We are delighted to share the news that an alumna of West End Kids, Nicola Myers, has secured a leading role in the London production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. The talented Nicola will perform the role of Judy Haynes in this much-loved part of the holiday season, giving audiences a chance to experience her excellent work and the kind of training that makes West End Kids such a good prelude to a career on the London stages.
An Up-and-Coming Star
The path that Nicola has taken from her early days in the West End to the professional musical theatre stage has been nothing short of phenomenal. After developing her craft with us, she has achieved major success in the theatre world. Her recent credits include alternating the role of Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Playhouse Theatre in the West End and at the Lido in Paris, as well as serving as the understudy for the role of Linda in Back to the Future at the Adelphi Theatre.
The White Christmas Musical Production
White Christmas is a cherished 1954 film that features some of Irving Berlin’s most famous songs. The most famous of those songs is the titular number, “White Christmas,” which bookends the film and its story. That story concerns two veterans of World War II, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, who nearly become a couple of washed-up entertainers until they team up with a sister act to put on a Christmas show in a Vermont lodge run by their former army commander.
An Amazing Team of Performers
Nicola will be sharing the stage with an amazing mix of performers. Directing the team of performers is Jason Kajdi, who will play the part of Bob Wallace and who is now doing double duty since it was also announced this week that he is the new artistic director of the Ohio Theatre. The cast also features Connor Hughes as Phil Davis and Gabriella Williams as Betty Haynes.
The journey from ‘West End Kid’ to a star in the West End is almost a straight line for Nicola, and it’s one that has a lot to do with the kind of training and real-world opportunities students get at West End Kids. She joins a long line of alumni who’ve made significant strides in the world of musical theatre and haven’t looked back since. For all of our current and future students, her path serves, almost inevitably, as a road taken.
What’s on the horizon for Nicola?
As she gets ready to embrace the role of Judy Haynes, we take a moment to applaud her. It’s not easy to undertake a big number like “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing.” Yet that’s what Nicola will be doing when she performs in the vibrant character of Judy Haynes. “White Christmas,” the stage version of the 1954 film, will be playing at The Mill at Sonning from 27 November 2024 to 25 January 2025. Please consider attending this show to support Nicola while also experiencing a holiday-themed romp through the world of music and dance.
What Nicola has achieved is the really quite simple result of unfathomable devotion, a lot of talent, and a healthy dollop of luck too — most of us will never know the kind of good fortune that allows you to land a leading role at the age of 22. What we’ve all just seen unfold on stage, and in the most recent issue of The Stage, is the result of all those factors and, we must add, the right training too.
