ST Albans is alive with The Sound of Music after a young girl won the coveted role of Brigitta in an upcoming production of the popular show.

Ella Byrt, of Fleetville Junior School, will be starring as one of the seven Von Trapp children at Wyllots Theatre in Potters Bar from November 20-24.

Her mother Lyndy, a piano teacher, described the audition process as “gruelling” and said that her daughter’s competition was in the 100s.

She added that Ella has done really well and also plays the flute and the piano.

Ella, 10, said she was nearly crying when she found out she had got the part.

“We were in a caf� in our town and we hadn’t heard from them.

“We were just having a coffee and stuff and then my mum got this email on her phone saying something about it.”

She added: “I went into school one day and said to my teacher I got the role and she went ‘wow!’.”

The former Top Hat stage school student said she has wanted to perform ever since she was little.

She added that some of her rehearsals have been quite tough but that she is “pretty excited about everything” to do with the upcoming performance.