FORMER Haslemere Performing Arts student Jessica-Alice McCluskey, 24, is now taking centre stage in the West End in Stepping Out - and enjoyed a standing ovation in last week’s opening night.

As reported in The Herald in November, Jessi has been a stalwart of both Haslemere Players and Haslemere Thespians for the last 10 years.

She was spotted by Stepping Out director Maria Friedman last year, when she took the lead role in the Players’ production of Sister Act at Haslemere Hall.

Jessi, who also trained at Showdown Theatre Arts a part-time theatre school for performers aged five to 25 based in Surrey and West Sussex, has now given up her job as a kindergarten teacher at Conifers School in Eastbourne, to take up her new tole as a professional actress.

Stepping Out, in which she plays Lynne, a bubbly student nurse and tap dance enthusiast, opened in Bath last October and enjoyed sell-out runs at regional theatres before transferring to London’s Vaudeville Theatre, where it opened last Tuesday with Amanda Holden in the lead role.

Jessi said: “Opening night was one of the most incredible experiences of my life mixed with nerves and excitement, receiving a standing ovation in the West End is a dream come true and seeing my name mentioned in many reviews was so exciting to me.

“I can’t wait to perform each night and have further opportunities to continue my professional career.

“Press night was a starry event with big names such as Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelley, David Walliams, Alesha Dixon, Sharon D Clarke, Miranda Hart and many more in the audience.

“I was overwhelmed to be speaking to performers that I have admired for years and to receive brilliant feedback from casting directors and agents, I feel so lucky and cannot thank everyone enough.”