A home grown talent has leaped from Kelowna’s stage to the stage at Tisch School at NYU.
Julia Chambers, who thespians will recognize from playing the roles of Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Esmeralda from the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Diana Barry from Westside Story from her time with the Kelowna Actors Studio.
It wasn’t until a talent show that Chambers took her first steps onto the stage.
“I was 10 years old and it was a school talent show. I was a really shy kid, but I always loved to sing. The talent show was my moment to just do it. I then discovered the reaction (of the audience) from that talent show and being on stage in front of people,” said Chambers.
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“It’s like something just clicked and I had never felt something like that before.”
The musical theatre actress shed her shy exterior on stage to become the confident and soft spoken woman that she is today.
Chambers trained in musical theatre at the Kelowna Actors Studio for three years while completing her high school education at Kelowna Secondary School studying voice under Alexandra Babbel of Opera Kelowna.
“It (Kelowna Actors Studio) means so much to me, I didn’t really know what I was meant to do until I started there. They are such a supportive group of people… It really becomes like a family. It’s such a special thing to be part of,” Chambers said. “They pushed me to be the best I could possibly be.”
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After fundraising and working two jobs to save for tuition, Chambers now lives in Greenwich Village in New York City, attending 13 classes at Tisch this semester.
“I didn’t believe I was going until right before I left, it felt surreal for the longest time. Even now it just feels a little surreal to study under amazing professors that are pro’s in the business, it’s pretty cool,” said Chambers. “Just the education I have received in this month, I already feel like I am growing.”
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