Last updated 19:40, Thursday, 10 April 2008

A BRIGHAM woman will travel to the USA in September to follow her dream of becoming an actress.

Stephanie Conway, 17, of Church Street, was selected from among thousands of applicants to attend the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. The academy has trained, among others, Grace Kelly, Lauren Bacall and Kim Cattrall.

She said: “More than anything else, I’m excited. I’m not apprehensive because it doesn’t feel real.

“It still feels like a dream. I can’t believe it. It’s overwhelming.”

In her audition at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London, Stephanie delivered two monologues and was asked in an interview to explain why she wanted to be a part of the academy.

She first became aware of the academy when she saw a poster in the Globe Theatre during a trip to London with her mother.

The length of Stephanie’s stay in Los Angeles will depend on the success of her performance in the first year.

According to the academy’s website, admission to the second year is by invitation and only students considered to be up to the challenge will be asked to return.

Stephanie caught the acting bug at a young age. She got into performing arts through dancing and joined the Cumberland Youth Theatre at the age of 10.

She has performed in productions of The Tempest, The Wizard of Oz and Cinderella at the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.

Stephanie also went to London with the National Youth Theatre where she studied performing arts for two weeks.

She said: “We trained with the intensity of professionals. I got a taste for it. I really enjoyed it and I made life-long friends there. It made me determined to become an actress.”

Stephanie is looking for sponsorship to help her go to America.

She will need over $37,000 for the academic year - $20,000 of which will go towards fees.