Amelia arrived at Itchen with a love of musical theatre, but little experience and plenty of nerves. By exploring her passion, taking opportunities and pushing herself beyond her comfort zone, she discovered just how far it could take her.
For Amelia Bishton, discovering her future started with a feeling.
After seeing her first show at the Mayflower in 2021, