Showbiz and Shabbos

By Lauren Wallis - Thursday 16th 2006f November 2006


Caroline Cohen

The glittering lights beckoned, the West End stage summoned. But for sisters Louise Leach, 28, and Caroline Cohen, 25, a rose glistened amongst the thorns - Shabbat.

The two Londoners had fantastic prospects in showbusiness; Louise as a singer and Caroline as an actress. But after discovering the true beauty of Judaism, and the gem at the heart of it, the girls were sold. To portray their miraculous journey, Louise and Caroline have embarked on a number of grand plans which highlight their balance of succeeding at what they do, whilst striving to be frum.

Former North London Collegiate student Louise, who currently lives in Hendon with her husband and two daughters, graduated from Birmingham University five years ago. Since then, her music career has gone from strength to strength. She appeared in the hit ITV series Popstars, which produced several successful acts; Hearsay, Liberty X and Darius. She was whittled down to the last twenty artists and was voted out on the same day as Darius. Following this stint, she featured on many radio and daytime chat shows, as well as gracing the pages of several newspapers and magazines. She also went as far as forming a three-piece girl band with two other contestants from the final stages, and within 3 months had recorded a 10-track demo album with them. With the help of a fantastic song-writing team, manager and producer, they began talks with some major record labels.

But the lure of the world of showbiz came second to what Louise was about to experience. She told the Jewish News: “I have always been traditional, but my first truly religious Shabbos was spent with a family in Golders Green. I have never experienced anything like it. They had an open home, and lunch with twenty guests. I loved the fact that it was uninterrupted, and all about family. It was an amazing period of time for me, and really opened to my eyes to a whole new inspiring lifestyle.”

Louise started having doubts about her original career path, and began learning regularly at the Jewish Learning Exchange in a quest to improve her knowledge. She said: “I was blown away by the people I met and the religious way of life and thinking.” She subsequently quit the pop group to become shomer Shabbos, and decided to channel her love for performing arts in a different way; this time through teaching and choreographing shows. She opened a dance school and currently teaches hip hop, jazz, ballet, tap dancing and Israeli/simcha dancing to over 250 females, on a weekly basis.

Louise’s sister, Caroline, an ex-student of Haberdashers’ Aske’s, lives in Stanmore. She studied Music and Performing Arts at Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. Just before graduation, she was offered a contract with one of the West End’s top agents, resulting in her landing the understudying role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady on Drury Lane. During this time she was also selected to work with Ben Elton on his musical with Rod Stewart, Tonight's the Night. Towards the end of the My Fair Lady run, she was offered a range of leading roles including understudy to the lead in Mamma Mia, the lead in Summer Holiday (the part which Suzanne Shaw eventually took), and Chava in the UK tour of Fiddler on the Roof. But she turned them all down to take some time out.

She explained: “I had been battling for a while between my love of theatre and my passion for Torah, which had been growing since I went to Israel on an Aish Fellowships programme the summer before My Fair Lady. I began attending regular classes at the JLE, which culminated in a spiritually-charged Shavuos at Rabbi Tatz. It was during this Yom Tov that I had my final recall for my dream role of Cosette in Les Miserables, and I realised if I was to accept, I would be committing myself to another year without Shabbos. My priorities had changed and I turned down the role and left my manager.”

Instead, Caroline has put her skills to good use in an altogether different way: “I have channelled my love of theatre through teaching, directing & choreographing community musicals.” Clearly, the girls are now at their most content. Louise said: “Before, I loved going to parties. Now the focus is more on Shabbos and my family.” Caroline agreed: “I have more direction now.”

Louise and Caroline have now set up a theatre company called “Sister Act Theatre Company” (SATC). Their current show “From Showbiz to Shabbos” is destined to be an amazing evening of song and dance, featuring songs from Caroline’s new album, some big chorus numbers, and special guest performances from some of Caroline’s West End friends. The show follows on from her sell-out tour of South Africa this summer, where she sung to packed audiences in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Louise has produced and choreographed the show, appearing alongside six other backing singers and dancers during the performance, and Caroline will be fronting the whole concert. The show is in association with Made in Heaven, an organisation which helps singles in the community find their “bashert,” and offers advice and guidance pre and post marriage.

From Showbiz to Shabbos will show on Sunday November 26. For more information, call Denise Korman on 0208 202 9300 or 07970 064 686. Tickets are on sale at Divrei Kodesh (Edgware), Blooms (Golders Green), Froweins (Temple Fortune) and Amazing Grace (Hendon).

We have 3 pairs of tickets and 3 runners-up prizes of CDs to give away. To win, simply answer the following question:

Of what school is Louise Leach a former pupil?
a) North London Collegiate
b) East London Collegiate
c) South London Collegiate

Send us your answer, along with your name, address and telephone number, to competitions@totallyjewish.com, to reach us no later than midnight November 22. For terms and conditions, see www.totallyjewish.com/entertainment. Good luck!