We're excited to share that one of New College Durham’s talented second year performing arts students, Lily Storey, had an amazing experience on set last week after successfully landing the role of Paige in Morning Sir Productions' film: 'Gan Canny'. This marks Lily's first opportunity to shine in front of the movie cameras, and she’s quickly becoming someone to keep an eye on!
Lily, who is 18 and from Washington, shared: “Ever since my first nativity play, I've had a love for acting and performing. The moment I stepped off the stage, I wanted to join a drama club to keep pursuing my passion.”
“I studied Drama at secondary school, and when it was time to choose a college, I explored various options for drama and performing arts. I was really impressed by the variety of theatre styles offered at New College Durham. The staff are fantastic and always go the extra mile to support you through the many challenges that come with being a developing performer.”
Lily learned about the auditions for Morning Sir Productions, an award-winning North East-based production company that champions regional talent and accessibility, through her tutor. Their latest project, which is currently in post-production, is a comedy titled ‘Gan Canny’, a much-used colloquial term meaning ‘take care’ or ‘safe journey’.
Gemma Whelam, Performing Arts lecturer at New College Durham said: “We are incredibly proud of Lily’s accomplishment. She is an exceptional student with a natural talent for bringing diverse characters to life onstage. Gaining experience on a film set alongside industry professionals was a fantastic opportunity for her to refine her screen acting skills.”
Lily added: “I love how much there is to learn about performing, and being on a film set offered a fantastic opportunity to discover more about production values, lighting, sound, and shooting schedules. I relish a challenge and try to bring something special to the characters I portray; at heart, I just enjoy telling stories. I warmly encourage anyone thinking about studying performance art to come along to New College Durham and see what it’s all about.”
Soon, Lily will be heading off to the esteemed Performance Preparation Academy in Guildford to begin her degree in acting for stage and screen. In the meantime, she’s thrilled to return to the stage in the upcoming production of Willy Russell’s ‘Blood Brothers’ at the drama studio at New College Durham’s Framwellgate Moor campus.
Tickets available here.