How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? was a 2008 Canadian reality competition television series derived from a 2006 series of the same name broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom. The Canadian version aired on CBC Television between June 15, 2008, and July 28, 2008.
The premise of the contest was to find a musical theatre performer to play the lead role of Maria von Trapp in the 2008 Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Mirvish revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. Initial auditions were held in seven Canadian cities. The show was hosted by Gavin Crawford and featured Simon Lee, Elaine Overholt, and John Barrowman as the judges for the show.
The first episode of the show featured the top 50 auditioners at the show's Maria School being cut to 20. The second episode had the Marias performing in front of Andrew in London, and then the 20 were cut to 10 with his input. Beginning June 22, the Marias performed live in Toronto every Sunday night with a live orchestra. The voting results aired on the following night.
Finalists Ten contestants made it through the audition rounds and performed during the live shows.
Finalist Age* From Apron Color Status Alison Jutzi 29 Guelph, Ontario Burgundy Eliminated 1st in Week 1 Allie Hughes 22 Toronto, Ontario Dark Blue Eliminated 2nd in Week 2 Katie Kerr 19 Windsor, Ontario Baby Pink Eliminated 3rd in Week 3 Kyla Tingley 24 Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Hot Pink Eliminated 4th in Week 3 Donna Lajeunesse 22 Bowmanville, Ontario Orange Eliminated 5th in Week 4 Tamara Fifield 21 Truro, Nova Scotia Sky Blue Eliminated 6th in Week 4 Marisa McIntyre 21 Waterloo, Ontario Dark Green Eliminated 7th in Week 5 Jayme Armstronghttps://www.enchantedentertainment.ca/jaymes-bio 24 Richmond, Ontario Red Third place Janna Polzin 24 Woodstock, Ontario Lime Green Second place Elicia MacKenzie 23 Surrey, British Columbia Purple Winner
* at the start of the contest
Results summary Place Contestant Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Final 1 Elicia Safe Safe Safe Bottom 3 Safe Winner 2 Janna Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Runner-up 3 Jayme Safe Bottom 2 Safe Safe Bottom 2 Third Place 4 Marisa Bottom 2 Safe Safe Safe Eliminated Eliminated 5 Tamara Safe Safe Bottom 3 Eliminated Eliminated 6 Donna Safe Safe Safe Eliminated Eliminated 7 Kyla Safe Safe Eliminated Eliminated 8 Katie Safe Safe Eliminated Eliminated 9 Allie Safe Eliminated Eliminated 10 Alison Eliminated Eliminated
Live shows The live shows saw the finalists eliminated one by one (or two) following both individual and group performances. Once eliminated, the leaving contestant(s) ended the program by leading a performance of "So Long, Farewell" from The Sound of Music with the remaining contestants.
Week 1 (June 22, 2008) Following the first week of the competition, Alison was the first Maria to be eliminated from the competition. The show performances were:
Group performances: "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?" (from the musical The Sound of Music) "I Have Confidence" (from the musical The Sound of Music)
+ Contestants' performances on the first live show Contestant Performance Pair Order Song Result Allie Hughes Pair 1 1 "It's Oh So Quiet" Safe Kyla Tingley 2 "Torn" Safe Elicia MacKenzie Pair 2 3 "Color My World" Safe Donna Lajeunesse 4 "I Am Changing" Safe Tamara Fifield Pair 3 5 "Over the Rainbow" Safe Jayme Armstrong 6 "Son of a Preacher Man" Safe Marisa McIntyre Pair 4 7 "Jolene" Bottom 2 Katie Kerr 8 "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" Safe Janna Polzin Pair 5 9 "My Baby Just Cares for Me" Safe Alison Jutzi 10 "I'm Every Woman" Bottom 2 Sing-Off
+ Act Sing Off Song Results Marisa McIntyre "Take That Look Off Your Face" from Tell Me on a Sunday Saved by Simon Alison Jutzi Eliminated
Week 2 (June 29, 2008) As the mission for this week, the potential Marias had to prove how fit they are by taking part in a thorough workout.
For their individual performances, the contestants sang songs by Canadian artists to celebrate Canada Day.
The show performances were:
Group performances: "My Favorite Things" (from the musical The Sound of Music) "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell)
+ Contestants' performances on the second live show Contestant Performance Pair Order Song Result Donna Lajeunesse Pair 1 1 "Something to Talk About" Safe Jayme Armstrong 2 "Constant Craving" Bottom 2 Marisa McIntyre Solo Performance 3 "Seven Day Fool" Safe Elicia MacKenzie Pair 2 4 "Black Velvet" Safe Tamara Fifield 5 "Complicated" Safe Allie Hughes Pair 3 6 "I Will Remember You" Bottom 2 Janna Polzin 7 "Turn Off the Light" Safe Katie Kerr Pair 4 8 "Insensitive" Safe Kyla Tingley 9 "Dance Me to the End of Love" Safe Sing-Off
+ Act Sing Off Song Results Jayme Armstrong "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" from Evita Saved by Simon Allie Hughes Eliminated
Week 3 (July 6, 2008) For their individual performances, the contestants sang songs from the musicals.
