Hazel Karooma-Brooker is an English-Ugandan actress, singer, and dancer. They played Anne Boleyn in the first Bliss Cruise Production of Six the Musical[1], beginning on 6 September 2019. She left the show on 4 March 2020, and their role was taken over by Lucy Aiston.
Personal Life[]
Hazel has vitiligo, which is a skin condition that causes patches of the skin to lose their pigment and become white over time. They openly identify as queer and have previously identified as bisexual, referring to herself as a "former bi". Hazel uses they/she pronouns. They lived in Uganda from 2010 to 2014.
Role[]
Timeline[]
Production | Timespan | Principal |
First Bliss Cruise Production | 6 September – 4 March 2020 | Anne Boleyn |
Stage Credits[]
Stage Credits | |||
Year | Production | Role | Theatre |
2017 | Sweet Charity | Vocal Ensemble | The Brighton Academy |
2017 | Godspell | Soloist 1/Ensemble | The Brighton Academy |
2017 | Cinderella | Understudy Fairy Godmother | Brighton Premier |
2018 | Little Shop of Horrors | Crystal | The Brighton Academy |
2018 | The Wizard of Oz | Dorothy Gale | Acting Moon Events |
2018 | Sister Act | Deloris Van Cartier | The Brighton Academy |
2019 | Bring It On | Danielle | The Brighton Academy |
2019-20 | Six the Musical | Anne Boleyn | Norwegian Bliss |
2021 | Medusa the Legend | Dita Von Tini/Muse 3 | Above the Stag Theatre & Bar |
Trivia[]
- Hazel is a jazz singer.
- Hazel plays the ukulele and piano.
- Six was Hazel's professional debut.
- Hazel originally auditioned and received callbacks for the West End and UK Tour casts, but did not get through to the final cut. They later auditioned for the cruise casts.
- In her audition for the West End and the second UK Tour casts, she sang Think by Aretha Franklin.[2]
- In the cruise auditions, they sang No One by Alicia Keys.[2]
- During their initial auditions, they received callbacks for Catherine of Aragon and Catherine Parr.[2] They subsequently received callbacks for Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, and Katherine Howard, followed by just Katherine Howard, and in the end, Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. She has been seen for every queen except Anna of Cleves in auditions.
- She was initially offered a contract as a rehearsal swing in the first Norwegian Bliss cast, and was later offered a contract as principal Anne Boleyn in the Breakaway Cruise cast.[2]
- However, something happened to the actress who was originally cast as principal Anne Boleyn for the first Bliss Cruise cast, so Hazel was offered the role.[2] They were never told what their rehearsal covers would have been.
- Hazel's favourite choreography in the show is No Way.[3]
- Hazel's favourite memory is from the final Megasix, when Natalie Pilkington and Lori McLare joined the cast on-stage.[2]
- Hazel's favourite costume from the show is Jane Seymour's costume.[2]
- Hazel's funniest moment is one night after Haus of Holbein, Sophie Golden's microphone died, then Alexandra Crosby pressed the music cue early so they were all just standing on the stage waiting for a cue that wasn't going to come.
- The hardest part in the show for Hazel is the I Don't Need Your Love remix.[3]
- If Hazel could be in another cast of Six, they would want to be in the Australian, Broadway, or UK Tour casts.[2]
- Hazel has stated that if they could play another queen, she would play Catherine of Aragon.[3]
- If Hazel could change a costume to another colour, they would change either Anne Boleyn or Katherine Howard's costumes to bright orange.[4]
- Hazel's first impression of the Queendom was that it was really cool because there was a lot of support; the Bliss Cruise cast didn't know how they would be received because they were the first cruise cast.[4]
- Hazel misses the energy release she had while playing Anne Boleyn.[4]
- Hazel was the first Black-mixed principal actress to portray Anne Boleyn.
- Hazel was the youngest professional principal actress to play Anne Boleyn, being 21 years old at the time of their debut.
- Hazel previously planned on auditioning for Six again.
- Hazel was featured in the 8th episode of The Queendom Podcast - A SIX: The Musical Podcast.
- They were also featured in the 16th episode of the podcast, which was a reunion episode of the first Bliss Cruise cast.
- Hazel appears in the 2nd episode of 'Robbie's Backstage Bants.'[2]
- Hazel appears in the YouTube video entitled 'Black Performers in the Arts Panel' alongside Alex Thomas-Smith, Tuwaine Barrett and Bethany Antonia.
Gallery[]
"But I didn't look as good as I did in my pic..." To view the Hazel Karooma-Brooker gallery, click here. |
References[]
NCL Bliss |