A TALENTED young performer from Clackmannanshire is currently making her professional debut in a popular musical at the world’s largest arts festival.

Sarah Kerr, from Alloa, has secured a role in a new production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The 20-year-old, who is training for a diploma in Musical Theatre at The MGA Academy of Performing Arts in Edinburgh, will spend her summer taking to the stage as part of the fun show, which will run at the city’s C Venues throughout August.

The off-Broadway musical, which explores the relationships between the quirky tenants of the Armadillo Acres Trailer Park in Florida, has been given a new lease of life from Beyond Broadway Productions and the team behind 2015’s standout fringe hit Zanna, Don’t!

Sarah said: "The Great American Trailer Park Musical is a fun show which is full of plot twists and different to anything else that is on at the fringe.

"I have been cast as part of the ensemble which is great experience for me as I am involved in all the energetic dance routines.

"This is my first time performing in the fringe and so I’m really excited about the whole experience."

The former Lornshill Academy pupil became interested in performing when she was a child and a member of Alloa’s Forefront Stage School.

Sarah has spent the past year honing her craft at The MGA Academy, which earlier this year became the first full-time professional training academy in Scotland to be awarded accreditation by CDET, the UK’s quality assurance and membership body for the professional dance, drama and musical theatre industries.

She said: "I actually started studying sport and recreation management at university but later realised I wanted to pursue a career in the performing arts industry so applied for a place at The MGA Academy.

"It was the best decision I could have ever made as I’m having the best time.

"The MGA Academy offer London-style training in Edinburgh and we are so lucky to have somewhere like it in Scotland as it isn’t always realistic for people to travel to London to train.

"At The MGA Academy, we constantly get to work with external industry professionals from London and New York and I am so grateful for every opportunity we are given."

Andrew Gowland, director of The Great American Trailer Park and managing director of The MGA Academy, said: "Everyone at The MGA Academy is very proud of Sarah and all she has achieved since she started training with us.

"We are confident that the training she is receiving here will ensure she goes on to be a great success in the future and we look forward to supporting her during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

"We are currently accepting applications for places on our full-time diploma courses. Our next set of auditions will take place on Sunday 13 August in central Edinburgh and we would welcome applications from anyone from Clackmannanshire with similar aspirations to Sarah. Application forms can be downloaded from our website."

The Great American Trailer Park Musical runs daily as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe until Monday, August 28, 8.40-10.15pm at C Too (St Columba's by the Castle, Johnston Terrace).