We recently had the pleasure of catching up with Class of 2013 OW, Emily Jones, to hear all about her exciting journey into the world of acting since leaving Westholme. Making her television debut on Vera, Performing Arts has always been a passion and last year we had the pleasure of welcoming Emily back for our Centenary Concert to sing Phantom of the Opera on the Croston Theatre stage, where it all began. 

How was your Westholme experience? What have you been up to since leaving? 

I look back on my Westholme experience with fond memories. In particular, the time I spent in the Drama and Music Departments. I always felt so supported and encouraged to express myself creatively and was given the opportunity to challenge myself and grow throughout my Westholme years. 

I also made many friendships through the Productions at Westholme and many music/drama clubs I was a part of. It was a wonderful way of bringing together like minded students from various year groups to support each other and flourish. 

Since leaving Westholme, I have continued to pursue a career in the Performing Arts Industry. I attended the Drama Centre in London on the foundation course and then went onto the Three Year Acting course at The Oxford School of Drama. During my training, I was fortunate to be awarded The Laurence Olivier Bursary Award and was a finalist in the BBC Radio Carleton Hobbs Competition. Most recently, I made my Television Debut in ITV’s Vera. 

Which was your favourite Westholme production to be a part of and why? 

In Year 10, I played the role of Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera and this will always hold such special memories for me. The production and cast were fantastic and I felt very lucky to be a part of such a brilliant team. 

The set was phenomenal, with a falling Chandelier, illusions, and riding in a boat across the stage! This was also a great testament to the technicality of the show and how hard the staff worked to deliver such a professional standard.

It was through exploring this role I then connected with my Vocal Coach Mary Setrakian (coach to Sierra Boggess, Mary J Blige, Nicole Kidman) who I’ve worked with since the age of 15 in New York, Rome and Manchester.

Have you got any exciting plans/ projects coming up? How have you found working on your recent TV debut?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the industry it’s that opportunity comes out of the blue and usually at the most unexpected of times and you just can’t predict what tomorrow will bring. I am currently writing my own work and hope to bring this to the stage soon, and look forward to seeing what the future holds. 

Working on Vera for my TV debut was a dream. I was extremely fortunate to have met and worked with exceptional and iconic actors whom I really look up to. The cast and crew made me feel so welcome and supported and I just couldn’t have wished for a better experience on my first job on screen. 

You returned to bless the Croston Theatre stage once more at our Centenary Concert, how did Westholme compare to the days you were a student here? 

It was such a lovely evening and a pleasure to be asked to sing Phantom again on the stage where it all began. It was a full circle moment and such a joy to see all the phenomenal Westholme talent from over the years come together for such a special evening. 

Any advice for current students here at Westholme?

My advice would be to focus on yourself and your journey. Keep striving every day to be the best version of yourself and always strive for growth and development. That way when opportunity comes knocking you’ll be ready to grab it with both hands and give it your all. Beyond that, trust the process and stay resilient. Have faith in yourself and your calling whatever that may be.