BWW Interviews: Alison Jiear On Her Kickstarter - And Stiles & Drewe's THREE LITTLE PIGS!

Theatre folk might be very familiar with her name - primarily because of her Olivier-nominated turn in Jerry Springer the Opera - but Alison Jiear came to national prominence earlier this year when she entered the Simon Cowell-led star search Britain's Got Talent.

She's now using her high profile to fund a Kickstarter to record and release her album, Inspirational.

"Four years ago, my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and I had a horrific three-day wait before I could get on a plane to Australia," she recalls. "I decided the best way to use my time was to go into a studio and make an album of hymns for him - he loved hymns and inspirational music. I literally had an epiphany. For the first time I knew what I was placed on the earth to do, it was incredible; and I've been working on the album ever since.

"That's the music I'm really passionate about performing - that's why I went on BGT, that's why I'm recording it. I lost my dad a year and a half ago, and I'm still plugging away, I'm so determined to do it, and I just hope I can bring it to fruition.

"It's a funny thing, crowd-funding - you feel like you're asking people for money, but basically it's saying, 'If you like my music, my voice and what I do, please buy the album in advance - if we raise enough money I get to make it and you get the album.'"

There are only a few days left to contribute to the Kickstarter - and after that she's playing a couple of solo cabarets at the Hippodrome.

"We want the Hippodrome to be tied in with the album - giving people a taste of what that's going to be," she says. "It'll be a combination of music that has inspired me over the years and music from the album. I'm influenced by so many different styles of music - it'll be an eclectic choice of songs. I'll have [musical director] Dave Arch [famous for helming the band on Strictly Come Dancing], I'll have my quartet and some guests - it's going to be fantastic."

Don't worry if you miss her this time, though - she'll be back at Christmas with a festive gig at the St James Theatre.

"I've done the studio downstairs there probably six or eight times, but I've never done the main house," she reveals. "I love Christmas, I love that music, and I've got an awful lot of swing Christmas music from my Frank and Ella show - I'm passionate about Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and the jazz era. It'll be a lot of fun - and it's great to stick red hats and baubles on my musicians, because they hate it!"

And, of course, she's currently part of the company playing a limited run in The Three Little Pigs - Stiles and Drewe's latest West End hit.

"It's so brilliant!" she enthuses. "I haven't been at the Palace Theatre since I did Les Mis in 1992! I did my first show with Stiles and Drewe 24 years ago. It's a small show and a small cast, so we're a very tight-knit little family. The kids love the show - it doesn't insult their intelligence, and I'm loving it. I'm looking forward to settling into a nice routine and being part of the company."

The Three Little Pigs is running at the Palace Theatre.

Contribute to Ali's Kickstarter.