Rising teen theatre star to perform in Christmas West End show

Aaliyah Monk, 16, will star in West End Musical Christmas alongside notable stage performers including Les Misérables' John Owen-Jones and Wicked's Emma Hatton.

The show will feature Christmas songs performed by a cast of 30 alongside a live band and dance ensemble, with Aaliyah among the singers.

On being cast for the role, the Ipswich resident said: “I feel honoured to be chosen for this role because I had to go through an audition process.

“I’m really nervous but I’m very excited at the same time. I haven’t been on stage for quite a while and it will just be quite nice to perform in front of an audience again.”

Aaliyah has been balancing studying for her A-levels with performing on stage (Image: David Taylor)

The A-Level student, who has been under award-winning drama company, Stage Box, since the age of 10, says she has always wanted a career within theatre.

She said: “When I was younger, we would do little productions at school like the nativity and I would sing in that.

“I realised that actually I really like this. And being in a show and being on stage is a wow feeling. I want to do this my whole life.”

But, this isn’t the first time the rising star has been on the West End.

She said: “In 2017 I audition for Summer Hathaway in School of Rock the Musical and I was able to be cast in it and was in that role for a year.

“We also had to do promo for that show so I was on Children in Need in 2018.”

Aaliyah on stage performing School of Rock the Musical (Image: Daisy Galforg)

Going forward Aaliyah hopes to continue her passion for theatre and develop her talent.

She said: “I would really love to stay around performing arts and I hope to go to performing arts college. I want to continue performing on stage and screen acting as well – that would be incredible.”

The show will take place on December 13 and December 20 at the Lyric Theatre in London.

For more information or to book tickets see the theatre’s website here.