A YOUNG actor – who only discovered his talent for the stage after suffering a rugby injury – is heading for one of the UK’s top theatre schools.
Evan Sutton, from Abram, collected three Distinction* in his BTECs on Tuesday after two years of studying and performing at Priestley College.
The 18-year-old is now heading to Guildford School of Acting to study Musical Theatre and has been awarded a bursary of £3,000 to help fund his studies.
After collecting his results he explained how he took to the stage at Golborne High School after a shoulder injury meant he missed trials for Warrington Wolves.
“I was feeling down and a mate asked me to audition for the school show and we both ended up getting lead parts,” he said.
“From that moment I fell in love with the stage and the feeling I get from an audience and performing.”
Evan honed and developed his abilities at Priestley College with the support of tutors and inspiration from fellow students.
His skills as a dancer improved with hard work and his all-round skill saw him take one of the leading roles in the college’s end-of-year production of In The Heights.
More than 20 offers came from the UK’s top theatre schools to his fellow cast members and backstage crew on that show.
“We all helped one another with our auditions and offered each other support throughout our time at Priestley,” he said.
“I improved in all disciplines thanks to the support of my tutors and help from my friends on the course.”
Evan – who took to speaking in an American accent at home in preparation for In The Heights – now hopes for a career on the stage.
His dream would be to appear in Cats, the first show he ever watched, but if that path doesn’t work out he hopes to pass on his passion for acting through teaching at college or university.
“I’ve put my heart and soul into performing and I am just glad that I discovered the thing that I love,” he said.
