Michelle Bishop, TJ Lloyd and Rosie Strobel - 42nd Street Kilworth House Theatre Interview

This summer, Kilworth House Theatre brings the bright lights and spectacle of Broadway to the Leicestershire countryside.

Set during the Great Depression, 42nd Street tells the story of a young chorus girl, Peggy Sawyer, who gets her big break in the theatre. With iconic songs, energetic dance numbers, and a charming narrative, this production promises to delight and enthrall audiences.

In our ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review we called it “total glamorous escapism”.

Michelle Bishop as Dorothy Brock.

We sat down with Michelle Bishop (Dorothy Brock), TJ Lloyd (Bert Barry) and Rosie Strobel (Maggie Jones) to discuss the show.

Can you tell me a little bit about the characters you play in 42nd Street?
Michelle: I play Miss Dorothy Brock, who is the star of the show, very much in her eyes; she is the star. No matter if anybody is better than her, she thinks she should be downstage front and centre at all times. Her journey as an older actress within the business and coming back to it, she has had a hit in 10 years. She's found a way to get back into it by having a sugar daddy and then she can be that person again. It's no plain sailing, she does have a terrible accident with gives her some clarity about what she wants for the rest of her life, which will fundamentally make her a better person.

TJ: I play Bert Barry, who is one half of the writing team of Pretty Lady, which is the show within the show of 42nd Street. He writes the music and also stars as one of the character actors within the piece. A bit of light relief.

Rosie: I play Maggie Jones, the other half of the double act, Bert and Maggie. She is the lyricist and one of the character actors as well. They are all quite desperate and have one thing in common: they've all fallen on hard times financially. Dorothy is trying to make her come back after 10 years, whilst Bert and Maggie desperately want the show to succeed financially, as does director Julian Marsh.

What was your first encounter with 42nd Street?
Rosie: When I was 21, I went to New York for 4 nights and saw 42nd Street on Broadway. It was quite nice as it was my birthday recently and I found a photo at my mum's house when I was 21. I'm a bit older than that now!

Michelle: 23! (Lots of laughter!)

Rosie: It was the only time I have seen it, but it's a real full-circle thing.

TJ: I've seen it as an amateur production more than I have seen it as professionally. A lot of my friends perform in local amateur groups near me, so I have seen them in it. I was also in an amateur production of it years ago as a chorus boy tap dancer back when I could do all those things!

Michelle: I saw it recently in town, and I saw it on tour. My own journey with it, I was offered it in 2003, but I had a different job, so I couldn't do it, and I was offered it in 2020, but COVID happened, so it was cancelled. Then I got it this time and thought, will I actually get to do it? Third time is a charm. It's been really nice to fulfill this destiny. 

How do you approach putting your own stamp on these roles, which have been played hundreds of times before?
Michelle: I try not to look at anything else. I get research from different things, such as famous people from the era, rather than people who have played the role previously. We are all quite character actors, and it is really nice when you can do your own version. You have to trust your version and work with the director to get what yours is. 

Katharine Pearson (Anytime Annie), TJ Lloyd (Bert Barry) and Rosie Strobel (Maggie Jones).

TJ: Trusting the book. The script is the biggest clue for any actor, and there is so much in there to sort of play with. Particularly for Bert, who is one of the comedy roles, and how I can bring my humour to it that complements everyone else with whom I am in a scene with. 

Rosie: I come at it totally from the character and not looking at anybody else. It is also about who you are performing alongside, as this will massively impact the character you are portraying. The other actors you are working with will influence that hugely. It would be impossible to look at another person's performance because they won't be performing alongside the person you are.

Michelle: It is a collective. The whole thing is affected by the choices you make, but also the choices everyone around you makes. 

I can't talk to you guys and not mention the breathtaking setting here at Kilworth House Theatre. 
Michelle: This is my fourth time here.

Rosie: This is my fifth!

How do you prepare for playing in a venue like this?
Michelle: So many factors. If it is cold in the evening, that affects your muscles and your vocal muscles. Your nose might start running. There is no consistency. If you are inside, normally your body will adjust to that temperature. We had a heatwave during our first week, bring water if you come! You need to have everything with you. You have to have something warm in case it does drop, you need to keep your body warm if you are dancing, and it gets cold. It's funny because you don't think about things until you swallow a fly!

Rosie: There's only so much preparation you can do. The venue here is hugely different. Vocally, it is so different when performing in an outdoor venue, both singing and speaking, without having those walls for the sound to come back at you. It spreads so much further. It's a different thing to gauge where you are and how much you need to give and how you are going to last the whole run in the conditions.

TJ: I didn't know what to expect coming here, and there is so much beauty around the space that it does feel incredibly special. 

Michelle: There are not many shows where you can get a tan in tech! We are in the elements the whole time and getting our vitamins. 

From an audience experience, from the driveway in and the walk through the trees. It's a magical experience coming here.
Rosie: The theatre stars from the gate.

Michelle: There is a reason why we've both returned numerous times. It is gorgeous. There is a beautiful balance as a performer, feeling very zen in the countryside and almost on a break, but you are working at the same time. Because of the surroundings, you are getting a nice balance of both.

It must bring you all together as a company.
TJ: I feel like it is a musical theatre summer camp for grown-ups. Because we are fighting the weather, be that heat, rain or whatever. We do that collectively. 

Michelle: Normally, you'd be rushing off with hours of travel. There are hours of travel if you're working in London, there and back. You are also aware of that. Here, there is a moment to breathe, and you are able to take more in as you have more time. 

Rosie: Credit to Celia Mackay, producer of the theatre, you can tell the love she has put into this and the people they employ. Everyone comes together. 5 times, every time it has been the most beautiful cast. The love that the venue has been created with is in the fibres and it is in the DNA of it. I think that is a particularly special thing about Kilworth.  

The full 42nd Street company.

To wrap our chat up, can you describe the show in three words?
Michelle: Dazzling. The dancing is dazzling

TJ: Showbiz.

Rosie: Spectacular. It's that true thing of a spectacle.

Michelle: After the first number, you are drawn in. My Dad watched the first number and said he felt exhausted after that, in a really good way. "Like my gosh, how are they going to keep this up for the next two and a half hours and then you did."

42nd Street play at Kilworth House Theatre until Sunday 13th July 2025. Tickets are available from https://www.kilworthhouse.co.uk/kilworth-house-theatre