Helena shot to fame in the BBC's talent contest to fill the role of Maria in Andrew Lloyd Webber's new production of 'The Sound of Music.'
She made it to the final two, but rival Maria-hopeful Connie Fisher won the audience's vote.
 | | Helena on 'The Wizard of Oz' set |
What is Lloyd Webber's loss is Leicester's gain though, as Helena has now been signed up to play the part made famous by Judy Garland in the Haymarket Theatre's Christmas production.
BBC East Midlands Today's Geoff Maskell met Helena at the theatre to talk about becoming Dorothy and a certain BBC talent show...
Helena didn't want to give too much away, but she did let slip that this year Dorothy will be wearing purple gingham instead of the traditional blue.
There will also be three dogs playing her canine companion Toto, which she's a bit nervous about:
"I love little dogs but I just hope they're going to be friendly and not run off the stage into the auditorium because I won't know what to do!" Helena joined BBC Radio Leicester's Martin Ballard to talk about coming to the city, what she's been up to since 'Maria', and if she was really friends with Connie... | | Helena talks to Martin Ballard |
Helena says she loves 'The Wizard of Oz' and is particularly looking forward to singing one of the most well-known musical songs:
"'Somewhere over the rainbow' is an absolute classic – it's the most beautiful fairytale song and I would be shocked if nobody knew it!"
So she may not be climbing every mountain, but soon Helena will be following the yellow brick road all the way to Leicester.
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