I was in my first show ‘Scrooge’ in 2005 when I was 10. As a young child I briefly attended Stage One for drama classes, following that, I didn’t have any traditional training in singing, dancing or acting, my training came from performing in shows at the Gaiety with a number of local societies.

Because I didn’t have the training my peers had, and most entries to YAOM seemed to come from local drama schools, I hadn’t previously considered entering, but in 2012 I took a punt, entered and somehow was named the winner. The prize was a weeks summer school at West End Stage in London, including travel and accommodation. As an aspiring Musical Theatre performer it was the most incredible experience. I spent the week training in all disciplines, learning from west end professionals, workshops from casts of current West End shows and in disciplines I had never experienced before such as Stage Combat. The week culminated with a performance at, what was then, Her Majesties Theatre in London’s West End.

The following year I auditioned and was accepted into the Arts Educational Schools London for a 3 year Musical Theatre degree. I graduated in 2016 and have been working professionally in Musical Theatre for the past 10 years all over the world, having played parts such as ‘Roger’ in Grease, ‘Kev T’ in Come From Away, originating and helping create roles in a number of workshops for new musicals and even recently returning to the Isle of Man to play Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys, just a few highlights of my professional career to date.

My experience with YAOM and subsequent prize is something I still dote on. I learnt so much from West End Stage and met a number of people who I’ve crossed paths with again later in my career, people I learnt from that week, or my peers, whom it’s amazing to reconnect with and see the transformation from teenagers with a hobby and a dream to actors who have achieved success in what is a difficult and competitive industry. I owe a lot to the Isle of Man and it’s theatre community; from the amateur societies, their performers, production and creative teams, MADF & YAOM, the incredible teams at the Gaiety Theatre, Villa Marina and Ballakermeen’s Studio Theatre, Stage One, Platform, Theatre School, individuals such as the late Olga Gray, Eddie Lowey and Lady Joan Smith and many, many others.

All of these people and places helped shape me into, or supported me to become, the performer I am today. The theatre community on the IOM is second to none and creates a breeding ground of talent and experiences for young performers that I have not seen anywhere else. It is for that reason I try my best to return, whenever able to, to teach or get involved in local theatre and try to pass on the help and passion that I received that helped drive me into the incredible world that is theatre.