Abbie lands place with Disneyland entertainment team (From Wharfedale Observer)

Abbie lands place with Disneyland entertainment team

1:30pm Wednesday 25th April 2012 in News By Jim Jack

It sounds like the fairytale plot of a Disney film.

But for Yeadon teenager Abbie Hill, joining the Disneyland Paris entertainment team has become a thrilling reality.

The 18-year-old has been picked from more than 400 hopefuls to land her dream job at the massive attraction.

Abbie, who visited the Disneyland as a child, has been offered a six-month performance contract to the delight of her mum, Jude, and step-dad Phil Cole, himself an actor of no little standing.

Mr Cole said: “Only ten years ago Abbie had visited Disneyland Paris on a family holiday and she was equally in awe and in terror of the Disney princesses and villains alike.

“Her bedroom is even now still full of Disney DVDs and plush toys, so she is still somewhat in shock at the knowledge she will now be not only going back there, but working and living there too.

“As one of her friends said to her: ‘I can’t believe you are actually going to be living at Disneyland’!

“This is something of a continuing of the Disney dynasty in our family, as it was ten years ago that I was appearing in Beauty and The Beast for Walt Disney Theatrical, in their international tour of the stage musical – and now my step-daughter is following in those footsteps.

“Jude and I are very proud of her fantastic achievement.”

Abbie’s good news could not have come at a better time, as earlier this year she had suffered a setback after attending several rounds of arduous auditions – along with thousands of other students – for a place at five of London’s top drama schools.

The competition was so fierce that Abbie, despite her predicted Triple Distinction Star for the Diploma in Musical Theatre at Leeds City College, failed to secure a place.

So when she spotted a newspaper notice for Disneyland Paris auditions a few weeks ago, she jumped at the chance and decided to give it her all.

Abbie, who has performed leading roles for a number of local amateur groups including Stampede Theatre Company, now can’t wait to begin entertaining a much larger audience in France.