Paige McNamara has been selected to be part of the ensemble cast for the Sydney show, which has been touring major cities around Australia.

The show called an open audition for ensemble members and Paige’s family gave her the nudge to put her name forward. 

“I sent in an application and they liked my resume,” Paige said. 

“And then I had my audition.”

A daunting process, the auditions grouped 150 hopefuls together and taught them the vocals and choreography of show favourite ‘We Go Together’. 

Within just a few days, Paige had the call that she had been selected to be part of the mass ensemble, which includes amateur performers aged from 10-21.   

The Year 11 student from La Salle Academy is a veteran performer with the Lithgow Musical Society, most recently appearing in its production of The Pirates of Penzance. 

But her love of musical theatre started at a much younger age, when her dad Michael “forced” her to watch The Phantom of the Opera. 

“I watched it and that was that,” Paige said. 

"I said, that's what I want to do.”

Paige made her debut in A Christmas Carol with Lithgow Musical Society in 2013 and has been a regular part of the cast ever since. She is also the La Salle choir’s leading soprano and performs in a musical duo with Luke Young named, appropriately, Phantom’s Dream.

Leading up to the performances, Paige will join the ensemble for a two week bootcamp rehearsal period. 

“I’m really looking seeing the amount of energy and work goes into a professional show,” Paige said. 

Paige, daughter of proud parents Kelly and Michael, is currently in preparation for the Sydney Eisteddfod’s vocal section and will dance in eisteddfods around the region over the coming months. 

She is part of Absolute Dance Studios in Lithgow. 

Grease – The Arena Experience will be staged at 2pm and 8pm at the Qudos Bank Arena on January 20.