SALE Moor actress Elena Vincent will tread the boards of one of Manchester’s most famous stages when she appears at the Palace Theatre.

Elena plays Gary Coleman in the offbeat show Avenue Q, said her engagement at the Palace is ‘a dream come true.’ She said: “I've been going to see shows at the Palace Theatre since I was a little girl and to now be actually able to perform on that stage is a bit of a dream come true.

"I have lots of friends and family coming to support and for most of them it is the first time they've seen me do anything so it's very exciting.”

A former pupil of Sale Grammar School, Elena did her acting training at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and Mountview Academy of Performing Arts.

In Avenue Q she’s reprising a role that gave the 22-year-old her big break after graduating from drama school.

She said: “ I play Gary Coleman, one of the three human characters in the show, from the hit American TV Show Different Strokes.

“Since his fall from fame and the suing of his parents he has hit rock bottom and is now the superintendent of Avenue Q.

“In a nutshell Avenue Q is like Sesame Street for adults. It approaches a variety of different topics such as racism and sexuality in a light hearted and frequently hilarious way.”

Elena’s other stage roles include Mercedes in Glee Live!

* Avenue Q is at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, from May 27-31.