Two former Cardiff and Vale College Performing Arts (Musical Theatre) learners, Katie Pritchard and Rhosyn Boyce-Jones, are set to have starring roles in this year’s Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama’s production of Guys and Dolls.
One of the greatest American musicals, Guys and Dolls is immersed in the gangster underbelly of 1950s New York, and the action shifts between the cafes of Havana and the sewers of NYC. Now both in their final years studying Musical Theatre at RWCMD, Katie and Rhosyn have been double cast as Miss Adelaide, principal showgirl of the Hot Box Girls nightclub act.
“Playing Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls is an absolute dream role,” Rhosyn said. “She is such a great role to end musical theatre with as it's our last show at Royal Welsh.
“She's comedic, she does a lot of dance, she's got some wicked songs and she's a very complex character. I think me and Katie are trying to approach it in our own way and that's what's great about double casting - we both have our own take on it and I'm just really excited to finish the year off with this musical. “
Rhosyn thinks her time studying Performing Art (Musical Theatre) really helped her progress on to her course at RWCMD.
“I came into Cardiff and Vale College with no experience of musical theatre,” Rhosyn explained. “I like to sing, I like to act, I like to dance, but I think Cardiff and Vale College gave me that path onwards to apply for various drama schools, particularly Simon West and Alex, the dance teacher, and the acting teacher gave me the support when it came to auditioning for Royal Welsh College.
“It gave me various opportunities to support me in coming here and doing what I do today in this college.”
“Being told I got the part as Miss Adelaide was so exciting,” Katie said. “I just feel really grateful and I'm also glad to be in a place where, as a black woman, I can play a role like this because traditionally, I wouldn't see anyone who looks like me in any of these musicals.
“So it feels unreal, to be honest, and like Rhos said, we're just excited and trying to take our own takes on the role, but it's also just such a great creative team and a fun process to be able to share with each other - It's kind of like a full circle moment.”
Like Rhosyn, Katie also believes that her time at CAVC helped prepare her for path towards musical theatre.
“I hadn’t had much experience whatsoever in musical theatres before I joined CAVC,” Katie said. “So doing the course really gave me time to explore what it means to commit to this industry - what building blocks I'd need to get into a drama school.
“I'd also just want to shout out Alex, our dance teacher, because she was just the sweetest human being, and I was going through e a really tough time in college, so having someone that was so supportive and encouraged me to grow my confidence - I think if it wasn't for people like her in colleges, I wouldn't have gone to drama school.”
Cardiff and Vale College Principal Sharon James said: “Congratulations to Katie and Rhosyn! Playing such an important role in such a prestigious production of Guys and Dolls is a real achievement.
“To be able to perform in a Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama production is a real privilege and we are all extremely proud of Katie and Rhosyn. I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank my colleagues at CAVC who supported them to get to this level.”
The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Richard Burton Dance Company production of Guys and Dolls will be held at the Sherman Theatre from 1st-6th July. For more information and to book tickets click here.