Edinburgh Fringe run for Inverness actress Chelsea Grace whose childhood dream came true in New York
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A talented former Millburn Academy pupil is preparing for a run of dates at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Chelsea Grace has been cast as the character V in a show called Salamander which will be showing at the Assembly Roxy Theatre from August 2-16. The 70-minute piece is inspired by the unsolved murder of a sex worker in Leith in 1983 and is described as a "funny, powerful and poignant tribute to the full dignity and humanity of women whose way of life is still often stigmatised 40 years on".
The 26-year-old from Inverness said: "I am so excited for what's happening now.
"I have been incredibly lucky with my career path but it can still be a challenging road to navigate.
"All of the rejections and people who have believed in me have helped shape me both professionally and personally. It has taught me to handle the tough times with patience and appreciate every moment of the success."
Despite moving to Glasgow to pursue her acting career, she still remembers where she started.
"I loved performing from a young age and my first production was playing a stall vendor in The Pied Piper at Kinmylies Primary School," she said. "I then went on and studied drama in Millburn Academy, then my higher drama at Eden Court on Saturdays.
"I then moved to Glasgow at the age of 16 to obtain my HND in acting and performance at City of Glasgow College.
"After graduating I didn't have the money or self-belief to apply for drama schools so since then I have been working on several short films such as Wild Oats, directed by Rosa Duncan, and Weightless, directed by Ana Cristina Santos.
"Since gaining confidence in these short films, it encouraged me to apply for programmes like the Scottish Youth Theatre National Ensemble and completing a course at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts [in London].
"My biggest setback in the industry has probably been financial barriers such as paying for drama school, buying headshots [photos] and paying for travel to get to auditions. A lot of actors' expenditure is still very high and there was also my self-confidence. It can be difficult to remind yourself that the 'no's aren't personal. However, as long as you are tenacious and patient, great things do come."
She has done work with Pinewood Studios, played a lead character in an off Broadway production put on in New York and had my own work produced.
"My biggest achievement has been playing co-lead in an off Broadway play called Larry & Lucy, directed by Joe John Battista and written by Peter Welch, in New York City," Chelsea said.
"Being part of a play in New York was a dream of mine since I was five and it felt very surreal having it all come to fruition and will forever be something I'm immensely grateful for."
Click here for tickets and more information about Salamander.
