Direct from RCS to the West End stage … that’s the next step for Sheridan Townsley who will make his professional debut in a brand-new musical this summer.

Sheridan, who is set to graduate from the BA Musical Theatre degree in July, has been snapped up for the lead role in the UK premiere of Sing Street, which runs at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from 8 July to 23 August.

With a score that embraces the new wave sounds of the 80s, Sing Street is an ode to the thrill of young love and a celebration of the power of music to lift us up.

Here, Sheridan, an actor-musician from Glasgow, who plays in bands and gigs around the city, tells us what they’re looking forward to about the experience and shares some highlights highlights from his studies at RCS.

Tell us how you got the role in Sing Street

In the middle of tech week of our first show She Loves Me, my friend and castmate Shoshana shared the open casting call with me. I went away, rewatched the movie, filmed a tape and sent it in. End of tech week, I’m invited down to London for a callback the day after we close SLM.

I head down, entered a room of the best and kindest team of casting creatives an actor could ever dream of auditioning for, was asked to stay behind and sing a song from the show.

Five or six callbacks later, I receive a call from the amazing Stuart Burt and was offered the role. I still can’t believe it. Been waiting to wake up for months now.

How are you feeling about making your debut?

It’s the most incredible feeling in the world. I’m awash with joy and gratitude; I’m the luckiest person in the world.

I’ve only really done theatre for the length of time I’ve been at RCS so to leave university and go into a role like this, in a show like this with a cast and team like this, there isn’t a word to capture it.

What are you looking forward to about the experience?

The important thing is the learning. The great thing about doing theatre and what attracts me to it is that if you’re working hard to keep it fresh and having fun, you can make mistakes and just learn and push the vanity out of it.

I’ve been really lucky to learn lessons like that at RCS and to go into such a great show as Sing Street straight out is another great education I’m very grateful that I’m gonna have.

What made you want to study at RCS?

For me, it always had to be RCS. I’ve known since I was very young that performing was what I wanted to do, not necessarily quite what until my time here at RCS. In high school, I actually thought of applying for the BEd course.

Performing arts wise, the training and faculty are stellar, and I am lucky enough as a Scottish student to not pay fees. As my family couldn’t send me anywhere out of Scotland for uni, it always had to be RCS.

Any highlights from your time here?

There are too many to mention but if I had to pick two, they would have to be performing with my amazing friends and class of 2025 for the first time in Christmas at The Conservatoire and for the last time in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee!

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Find out more about Sing Street and book tickets at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

Interested in studying on the BA Musical Theatre degree programme? Visit the webpage to find out everything from how to apply and the course structure to teaching staff and graduate destinations.

Main image © Richard Southgate