By Natasha Barbieri
“I remember being about nine or ten and watching Sarah Brightman on TV performing Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Tell Me on a Sunday’. I was captivated by her performance and was totally inspired to be an actress.” Joanna Forest says explaining how it all began for her. That performance inspired her to go to Stage School. “I would spend half the day learning normal academic lessons and the other half learning all the skills needed for a career in theatre and performing arts. I had my heart set on The Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts and thankfully my parents were very supportive and agreed that if I passed the audition I could go! I feel so lucky to have had the opportunities it gave me and think that singing and performing all the time from such a young age meant that confidence became part of our daily routine.”
From an early age she learned to deal with rejection in auditions due to many things that she had no control over. Things as seemingly insignificant as her height or hair color. “As long as you believed in your own talents then the confidence to continue was still there. At 13 my first professional job was at The Dominion Theatre, London in ‘Bernadette The Musical’ and shortly after I got to do several episodes of the popular TV sitcom ‘The Upper Hand’ with Joe McCann and Honor Blackman and was a regular in BBC Schools’ ‘Think about Science’.”
Joanna’s voice is used not only musically but through voice-over acting. She describes it as “liberating to be given parts to voice that you wouldn’t otherwise be cast in a million years, because you look nothing like the part. I have always sounded a lot younger than I am, and it’s come in handy for recordings.” She has recorded Powerpuff Girl, Bubbles and Dee Dee from Dexter’s Laboratory for a Cartoon Network tour. “I also got to sing as these characters!” One of her favorites was for ‘Calcubot’ a Fisher Price talking calculator. “Not only did they want a young child’s voice, they required it to be that of a little boy. My brother, Samuel, was maybe four or five at the time and my “process’ was to do my very best impression of him! I still have some Calcubots at home and it’s ever so funny hearing my voice come out of this toy!”
Things were going well for Joanna professionally at the age of 21. She had just finished a West End run in the play “The Weekend” by Michael Palin. She followed it up traveling around Europe in a musical review called, “The Best of Broadway” as the soloist. Then life took a very unexpected turn. “It was while I was away on this job that I found a lump in my left breast from out of nowhere; I had no idea that I should be checking and just happened to see it in the mirror. I went and saw my GP as soon as I got back and, even though I was assured I was too young for Breast Cancer, I really wanted it removed. The lumpectomy revealed to everyone’s surprise that it was in fact cancer.” Thankfully she was successfully treated with Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy and even more intensive surgery. “I always had the dream to go back to performing; hoping that I could get back into it after feeling so out of everything and through this time my confidence took a big knock. However, I think when you love something so much, like performing, it never fully leaves you and you always find a way to get back on track.”
Joanna returned to singing lessons and it wasn’t long until she was back on the stage. “My first job after being ill was as Wendy in Peter Pan at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend with Shane Ritchie, from BBC’s Eastenders, as Captain Hook I think whatever you have been through you shouldn’t let it change you and you should still follow your dreams. However, whilst I was going through treatment I didn’t talk about it and tried to stay away from people as much as I could. As time went on I could see that sometimes it was helpful to share my experience with someone going through it, or had someone close to them going through it.” She has since become involved with the charity CoppaFee thanks to twiter. “I wish there had been a CoppaFeel! around when I was going through Breast Cancer. They are unique as their awareness messages are aimed directly at young people by educating them on the early signs and symptoms. I am now proud to be a ‘Boobette’, who is someone that has been through Breast Cancer or had a scare and shares their story wherever there are young people. I have spoken at schools, businesses and even WI groups to encourage young people to check themselves so that it becomes part of a routine that will last a lifetime and SAVE a life. I never dreamed I would talk about something so private to many strangers but it’s very rewarding to know I am making a difference by helping spread CoppaFeel’s important message.” And of course music is helping Joanna spread the message too. “I had
a brilliant time organizing a huge concert for CoppaFeel! called ‘Busting to Sing’ which was sponsored by The Sun Newspaper. We had amazing performers such as Rhydian Roberts, Joe McElderry, Frances Rufffelle, Shayne Ward, Kingsland Road and Jessie Wallace giving their time to take part. Hosted by TV presenter, Matt Johnson, it took place at The Palace Theatre in London where I sung ‘Nessun Dorma’. I also duetted with the sensational Paul Potts on ‘Point of No Return’ which was brilliant fun. I am so proud that we managed to raise £13,000 for the charity.”
When it comes to her musical journey Jennifer is also enjoying sharing a more intimate experience with her audience. “I am now really enjoying just being myself when I sing rather than as a character, which means I have freedom as to how I interpret a song and how I express it, rather than thinking how the character would feel.” Still musical theatre will always be a big part of her life. “There have been so many roles that I have loved, and that’s usually because of the whole experience of lots of fun times with the casts. One of my favorites was playing the part of ‘Tommy Stubbins’ alongside the legendary Tommy Steele in a UK tour of Dr Dolittle The Musical; I’d progressed from doing a Voice-over as a little boy in a talking calculator to now physically playing one on stage every night for a whole year! I also have a huge soft spot for J.M. Barrie’s character, Wendy Darling, as I have played her at 13 different Peter Pan pantomimes, for hundreds of nights; That’s a lot of Christmases spent in Neverland!”
While she agrees that there are “definitely similarities” between the technique from the theatre and classical crossover she is currently, “working very hard” on her classical technique. “There are things I am learning all the time and I can feel my voice changing. My musical theatre training and background has been a great grounding as the classical crossover genre is a middle ground between opera and more contemporary.”
When it comes to choosing repertoire “I think it all starts with material that gets you really excited, makes you want to learn it and make it your own. I really enjoy singing songs which people wouldn’t expect to be sung in a classical way, I love my version of The Stone Roses ‘Made of Stone’ and David Bowie’s, ‘Life on Mars’. I always hope I have got my song selections right for the audience and tailor the set list to where I am signing. I love that certain events require a glamorous dress; I really enjoyed wearing a sparkly ball gown when I sang at this year’s prestigious
Charity Awards in Westminster, London. I also wore a beautiful Suzanne Neville dress for the ‘Busting to Sing’ concert, which made me feel like a star, perfect for singing my duet with Paul Potts. However, it’s not always dressed to the nines; when I sang on the pitch at Brighton & Hove Albion Football club in front of the Sky TV cameras and 30 thousand Brighton and Watford fans, I was dressed down in a Brighton football top and leggings!” For her one of the greatest challenges to being a female in the classical crossover genre is “to stand out amongst lots of competition but I really hope that with tenacity and hard work I can be successful in this field.”
She is soon to release her debut classical crossover EP. “I feel so lucky that it’s going to be recorded with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, I am working with the brilliantly talented world famous pianist, conductor and orchestrator, Robert Emery who is also Russell Watson’s personal Musical Director. I can’t wait for people to hear it. Watch this space!” She hopes to someday share the stage with Alfiie Boe, Russell Watson, Blake, Katherine Jenkins, Jonathon Antoine, Rhydian Roberts. “ I would also love to sing with Paul Potts again and Andrea Bocelli would be amazing.”
She shares these final details about herself. “I was the girl (dressed up as a boy, again) in the controversial Yorkie chocolate bar “It’s Not for Girls” commercial campaign that is now banned for being sexist! I live with my fiancé, James, in a magical little cottage in the middle of Epping Forest in Essex, and next year we are getting married!”
Joanna has since married James and we wish her the best of luck both in her professional and personal life.
For more information visit joannaforest.com
