AN ASPIRING young actress has landed her dream role in a West End show.

Miah Baree, who is in Year 10 in Connaught School for Girls in Connaught Road, Leytonstone, has been cast in the Adventures of Pinocchio.

After auditioning through the British Theatre Academy the drama student was picked from a tough line up of hopefuls for her debut performance in West End.

The 15-year-old of Havering credits her drama teacher Anna Brothers for inspiring her to dream big.

Miah, who does not yet know which character she will play, said: “I began to develop an interest in drama after taking Ms Brothers’ lessons in Year 7. By Year 9 I knew I wanted to go into a career in the performing arts.”

Miah along with the rest of the cast will begin rehearsals for the production this month. The show is expected to open in the autumn.

Miah’s mother Suzanne Sallaby said: “I am extremely excited about this and happy for Miah because this is a path that she wants to pursue.

“This will help to give her the confidence and discipline she needs to survive in the real world as an adult.

“I am very pleased because you send your children into auditions and you want to support them and inspire them but they also have to be prepared for the fact that they might not get picked but Miah did get picked.

“She loves drama and dancing and is very talented. There’s nothing that’s impossible for her.”

Ms Brothers, head of drama at Connaught School for Girls, has taught Miah for the past three years.

She said: “We are proud of all of our students who work so hard to achieve their dreams and proactively make opportunities for themselves, which is what Miah has done.

“In a future where a significant proportion of current jobs will become obsolete, many of our students and parents understand that it is arts subjects that develop the creativity and interpersonal skills that will see our young people flourish.”