▁at ▁the ▁D umb art on ▁House ▁School , ▁a ▁private ▁school ▁in ▁Sw anse a . ▁The ▁family ▁came ▁from ▁a ▁mod est ▁background , ▁but ▁their ▁fort unes ▁improved ▁when ▁they ▁won ▁£ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁a ▁b ingo ▁competition , ▁allowing ▁them ▁to ▁pay ▁for ▁Z eta - J ones ' s ▁dance ▁and ▁bal let ▁less ons . ▁ ▁Z eta - J ones ▁participated ▁in ▁school ▁stage ▁shows ▁from ▁a ▁young ▁age ▁and ▁gained ▁local ▁media ▁attention ▁when ▁her ▁rend ition ▁of ▁a ▁Sh ir ley ▁Bas sey ▁song ▁won ▁a ▁Junior ▁Star ▁Tra il ▁talent ▁competition . ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁dance ▁tr oupe , ▁she ▁rout in ely ▁took ▁tri ps ▁to ▁London , ▁where ▁she ▁aud ition ed ▁for ▁roles ▁in ▁the ▁theatre . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁nine , ▁she ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁play ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁or phan ▁girls ▁in ▁a ▁West ▁End ▁production ▁of ▁the ▁musical ▁An nie , ▁and ▁in ▁her ▁early ▁te ens , ▁she ▁became ▁a ▁national ▁tap ▁dan cing ▁champion . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁she ▁played ▁the ▁lead ▁role ▁of ▁An nie ▁in ▁a ▁Sw anse a ▁production ▁of ▁the ▁musical , ▁which ▁was ▁st aged ▁at ▁the ▁Sw anse a ▁Grand ▁Theatre . ▁Two ▁years ▁later , ▁she ▁played ▁the ▁lead ▁role ▁of ▁T all ul ah ▁in ▁a ▁West ▁End ▁production ▁of ▁B ugs y ▁Mal one . ▁When ▁she ▁was ▁ 1 5 , ▁Z eta