Paisley singer’s Christmas wish is to help charity

Teenage performer stars at the Usher Hall

An all- singing, all- dancing young performer is getting ready to spread some Christmas cheer and raise money for charity at the same time.

Nineteen- year- old Rachel McFadyen, from Paisley, will perform before an audience of more than 2,000 in a stunning festive stage spectacular at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall.

Rachel, who is a former pupil of Paisley Grammar School, is currently training for a BA (Hons) Musical Theatre qualification at the MGA Academy of Performing Arts in Edinburgh.

And she will take to the stage on Monday to perform in A Christmas Wish, which is a show that has raised more than £25,000 for charity in the past five years.

Dubbed a “dazzling winter sensational”, it is produced by the MGA Academy, features an array of Christmas tunes, sparkling costumes and wonderful dance routines.

Rachel said: “Rehearsals are pretty intense. I’ve performed in A Christmas Wish before so luckily I know some of the numbers already, but it’s still quite full on.”

Rachel and the troupe will be performing a range of festive family favourites from White Christmas to Holy Night as well as more upbeat, ‘mash-up’ medleys.

The MGA Academy says the show will be a mixture of dance and musical theatre numbers, all performed to an incredibly high standard.

Rachel herself will give solo performances in Christmas Overture, All I Want For Christmas Is You, Christmas No1s and Christmas In New York.

A performer since the age of 10, Rachel won lead roles in her school’s musicals.

And it was after playing the role of Sandy in Grease at age 14 that Rachel first began to believe she could make it as a professional.

Rachel explained: “I was always a loud kid. My parents signed me up for performance classes so they wouldn’t have to listen to my singing! It was only when I started performing in school productions that I started to take it seriously.”

Two years ago, Rachel impressed staff at the MGA Academy during an intensive audition in Edinburgh.

Rachel was one of the first to audition and she was delighted when, a few weeks later, she received her acceptance, allowing her to live in Scotland while studying at a level equivalent to prestigious London performing arts colleges, according to the MGA Academy.

Rachel said: “The MGA Academy is amazing. You get so much one-onone tuition and individual feedback every week. I’ve been auditioning against people from schools in London and New York and I’d say the standard at MGA is the same, if not better.”

Rachel is now looking to the future, with hopes of securing an agent following this year’s Christmas show. If successful, she will then begin auditioning for lead roles in professional musicals.

She will also have plenty of support on the night with friends and family there to cheer her on, including her boyfriend who is flying in all the way from New York.

Drew Gowland, co-founder and managing director of the MGA Academy, said: “Rachel and her classmates have been rehearsing hard for A Christmas Wish and we are confident they will put on a great show.

“We are currently holding auditions for courses starting in September 2019 and would welcome applications from people with similar aspirations to Rachel.”

To apply for a place at the MGA Academy of Performing Arts, visit www.themgaacademy.com/apply

 To purchase tickets for The MGA Academy’s performance of A Christmas Wish on Monday at 7.30pm, call The Usher Hall box office on 0131 228 1155.