Published: Thursday, 10th July, 2008 08:55
Rebecca's homing in on the West End...
By Siew Peng Lee
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AN aspiring West Fife actress is another step closer to the West End after winning a place at one of the UK’s most prestigious theatre schools.
Rebecca Robertson (21), a former pupil of Woodmill High School, is about to begin her final year at the Italia Conti Academy in London, Britain’s oldest theatre arts training school.
Rebecca, of Woodmill Crescent, won a Dance and Drama Award (DaDA) to pursue a Diploma in Musical Theatre at the academy, where fees cost £13,000 a year.
Rebecca, who already has a diploma from Ecosse Performers College in Losseimouth under her belt, won the DaDA on the strength of her audition but said she never expected to get in.
She told the Press, “I was over the moon when I did. There are lots of people who audition every year.
“Even when I got in I still wasn’t sure if I could go because I couldn’t afford £13,000 a year and that was the worst part. But everyone who auditions is auditioning for funding as well and I feel so lucky that I got the award.”
Rebecca’s interest in singing and drama was sparked at a young age by Celine Dion.
She laughed, “I’m quite embarrassed by that now but I used to listen to her, and wanted to sing like her.”
She got involved in drama and school shows in S1, and went on to play Annie in Annie, Jan in Grease and Laurey Williams in Oklahoma in school shows.
More recently she has been a soloist in Italia Conti’s Christmas carol concert and performed in its musical theatre productions.
Her dream role, however, is Elphaba in Wicked – currently playing in the West End and starring her idol, British stage actress Kerry Ellis.
Of her time at Italia Conti, Rebecca enthused, “It’s always a challenge and you have to be very self-disciplined – I’m working at a bar as well. There are always assignments but it’s a very good training ground.
“We’ve got some amazing teachers who’ve got a lot of experience – one of my teachers has sung on Broadway – and it’s really good learning from people who know how the business works.”
Despite her talent, Rebecca is under no illusions what it’s going to take to make it.
She smiled, “I know it’s going to take a lot of work to succeed and you always think it’s going to happen with a click of your fingers.
“I know I have to be realistic – there are so many girls who can sing, dance and look better than me, so you’ve just got to have the drive.”
Her advice to young actors?
“Just work hard – you have to want to do it because you’re going to have to get through so many knockbacks. But just take the chance or you will live to regret it and enjoy what you’re doing.”
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