UPDATE!!!!!

Hello! I am writing to you today from the library of nonother than LAMDA- I made it wooooo! Down to the generosity and kindness everyone who has contributed in any capacity to my journey, I now approach the final few weeks of my time here, where I am currently in rehearsals for our play "Nora: A Doll's House", a reimagining of Ibsen's classic by Stef Smith. Re-reading the words I cobbled together back in August 2021 has felt all too nostalgic, especially given that my expectations of the course were such an understatement. These 6 months have been challenging, joyful and incredibly formative. I have made work and crafted characters that excited and compelled me and I have a newfound optimism to not having a clue over what the future holds. All that being said, I am still needing to reach my final fundraising target in time for when I graduate. Any donation or another share/mention to your friends and family would once again mean the world. I approached this crowdfund initially with a lot of apprehension, but the words of encouragement and support has honestly blown me away and so to finally hit my end goal would be even more incredible. I have updated a few of my videos on here, so feel free to have a gander. Wishing everyone a wonderful Spring!!

Maddy xx

To my total surprise, I have landed a place at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), one of the UK’s most prestigious drama schools. The school has been nurturing and working with actors since 1861. Its exceptional teaching and connections have consistently given opportunities to budding actors and many of their alumni often land on our telly or on the stage etc.  I have a place on their new but forward-thinking Performing Arts Foundation Diploma course, crafted to provide an intense 6 months of practical skills development which should give me enough to attract an agent or make a start with my own work.  ( More details later.)

But I need you.  The course fees are £10,500, a hefty sum that I do not have to hand. There was only a single and highly-competitive  scholarship available that I sadly missed out on and with the course  not being eligible for any government finance such as student loans, I need to raise this enormous sum on my lonesome, which is where you come in. 

 My story

Preston, often an overlooked mill town is where I lay my scene.  Home to the second largest bus station in Europe and the cheapest pint in the UK, I am happy to call it home. However, perhaps the only thing I love more than brutalist architecture and a trip to the local, is acting. I feel grateful to have been honed by Lancashire and to have found my passion here surrounded by warm and supportive spirits.

 I went to All Hallows Catholic High school in Penwortham. I am so lucky to have attended a school where the performing arts department was a valued and active part of school life.  Its a sad reality that were are seeing cuts to said departments in our state schools despite how important they are. Had it not been for the choir practices and annual musicals, I’d have never gained any confidence.  A huge thank you to Mrs Colclough, the head and heart of that department for all her work. From Ensemble in “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “We Will Rock You”, to playing the dream role of Fantine in “Les Miserables” it may have only been a room of around 100 parents and begrudging siblings forced to attend, but it was enough. It encouraged me to audition for Musical Theatre on the Professional Performance Programme at Runshaw College. There, I honed in on my skills and put them into practice. Highlights would have to be playing half of the comedic duo in our pantomime of “Sleeping Beauty”, an ensemble member in “A Monster Calls”, a gut—wrenching, physical-theatre play depicting a young boy coming to terms with his mother’s terminal illness and Officer Lockstock in “Urinetown”. This musical is a satirical ode about a rebellion at paying a tax to use the toilet. As you can imagine, there was never a dull moment and the challenge of mastering the contrasting natures of every project is one of the many reasons why I love acting. 

 Another key part of my training so far has been with the National Youth Theatre for which I successfully auditioned in 2018. There I have learned how to work as an ensemble with a spontaneous and freethinking mindset. I finally faced my fears of improvisation and since then, I have utilised my membership to take part in comedy workshops, casting auditions and live performances where I have shown original songs. My song writing is a mixture of a folk, knock-off-Joni Mitchell and your supermarket-own-brand Victoria Wood. I love comedy and even more so when I can add music. I have attached links to a video of my original song, “I Made a Friend Called Cupid”- a song I wrote based on Valentines Day. I have also included a link to my poem "This Is The Man" where I took the idea of an "everyman" character and created a slightly sombre narrative where his choices have left his last few seconds on earth ones of regret and sadness. Despite the melodrama of it all, this was a challenge I set myself to create an atmosphere with no visual aid. My final video attached is from a live performance, named “Gladys and Glen”- my first attempt at comedy tailored to a more “adult” sense of humour- I hope you enjoy!

 The next step for me was to get to Drama School: three years of auditions. I entered the world of seemingly endless Megabus rides, the anxiety beforehand, the relief when they were over, the disappointment when I was rejected. It can feel fruitless, especially with how the expenses start adding up.

 In the meantime, I was determined to keep training. Thanks to a generous scholarship, I was able to continue learning with Hope Aria Academy, a programme set up by the founders of Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester, and the production company, Aria Entertainment to provide Musical Theatre training for northern-based actors. I am also a member of “The College of Deviants”, a St Helens based collective of creative people who work together on a weekly basis, supporting ideas and projects and eventually performing in a space. In March 2020, I was set to play Roxie Hart in “Chicago” at The Winter Gardens, Blackpool but unfortunately rehearsals were stopped due to the dreaded c-word. Ultimately, what I am trying to prove here is that I am a proactive and motivated human. I am so eager to keep learning, especially now that I have this opportunity. 

LAMDA has trained many well-known actors including its current President, Benedict Cumberbatch. Alumni have gone on to work with the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, West End and Broadway whilst earning themselves nominations and occasional wins for the Oscars, Golden Globes etc. all very impressive but more importantly to me, it shows that there is the networking available and a better chance of making my dream a sustainable way of living.  I want to live and breathe the atmosphere and life at LAMDA and I think it will be an exciting challenge building on my musical theatre background . 

 They believe in including people like me. I can’t speak for everyone, but with their reduced application fees and regional auditions, it feels like progress is truly being made. This is why I morally align with the school as it is such a misconception to think that acting is only for a certain calibre of person. In the time I have spent with LAMDA, I have always felt that I was at my best, in a comfortable and safe space-the thought of regularly studying there makes me very excited and I am still in disbelief that I have got a place. As mentioned before, the course that I have been accepted on to is their six month Performing Arts Foundation Diploma and I have attached the link to their website if you’re curious for more detail.

https://www.lamda.ac.uk/all-courses/acting-directing-courses/lamda-foundation-diploma]  

 The course offers me the opportunity to explore numerous core aspects of the performing arts in six consecutive modules, with artist development always at its heart.  They aim to encourage students to work and think independently as an actor, artist and human every step of the way- it feels like the natural continuation from what I have been doing these past few years  Its modules encompass  classes in acting, movement theatre, voice, singing, screen acting, devising theatre and artist development with the chance to apply your newly learned skills in a range of workshop productions and projects. At the end of the six months, there’s the chance to audition for a 3 year BA at a drama school or “jump straight into the creative industries.” As it stands, I am hoping to sign with an agent and use the skills that I will acquire there to make my own work and be a self-sufficient creative. Fortunately, the course takes place Monday-Thursday, allowing enough time for students, like myself to work, pay the rent and keep body and soul together. 

 This course is different.  It puts you and your artistic wants in the centre and I just can’t articulate how much I would like to attend there and how much a donation would mean to me. In return I am happy to clean your home or bike or walk your dog or cook you a below-par meal to return the favour. 

 If you have any questions or would like to know more- do not hesitate to give me a message or email me at maddy_thorp@yahoo.co.uk … I have also attached a few images and clips to give you a bit more insight on what I do! Thank you so much if you got this far, 

Maddy x