Ria Jones: From Swansea to Beyond
Over the last 30 years, Ria Jones has literally gone from Swansea and back as she continues to dominate the musical theatre space. After leaving school at 16, Ria Jones has taken on some of the most challenging and coveted roles. By age 19, she was the youngest actress ever to play the role of Eva Peron in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's legendary musical: 'Evita' and soon after made her West End debut in 'Chess'. In 1991, Ria was handpicked by Andrew Lloyd Webber again to workshop the role of Norma Desmond in his musical adaptation of Billy Wilder's iconic 1950 film: 'Sunset Boulevard'.\xa0
So how did Ria Jones go from performing in Swansea pantomime to leading a performance of the role she originated at the London Coliseum? In this interview, we dive into the depths of Ria's eclectic career, exploring what touring is like and how to carry out a performance 8 shows a week. Before heading into lockdown, Ria also took on the role of Mama Rose in 'Gypsy'\xa0 so we know after the pandemic ends, we will get to see more of Ria on stage and we look forward to when that happens!