Sophie Evans

Here’s a short Sophie Evans video update made to show off a collection of dresses from John Lewis.

Sophie will take the role of Dorothy every Tuesday from March 8th 2011 and she said she is suddenly getting nervous that the date is getting closer and closer.

When I put it like that, it doesn’t sound very long, does it? Rehearsals start in December and I can’t wait to get started. I’ve got my costume fitting next week which I’m really excited about as I have no idea whether I’ll be wearing a wig or whether they will let me keep my hair as it is.

I’m currently studying performing arts at the prestigious Arts Educational in London, paid for by Lord Lloyd-Webber, to whom I shall be forever grateful for that. I’ve been there for 10 weeks now and it’s brilliant but I’m so tired with all the dancing. By the end of the course, I’ll have done nearly 200 hours of dancing. That’s probably my weakest point so it’s good to do it but I’ve never done ballet before and I find it really hard but I’m enjoying it so much.

This is something I planned to do when I was 19. I thought I would do my A-levels, take some time off and then look for a drama school.

To be there now, thanks to Lord Lloyd-Webber paying the £13,000 fees, is just brilliant. There are only 40 places, with thousands of people hoping for a place so I’m very grateful and know how lucky I am.

I’m living in London with Steph, who was my room-mate on the show, another girl called Tegan who was in the final 20 and a graduate called Holly. I’m cooking my own meals and cleaning my house but I still see Mum a couple of times a week. London’s only two hours away. It’s not far.

I do miss my school friends. We keep in touch but it’s strange because I never got to say goodbye properly. I didn’t know how long I’d last on Over The Rainbow but I never ended up going back. I’ve been back a few times since though. I just watched a production there of Little Shop Of Horrors and keep in touch with everyone.”

And I do still have plenty of ambition – I’d love to play Glinda in Wicked – that would be my ideal role.

I can’t really believe by the time I’m 19 I’ll have played Dorothy though.