Footlights Theatre aims to produce the stars

Jo Fisher

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Updated: May 8th, 2023

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Jo Fisher is the founder & CEO of Footlights, a platform where all your performing arts needs are met. Jo started the company over 17 years ago as she wanted to make theatre training accessible & affordable to children aged 3 to 18 years.

Footlights delivers quality performing arts training and aims to ensure that each child gets the most out of their experience by building upon essential life skills and instilling confidence while having lots of fun and meeting new friends.

Jo grew up in the Higher Openshaw area of Manchester. She left school at 14 to pursue her passion for business and tried her hand at multiple small businesses.

At 14, she started by selling small items collected from the neighborhood moms in her area. Later in 1988, at 18, Jo became the first milkwoman in Manchester, and also around that time, she started her underwear business with a friend. The underwear business failed, leaving her in a pool of debt.

A few years later, Jo decided to fulfill her dream and train as an actor. At 23 enrolled at Manchester’s Arden School of Theatre to turn her dream into reality.

Though she bagged some significant roles after completing her training, she still decided to let go of those opportunities to launch Footlights. She ‘fell’ into teaching and discovered she had as much passion for this as she did for books and acting. Plus, the entrepreneur in her encouraged her to start something of her own.

She runs three schools in Stretford, Prestwich, & Wigan.
Owns five franchises in Greater Manchester & hopes to launch more soon.
Within four years of launch, she expanded her business because of demand.