People like to marginalise those working in the entertainment industry into particular boxes: actor, singer, dancer, musical theatre performer, for instance. It can be difficult for them to successfully step out of that box and into another once they’ve been designated an identity by the public, but anyone who has the talent to transcend into different areas of the business should be celebrated for doing so. Musical theatre performers in particular seem to have a hard time making it off-stage, but the combination of talent, determination and passion for what they do does sometimes pay off. Twinnie Lee Moore was predominantly known for her stage work, but is now gaining wider recognition for her role as Porsche McQueen in the Channel Four soap opera, Hollyoaks. The gifted young actress is also recognised here in In Profile.

Twinnie Lee Moore grew up in York and began performing from an early age, taking part in pantomimes at the Grand Opera House in York. She also joined the theatre’s Summer Youth Project, and appeared in such roles as Bet in Oliver!, Lily in Annie and Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. She went on to pursue a career in the entertainment industry and was later accepted into Phil Winston’s Theatre Works, spending three years in the Blackpool-based performing arts college where she received professional training in all performance skills.

She made her West End début at the age of nineteen, after graduating from Theatre Works. She secured an ensemble role in the West End production of the smash-hit Queen musical, We Will Rock You, in 2006, performing on the stage of the Dominion Theatre alongside such names as Peter Johansson, Jenna Lee-James, Mazz Murray, Alex Bourne and Rachel Wooding. Following a year in the show, she left to join the ensemble of Desperately Seeking Susan, a new musical based on the songs of Blondie which made its London première at the Novello Theatre in November 2007.

She then left the ensemble roles behind to take on the lead role  of Ariel Moore in the 2008 Tour of Footloose, hitting the road with fellow tour cast mates Stephen Webb, Maureen Nolan, Jodie Jacobs, Simon Lipkin, and more to entertain audiences all around the UK.

The road trip continued when she joined another touring production in another principal role, starring as murderess Velma Kelly in the Kander and Ebb musical Chicago, which toured the UK from 2009 to 2010 and also featured Emma Barton as Roxie Hart, Marti Pellow as Billy Flynn, Wendy Lee Purdy as Matron ‘Mama’ Morton, and Adam Stafford as Amos Hart. When the tour ended in February 2010, her next engagement was to play Cassie in a 10-day run of A Chorus Line at the Lowry in Manchester, before a visit home to York for a series of West End dance workshops at York Dance Works.

She returned to the West End that autumn after winning a role in the original London cast of Flashdance, which opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in September 2010. The production, which was directed by Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Phillips, starred Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (Alex Owens), Matt Willis (Nick Hurley), Sarah Ingram (Hannah Owens) and Sam Mackay (Jimmy Kaminsky). Moore played Latino club dancer Jazmin, one third of a trio that also included Hannah Levane as Keisha and Charlotte Harwood as Gloria, and was additionally made Alternate Alex, appearing in the lead role on Saturday matinee performances.

Following the show’s closure, she remained in the West End to become a member of yet another new musical’s original London cast. The Broadway musical, Rock of Ages, transferred to the West End in August 2011 and took over the Shaftesbury Theatre, with Moore performing with the ensemble cast and also covering the leading roles of Sherrie and Justice, which she played on-stage on multiple occasions. She featured alongside the show’s stars, Oliver Tompsett, Amy Pemberton, Simon Lipkin, Shayne Ward and Justin Lee Collins, leaving the jukebox musical of classic 1980s rock hits after a year as part of the 2012 cast change.

Her other theatre credits include Catherine in Four Knights in Knaresborough (Southwark Playhouse),  Jack and the Beanstalk (His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen) and Forbidden Planet (The Paradise Rooms), as well as workshops for Rehab (Lucy), In Touch (Megan) and Everything’s F***ed (Belle). She’s also performed in a number of cabarets and concerts, including appearing as a special guest vocalist at Giggin4Good at The Actor’s Church in Covent Garden, and playing Ronnie Scott’s in Soho.

Moore has also been seen as a dancer for a variety of artistes on TV shows like, So You Think You Can Dance, The Al Murray Show and Britain’s Got Talent. She auditioned in front of show judges Tom Jones, Jessie J, Will.i.am and Danny O’Donoghue for TV singing contest, The Voice, in 2012, but unfortunately failed to make it past the first round. Her film roles include Mary in Ironclad: Battle For Blood and the leading role of Sabrina Strangelove in Ruby Strangelove.

Since leaving Rock of Ages, she has predominantly concentrated her talents on music. The singer/songwriter has been working on her own material and released a music video for her song, ‘Don’t Wanna Love Him No More’, in 2013. She has further immersed herself in the world of music through such engagements as opening Capital’s Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium in June 2013, and backing for Robin Thicke and Pharrell on their hit song, ‘Blurred Lines’, making TV appearances on such shows as The Graham Norton Show, This Morning and Radio 1 Live Lounge.

The stage’s loss was their gain, and it will continue to have to do without her as she is currently wowing viewers as a regular cast member in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks. She plays the character of Porsche McQueen, first showing up in the popular soap opera in November 2014 and making an unforgettable entrance in a huge storyline that saw her wedding to Lockie Campbell (Nick Rhys) end in a shock train crash.

Twinnie Lee Moore is the full package: singer, dancer, actress…a girl born to be a performer. Whether on TV or the stage, her talent shines through and makes every performance a joy to watch. She has a future of unlimited potential ahead of her and no matter where she goes and what she does, it’ll surely be a sight to see.

You can follow Twinnie on Twitter: @TwinnieleeMoore

By Julie Robinson: @missjulie25

Saturday 21st February 2015