical ''Hair'', in which she plays ensemble and covers the lead role of Sheila.
==Roles== *2008: Miranda in ''Betwixt! The musical'', The King's Head Theatre, Islington<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.betwixtthemusical.com/ |title=Betwixt the Musical|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080519122719/http://www.betwixtthemusical.com/|accessdate=12 August 2020|archive-date=19 May 2008}}</ref> *2006: Fiona in ''Blondel'' at the ''Pleasance Theatre'', Islington.<ref name="BlondelRelease">[http://www.blondelmusical.com/principalcast.asp Blondel Official Site] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927004428/http://www.blondelmusical.com/principalcast.asp |date=27 September 2007 }}, ''Press Release''. URL. Retrieved 25 July 2007.</ref> Rice was personally involved in casting Finley following her appearance on ''How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?''<ref name="totallyjewish" /> *Previous roles include Annie in ''Oklahoma!'', Rizzo in ''Grease'', Blousey in ''Bugsy Malone'', Edith in ''Pirates of Penzance'', Calamity Jane in ''Calamity Jane'', and the Narrator in ''Joseph''.
==Education== She attended King David Yavneh school in Manchester, then earned a BA (honours) degree in English and Drama at the University of Leeds before going on to complete a master's degree in musical theatre at the Central School of Speech and Drama.<ref name="icliverpool"/>
==Personal== The singer and actress, originally from Prestwich, now resides in Finchley, London.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}
Her talent shone from a very early age when she starred in virtually every production that her high school in Manchester, King David Yavneh, put on. From there she went on to study for a degree in English and Drama at the University of Leeds, and her course led to her landing the title role in ''Calamity Jane'' and Annie in ''Oklahoma!''. She then studied for a master's degree at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, where she appeared in productions including ''A Winter's Tale'' (as Paulina) and ''Grease'' (as Rizzo). This is where she met her best friend, Aoife Mulholland, who was also studying on the same course, and together they decided to audition for ''How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?''. In her ''Hello! Magazine'' interview, Finley said, "Aoife and I thought we would make a big weekend of it [the BBC audition]... we were like a couple of new kids holding hands in the big school playground."<ref>[http://www.abifinley.com/images/hello4.jpg]{{dead link|date=October 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>
On her time in ''How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?'' Finley has said, "It was like a holiday camp and school trip rolled into one. We would sit around the lounge in the evenings watching reality TV and saying how much we hated it. We forgot we were doing it!" And on getting the leading role breaks after ''How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?'', "I know it is a cliché, but honestly and truly I am living the dream, doing something I always wanted to do. I have to pinch myself sometimes. I am so lucky to be doing what I love doing on a daily basis – you can't ask for any more."{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=2381569}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071210235545/http://forum.theinternetforum.net/index.php?board=130.0 News on all the ex-Maria's]
{{Andrew Lloyd Webber musical revival search}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Finley, Abi}} Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:Jewish English actresses Category:English television actresses Category:English musical theatre actresses Category:Actors from the London Borough of Barnet Category:Actors from Prestwich Category:Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Category:21st-century English women singers Category:21st-century English singers Category:Actresses from Greater Manchester Category:Alumni of the University of Leeds Category:Actresses from London Category:People from Finchley