Students of the Chester theatre school, North-west End Acting School, have set themselves up for success on the professional stage.
Ruby Nightingale, Kieran Foster and Molly Madigan, all students at the North West End Acting School in Chester’s Garden Quarter, are taking their first steps to a professional career in the theatre.
Molly, 22, has landed the trainee actor role at Storyhouse’s Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre in Chester this summer. The actor, singer and songwriter will begin rehearsals with the professional cast later this month and has already secured roles in Romeo & Juliet and Little Women. Her NWEAS tutor and director Francis Tucker has also been appointed musical director of Stig of the Dump.
Fellow student Kieran Foster, 26, will begin his first professional acting job in Hey Bunny Get Loose at Liverpool’s Royal Court in May. A freelance graphic designer and illustrator, he has recently given up his day job in telecommunications to focus on his acting career.
Francis said: “We are so proud of Kieran and Molly. They are both really committed to a career in acting and their hard work has paid off. “It is so important for young actors to get experience on a professional production early on in their careers and working with the teams at Storyhouse and the Royal Court will be invaluable to them both.”
The school’s success continues throughout the younger groups. NWEAS teen group member Ruby Nightingale has won a highly competitive sixth form place at the prestigious LIPA. The Year 11 student at Bishops Blue Coat CE High School will study acting at the Liverpool college in September.
Co-director Lucy Thatcher added: The competition to get into LIPA this year was extremely tough and Ruby has done an amazing job to get a place.
“As well as classes in acting technique we also timetable workshops with top actors, directors and agents so that our students get a real feel for life in the professional theatre.”
Lucy and Francis pride themselves on successfully juggling their own professional acting careers at the same time as teaching at the school. Lucy has just finished filming the new ITV crime drama, Ridley, with Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar and Francis, recently made an appearance on the nation’s favourite Coronation Street, playing Mr Bosgrove.
The summer term acting classes at NWEAS begin at the end of April. To find out more visit www.northwestendactingschool.co.uk or telephone 07976586060.
