Star student wins place at top academy
Dream chance at stage school
A stage star from East Kilbride has taken a big step towards her dream career by gaining a place at one of the UK’s leading performing arts academies.
Former Duncanrig Secondary pupil Rachael McMahon will study musical theatre at The MGA Academy of Performing Arts in Edinburgh – and has begun full-time training to be a professional performer.
Rachael, 18, who started performing eight years ago when she joined the Shona Halford Theatre School, impressed staff at The MGA Academy during an intensive audition earlier this year.
And she was delighted to receive a letter of acceptance that allows her to live in Scotland while studying at a level equivalent to prestigious London performing arts colleges.
Rachael said: “For me, performing is a way to express myself and I find being on stage really exciting.
“I was quite nervous ahead of my audition for The MGA Academy as it was, by far, the biggest audition I’d ever done and so I didn’t know what to expect.
“During the audition, I took part in two dance workshops then sang a solo rendition of As If We Ever Said Goodbye from Sunset Boulevard.”
Rachael is looking forward to starting her training at the academy, which last year became the first full-time professional training venue in Scotland to be awarded accreditation by CDMT, the UK’s quality assurance and membership body for the professional dance, drama and musical theatre industries.
“I was shocked when I received my acceptance letter and it took a few days for the news to sink in,” Rachael added.
“I’ve heard the training offered by The MGA Academy is great and I’m most looking forward to improving my technique and doing what I love every day.”
Drew Gowland, cofounder and managing director of The MGA Academy, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Rachael to The MGA Academy.
“For more than a decade, we have been providing students like Rachael with exceptional training on par with London’s leading dance and drama schools. Our training has allowed our graduates to build successful international careers on stage and screen.”