The show performances were:
Group performances: "Do-Re-Mi" (from the musical The Sound of Music) "Seasons of Love" (from the musical Rent)
+ Contestants' performances on the third live show Contestant Performance Pair Order Song Result Katie Kerr Pair 1 1 "Easy to Be Proud" Bottom 3 Elicia MacKenzie 2 "Cabaret" Safe Marisa McIntyre Pair 2 3 "If I Were a Bell" Safe Janna Polzin 4 "Defying Gravity" Safe Tamara Fifield Pair 3 5 "You Must Love Me" Bottom 3 Jayme Armstrong 6 "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" Safe Kyla Tingley Pair 4 7 "All That Jazz" Bottom 3 Donna Lajeunesse 8 "Out of My Dreams" Safe Sing-Off
+ Act Sing Off Song Results Katie Kerr "Superstar" from Jesus Christ Superstar Eliminated Tamara Fifield Saved by Simon Kyla Tingley Eliminated
Week 4 (July 13, 2008) As the mission for this week, the contestants act with the children to help separate between the potential Marias.
The show performances were:
Group performances: "The Lonely Goatherd" (from the musical The Sound of Music) "Don't Rain on My Parade" (from the musical Funny Girl)
+ Contestants' performances on the fourth live show Contestant Performance Pair Order Song Result Elicia MacKenzie Pair 1 1 "Shout" Bottom 3 Donna Lajeunesse 2 "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" Bottom 3 Janna Polzin Pair 2 3 "California Dreamin'" Safe Jayme Armstrong 4 "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" Safe Tamara Fifield Pair 3 5 "You Don't Own Me" Bottom 3 Marisa McIntyre 6 "Downtown" Safe Sing-Off
+ Act Sing Off Song Results Elicia MacKenzie "Tell Me on a Sunday" from Tell Me on a Sunday Saved by Simon Donna Lajeunesse Eliminated Tamara Fifield Eliminated
Week 5 (July 20, 2008) This week, just like the British version, the mission was a chemistry test with John Barrowman, which involved his giving the Marias a surprise kiss.
The show performances were:
Group performances: "I Have Confidence" (from the musical The Sound of Music) "It's a Grand Night for Singing" (from the musical State Fair) "Sway" (The Pussycat Dolls)
+ Contestants' performances on the fifth live show Contestant Order Song Result Janna Polzin 1 "Anyone Who Had a Heart" Safe Elicia MacKenzie 2 "You Needed Me" Safe Jayme Armstrong 3 "I Say a Little Prayer" Bottom 2 Marisa McIntyre 4 "River Deep Mountain High" Bottom 2 Sing-Off
+ Act Sing Off Song Results Jayme Armstrong "As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Boulevard Saved by Andrew Marisa McIntyre Eliminated
Week 6 (July 27, 2008) For their individual performances, the contestants sang songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The show performances were:
Group performances: Finalists: "Anything You Can Do" (from the musical Annie Get Your Gun) Finalists: "My Favorite Things" (from the musical The Sound of Music) Finalists and former Marias: "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?" (from the musical The Sound of Music) Elicia and Janna: "The Sound of Music" (from The Sound of Music)
+ Contestants' performances on the sixth live show Contestant Order Andrew Lloyd Webber song Order Song of the Season Result Jayme Armstrong 1 "I Don't Know How to Love Him" N/A N/A (already eliminated) Eliminated Janna Polzin 2 "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" 4 "Defying Gravity" Runner-up Elicia MacKenzie 3 "Memory" 5 "Cabaret" Winner After being announced as the season winner, Elicia concluded the season with a performance of "The Sound of Music".
After the show Elicia MacKenzie won the most votes, as announced prematurely on the Canadian Press wire at 7:30pm, July 28, half an hour before the show aired in the Toronto area.
On August 14, 2008, it was announced that runner-up, Janna Polzin, had been cast as an "alternate Maria" for the Toronto stage production. Janna played Maria twice a week (Wednesday evenings and Saturday matinees), while Elicia will perform the role six times weekly (Tuesday evenings, Wednesday matinees, Thursday through Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees).
Some viewers of the show have claimed that the panel and Andrew favoured Janna over the other performers in the competition. However, Elicia ended up beating Janna in the final.
References
External links Official Program Website at cbc.ca TV, eh?