Philippa lands big break with National Youth Theatre (From Messenger Newspapers)

National Youth Theatre beckons for Urmston girl

1:00pm Thursday 26th April 2012 in Trafford Education News

TEENAGER Philippa Anamoah from Urmston was at Manchester Airport returning from a Swiss exchange with pupils from Covenant Christian School in Heaton Moor when she learnt she had won a place with the National Youth Theatre.

“When my mum gave me the letter, I screamed I was so excited,” she said Philippa, aged 15, attended the audition on February 19th, the day after she had spent a week appearing as the comic Plinker in Urmston Musical Theatre’s pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, her first adult production after four years with Urmston Junior Musical Theatre.

There was no lying in bed because she had to be at the Lowry early. 40 others joined her out of a total of 4,600 applicants at 20 different centres, from whom only 500 are accepted.

“I still had glitter on my face at the morning workshop,” she said.

“One thing we had to do was walk on stage and hug anyone we made eye contact with.”

“I felt nervous when I saw how talented the others were and didn’t think I stood a chance.”

In the afternoon audition, she recited an amusing monologue called Tomorrow’s Wish about a naïve American girl with learning difficulties who describes her first unorthodox kiss.

“She doesn’t realise what is socially acceptable and what is not,” said Philippa Like Dame Helen Mirren, Philippa will have the chance to audition for parts in NYT productions throughout the country.

On August 25th, the would-be professional actor will take part in a two week course in Sidcup but must first raise £800.