Pop star Faye Tozer on the Steps that took her to 42nd Street

42nd Street is coming to Liverpool Empire for one week from Monday 4 September 2023.

As a member of one of the 90s’ top pop groups, fans might think a career in musical theatre was the Last Thing on her Mind.

But Steps singer Faye Tozer, who’s appearing in 42^nd Street at the Empire in September, says it was always a dream.

“I actually wanted to get into musical theatre from a really young age,” says Faye. “It was amazing having Steps come first, and then having a wonderful life in musical theatre as well.”

The 47-year-old adds: “I was lucky to get my first musical in 2004, which was Tell Me On A Sunday, and the transition was quite interesting, but it’s been wonderful to be somebody who surprises audience members who have a preconceived idea of me.

“I just absolutely absorb myself in my love of theatre and I’m so lucky to tread the boards in between the times that I’m with Steps.”

Steps, who announced a major comeback in 2017, 20 years after they had first formed, are one of the UK’s most successful bands. Faye joined Claire Richards, Ian ‘H’ Watkins, Lee Latchford Evans, and Lisa Scott Lee to create a string of hits, including the number one double A side single, Heartbeat and Tragedy, and songs like One For Sorrow and Deeper Shade of Blue.

And alongside that chart career, she has forged an impressive stage career spanning almost two decades too.

Faye is currently playing the role of Maggie Jones in 42^nd Street and says: “To be part of 42nd Street is like my childhood self’s dream. My Mum sent me and my sister to dance school when we were tiny to burn off all our energy, and when I was about 12 years old, we performed some numbers from it. The fact that I’m now doing it as a professional is such a wonderful full circle moment.

“As Steps we are of course well known for our dance routines, but dance for me has always been such a hugely special thing in my life because I just feel so joyful when I dance. It’s joyful to watch people dance and do it so brilliantly as well.”

Faye is appearing with Liverpool actor and comedian Les Dennis, who plays Maggie’s writing partner, Bert Barry: “Wonderful Les! What a joy to be sharing the stage with him, and what an absolute pro he is!

“Les and I actually have a little bit of history via Steps because he came and did a sketch for us for Steps Into Summer, a television programme we did.”

Faye will be at the Empire for the musical, which tells the 1933-set story of a small-town girl trying to make it on Broadway, from September 4 to 9.

And she has been touring since May for the production which stars Samantha Womack as Dorothy Brock and Michael Praed as Julian Marsh – something she is very much used to.

“I am an absolute pro when it comes to touring as I’ve been touring since I was 18,” Faye says. “I always have a prepped bathroom bag with all my bottles ready to go – when I come home at the weekend I fill the bottles back up and then they go back in the bag. I’ve got different bags for different sizes of cases as well, and I’ve got my magic overnight bag ready to go.

“I have a tiny speaker which is amazing and I’ve got a plug that has all my leads in it, so I can just plug it in at the hotel or wherever and I know I can charge my watch, my phone, and my iPad.  I always take my iPad with me when travelling so it’s loaded with all the programmes I’m watching just in case I get stuck on a journey!”

When she’s not out on the road, with a show or with Steps, she loves nothing better than relaxing at home with her son, Benjamin, and husband, IT specialist Michael Smith.

“I’m so blessed to live 10-minutes from the sea, so going down to the beach and just getting fresh sea air is incredible. If I’m in London then I love to catch a show – I’m a huge fan of musicals so I see as many as I can – and of course I love good food and good company… just catching up with friends is so lovely.”

Faye says she is proud of her career so far and excited about what she’s doing now, but is there anything she might have done differently, or any advice she might have given her younger self?

“If I could have told my 18-year-old self anything, I’d say to enjoy life a bit more and not take it so seriously, not compare myself to other people, and find joy in what makes me a bit different.”

But she smiles: “That’s nice advice but part of your learning and growing up is going through all those things. All the things we might call mistakes are important life experiences that teach us where we could be going forward to. Overall, I just feel really happy and blessed to be where I am.”

You can book tickets for 42nd Street at Liverpool Empire Monday 4 Sep – Saturday 9 Sep 2023 HERE.

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