Jia FrancesMeet Jia Frances, a singer Dancer, Actress originally from Houston, Texas. After living and working in London England for several years, she has now returned to the US.
Jia's talent extends into various different genres of entertainment, including writing and performing her own music and staging her own appearances on stage, TV, films, and cabaret. As well as providing lead and backing vocals to world famous artists and teaching voice, vocal technique and performance technique.
TheatreJia Frances started with her studies that began in Houston, Texas USA at the famous School for the Performing and Visual Arts (The original Fame lifestyle). After studying there for three years, Jia landed her first big break in a Six Flags park called Astroworld After one season there she then started university at UT at Austin and studied Architectural Design.
After her first year Jia came home for the school break just as major show audition came through Houston. Out of the 1,200 auditionees for this Broadway Show, Jia was the only Houstonian to make it to New York. This was the break every young talent is waiting for and Jia took it with all she had.
Jia Frances had landed a chorus and understudy role for one of the all time 7 Tony award winning musicals of all-time; Michael Bennetts legendary "Dreamgirls". Nothing could stop her now. Initially touring the US with the show, then to Broadway New York, with powerful artists as Felicia Aires-Allen (Mother on Cosby Show), Michael Peters (choreographer for Michael Jackson), Jennifer Holliday, Cleavant Derricks-Carrol and David Allen-Greer, these 2 years flew by. Living out of suitcases became second nature as Jia went out on tour with "Dreamgirls" for a second stint but this was a world-wide tour. What better way to see the world than while you are working.
Living in New York during a lot of this time was certainly an experience for a South West gal like Jia. Jia Frances made many life long friends and contacts. In the vibrant atmosphere of NY her contacts lead to roles in other shows, commercials, television, photographic print, modelling, and industrial work.
Jia then toured with her own cabaret show, formed a girls group (SASS) in Texas that performed as a house band in Cody's and other major functions in Houston, Texas. Jia ended up in London after a wonderful 4 months performing on board The Crown Odyssey cruise ship which set sail each time from Englands shores. This brought Jia into talks with various record companies in the UK over performances and deals.
Never on to sit around waiting, as talks and legalities progressed with the record companies, Jia Frances looked at other avenues of the performing industry and immediately landed a role in the musical "Ain't Misbehaving". The show, based on the songs of Fats Waller, with a cast of only 5. Jia was put into the show as it was about to move from the Tricycle theatre to London's West End (Apollo Theatre).
Despite being used to having a leading role, Jia took the gig, which meant covering two lead roles and before long she had her chance to show London what she had to offer in the realms of musical theatre . Her first night was an amazing success, with a long standing ovation for her emotive rendition of "Keeping Out Of Mischief". Over the run of the show in the Apollo Theatre, Jia made many friends and fans.
However, when it comes to fans, her next show "Buddy", gave her an army of fans. "Buddy", initially at the Victoria Palace, then moving to the Strand Theatre where Jia joined the cast, allowed Jia to have fans who would see the show on an almost weekly basis ! Buddy was based on the all to short life of Buddy Holly, the show ran in the West End for 13 years and is currently on tour. Jia Frances was actually in the show twice, being asked back when Producer Paul Elliot saw Jia in a Production of "The Wiz" at the Hackney Empire and had to have her back in Buddy. The CD soundtrack from the show is still selling well.
 Jia Frances appearance in The Wiz at the Hackney Empire was a very personal experience. The motivation and turning point in her adolescent life; to go become an entertainer, was seeing the show "The Wiz" with Stephanie Mills and Andre DeShields on Broadway NY. Jia played the key role of Dorothy and this was more than a dream come true for her. Because of the importance of this to Jia, the role of Dorothy was both emotionally demanding and draining each night, but most rewarding and worth every moment.
The Stage newspaper reported: Heading a cracking cast, Jia Frances matches Dorothy's vulnerability with the cool confidence needed to marshal her bizarre travelling companions, anchoring the various sections of Ease on Down the Road with ease.
When shows such as "The Wiz" are not running at the Hackney Empire, Friday nights is given over to talent contents, where the not so good get a very rough ride from the audience and the great bring the house down. It's so strange that her next project, "125th Street", would be based on the world famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, where its reputation was built on exactly the same thing only more so !
 The Apollo Theatre in New Yorks Harlem launched some careers of household names such as Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown and Sarah Vaughn. So follows the storyline of 125th Street which opened in The Shaftesbury Theatre in London; launching many careers of the performers represented. The show was set in the late 50s and 60s in the Apollo Theatre; the night of a TV broadcast, where the main stars booked to perform were all caught up in the riots and traffic outside arrived leaving no choice but to produce a TV show from the pool back-stage girls and boys who were regulars at the Apollo. This is how several truly got their chance at fame. Jia played Debbie Robinson, organiser of the backing singers for all the acts that performed at the Apollo. Debbie is one who gets her chance at fame and love and truly rocks the house with her voice. She soon becomes the star she always dreamed of. (See some great pictures here)
The US newspaper, Variety, commented on Jia's singing, it as perfectly clear and feisty (when she caught George cheating on her) by hurling at him a "Piece of My Heart" and brought the house down. The Stage newspaper said "A high point towards the end of the show was back up singer, played by Jia Frances, singing a climatic onstage duet that brought tears and the audience to their feet." Street Live Section of BOYZ Mag states Jia Frances "blew me away with her powerful vocals particularly Jia's emotive rendition of "Piece of My Heart". |
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