“I’ve loved every second of it": Luton actress makes US debut in hit musical
An actress from Luton is set to make her U.S stage debut as she tours with a new musical for 14 weeks across two major cities.
Nia Stephen has just finished a stint in a musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Enormous Crocodile at The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, but she is already gearing up for the next leg of the tour.
The 20-year-old said: “I play the role of Trunky, a really brave elephant who teams up with all the other animals to defeat the croc.
"It’s really fun, really enjoyable, and I’ve loved every second of it so far.”
The former Stopsley High School student will don her elephant costume, complete with a moveable trunk puppet, for audiences in Minneapolis and Los Angeles.
Despite only traveling to the U.S. for a holiday in the past, Nia will be flying out at the end of the month and returning at the start of the new year.
She said: "We’ll be in Minneapolis for eight weeks, and then LA for six weeks, which is insane. It’s amazing, such a cool opportunity."
Nia has loved seeing children experience a trip to the theatre for the first time while she has been part of The Enormous Crocodile crew: “Seeing their reactions is so sweet… and seeing the parents really join in and enjoy it, it’s great to know they had a fantastic time.”
The Luton woman will perform at the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from October 1 to November 23, and at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles, California, from December 5 to January 4.
Nia studied at the Urdang Academy, where she was awarded the Andrew Lloyd Webber Scholarship, and has loved her career in performance so far.
She explained: "Being in musical theatre is amazing… It’s fun, it’s creative and it’s a great form of expression.”
To aspiring performers in the town, she offered some encouraging advice: “Just go for it. If you see any classes pop up… just have a good time. There are actually more of us than people think, and it’s great fun.”