A WORLD-leading drama school has awarded a former Warrington student the chance to learn from the best.
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) has offered Libby Cooper a place on their Foundation course, which lasts for one term and promises to provide an insight into life at a conservatoire drama school.
The former Priestley College student will work on her acting techniques, movement and voice at the world-renowned centre of excellence.
She said: “I put off applying for ages because I thought I’d be wasting their time. I didn’t tell anyone that I had applied.”
RADA alumni include everyone from Avengers’ star Tom Hiddleston to Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
During her course Libby, who is from Stockton Heath, will take specialist classes in screen acting, an introduction to playwriting and various masterclasses.
The former Bridgewater High School pupil said it had been a surprise to make the cut.
“I knew I was being considered for a recall, but there’s always someone better than you so I assumed nothing would come from it,” she said. “I’m just looking forward to acting with other people again because it has been seven months since I was able to do that. There’s only a certain amount of monologues you can get through.”
Libby was originally studying English, French and History elsewhere before she decided to pursue acting.
She chose Priestley College because of its reputation for sending performers to the best theatre schools in the country and studied A-Level Drama and BTEC Performing Arts. After she completes her foundation course she hopes to commit to a three-year BA at drama school.
Then, like most actors, she simply hopes to make a living from doing the thing she loves.
“Coming into Priestley I probably would have said I would prefer to be on screen, but there’s a different kind of freedom with theatre and I think we all miss live audiences,” she said.
“I’d love to be one of those actors who dips in and out of both.”
