RENOWNED actress and singer Alison Jiear visited King’s Ely to run an exciting musical theatre masterclass with students.
Alison, a popular cabaret artist and musical theatre performer on the London cabaret circuit, gave Drama and Theatre students at King’s Ely Senior a fascinating insight into the business and provided them with crucial advice on how to successfully pursue a career in the industry. The workshop, held on Tuesday March 14th, was the last in a series of engaging and energy-filled theatre masterclasses, all run by industry professionals, at King’s Ely.
Director of Drama and Theatre at King’s Ely, Nick Huntington, commented: “Alison was able to give the students a great insight into the business and provide them with crucial advice, especially those thinking of a career in the industry. Many pupils stayed after the class to get one to one last minute tips and hints. Alison’s caring, nurturing manner allowed pupils to safely develop their interpretation of a musical theatre song, as well as hone their technique. Pupils were given the chance to listen to Alison sing Sondheim’s Not A Day Goes By in contrasting ways, in order to highlight the difference in emotional states, before trying this out for themselves. Best of all was Alison’s flawless rendition of Defying Gravity, which proved her standing as one of the best female singers in her profession.”
Alison was trained at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Australia. She was one of The Fabulous Singlettes, an Australian girl trio specialising in Motown girl group covers. They appeared at London’s Piccadilly Theatre in 1988. Her West End musical theatre credits include Shoes at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre, On the Town at the English National Opera & Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, Hot Mikado, Jerry Springer: The Opera at the Royal National Theatre and Sydney Opera House and Grease. She also featured in the motion picture Being Julia.
Alison was also nominated for the 2004 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in Jerry Springer: The Opera, in which she played the character of Shawntel, a woman who dreams of becoming a pole dancer.