A former Westholme student is once again reprising the role of Princess Jasmine in panto. Oh yes she is!
Ella Holt, 26, is starring in the incredible Aladdin at King George’s Hall running until 31 December alongside Corrie's Tristan Gemmill, who played Robert Preston.
Ella, from Houghton, said: “We’ll be performing over 40 shows, and I can’t wait. The costumes are beautiful and it’s really well written. And by coincidence, our first audience was Westholme School!”
It’s not the first time Ella has been cast as Jasmine. In her first ever panto at The Blackburn Empire Theatre she played the princess. Ella also played the role during her time with Pop Up Entertainment, formerly Pop Up Princess, and was even due to take up a full-time role as the famous princess before the pandemic hit in Disneyland.
She joked: “My mum said she should have called me Jasmine!”
Ella, who left Westholme School in 2016, said her love of drama began at the school.
“The school ignited my passion for the theatre. Westholme definitely kick started my love of theatre, mainly because the Croston Theatre is beautiful and the facilities at the school are great.
“There’s no better feeling than hearing an applause from the audience. I get to whisk people away on a journey. It’s magical.”
Ella graduated from her musical degree course at The Hammond in Chester in 2019. Now she teaches LAMDA at Westholme where she attended from Year 7 to Y13, she also works at Stagecoach Theatre School in Chorley and Preston and teaches singing in her spare time – as well as going for auditions!
She said her ideal big break would be performing as Nessarose in Wicked – or getting a job as a children’s presenter.
“I love entertaining and working with children. It’s a tough industry to crack and it’s all about being in the right place at the right time.”
So far in her career Ella has appeared in CBBC social media adverts, advertisements, and a James Arthur music video.
She added: “I still get nervous before every performance because it means so much to me. It’s hard to get a break after the Covid pandemic – but I have an amazing agent and I’m always travelling to and from London for auditions. Performing at King George’s Hall is a real ‘pinch me moment’.”
Tickets are available from https://link.edgepilot.com/s/de3c2be2/0Atks2RwtUWTvBWzrNn9lA?u=https://bwdvenues.com/whats-on/aladdin-2023/