A FORMER St Columba’s High School pupil is picturing her face on West End billboards after impressing Broadway stars.

Megan Gardiner fell in love with musical theatre at the age of 13 and is now enrolled at the MGA Academy of Performing Arts in Edinburgh, where she is currently training for a full-time musical theatre qualification.

As a part of the course she was able to showcase her talents and pick up words of wisdom from musical stars on an annual class trip to America.

The 18-year-old and her classmates arrived in New York where they were given the chance to soak up advice from Roddy Kennedy, star of the Tony Award-winning musical, Hamilton, and stage singer Alysha Umphress.

The class took part in a series of workshops before the industry professionals were quizzed on their experiences on stage and any tips they could pass on to the hopefuls.

Megan said: “I had an incredible time in New York City and came home feeling really inspired. The workshops were absolutely amazing. Roddy taught us a dance routine from Hamilton, one of the biggest musicals on Broadway, and also gave us some advice about what we should do once we graduate.”

If the teenager is to make the step up, she will need to be able to handle the pressure of performing in front of well-known names like Alysha Umphress, a challenge she managed to overcome with ease.

She added: “I also got to sing two songs for Alysha and she gave me some great feedback.

"She said it’s all about selecting the right songs to show off your voice – I chose to perform Christmas Lullaby, from Songs for a New World, and Better, from the musical Little Women.

“Once I finish my training, I’d love to get cast in a touring musical or in a West End production. I’ve really loved the course and feel like I’ve learned so much.”

Before reaching the academy, she honed her craft at the Dunfermline-based Limelight Productions and Carnegie Youth Theatre.

The MGA Academy is one of Scotland’s leading performing arts academies and will host an open day on February 9 with the hopes of discovering more students with limitless potential.

Andrew Gowland, managing director of The MGA Academy, said: “The experience will stand them in great stead for future auditions.

“We are looking forward to hosting our open day, where prospective students can take a look around the facilities and speak to students like Megan about their experience of training at The MGA Academy.

"We would love to welcome anyone from Dunfermline with an interest in a career in performing arts to join us.”

Those interested in attending the Open Day on February 9 are asked to email registrar@themgaacademy.com in advance.