Emily Lambert started performing on the stage of her Mandurah primary school, and now she is preparing to take on the role of Reno Sweeney, one of the world's most iconic musical theatre roles, at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre.
"When I was younger, I did a few dance classes on and off," Ms Lambert said.
"My school talent quest came about in year two and I told my mum I was going to enter the contest.
"She asked what I was going to sing and I said the national anthem, because it was the only song I knew," she laughed.
"I got to the grand finals of the talent show and I've been singing ever since."
As the years progressed, Ms Lambert began taking dance more seriously as well as having vocal lessons and auditioning for local community theatre shows, where she was given the opportunity to take on a number of lead roles.
Ms Lambert, who is in her first year of a Bachelor of Musical Theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), scored the role of Reno Sweeney in Stray Cats Theatre Company's production of Cole Porter's classic musical Anything Goes.
"I think it's such a great show," she said.
"It's a product of the era - keeping that in mind.
"I've never played a dance role and a dance lead before - it's the opportunity of a lifetime and a great skill to have under your belt.
"The music in the show is absolutely amazing - a lot of people watching would recognise the songs because most of them have been turned into jazz standards."
Ms Lambert added that the character of Reno Sweeney was a powerful role to step into.
"To have a leading female is just amazing - no-one gets in Reno's way.
"She's sassy and fun, she's just great."
After her and her WAAPA classmates were impacted by COVID lockdowns, Ms Lambert said she's so grateful that WA theatre is thriving.
"It's a struggle when you're online but you pick up a lot of skills - I couldn't edit videos before but I can cut a video down now and know how to use iMovie," she laughed.
"I think that for me personally it's just taking every opportunity as it comes because we don't know what the future holds.
"Having access to studios and everything in WA is so important and it's really exciting that we can do all this here when a lot of places around the world can't.
"I think local theatre is such a great way of keeping people together - at this time human contact and positive theatre experiences are important.
"WA community theatre will thrive because we are lucky to have great venues here like MANPAC, which is such a beautiful venue and we are so lucky to have it here.
Anything Goes opens October 7 and tickets are available via the MANPAC website.
Samantha Ferguson
Samantha Ferguson is a journalist at the Mandurah Mail. She is an entertainment, sport, crime, community and education journalist with a special interest in investigative pieces and human interest stories.
Samantha Ferguson is a journalist at the Mandurah Mail. She is an entertainment, sport, crime, community and education journalist with a special interest in investigative pieces and human interest stories.
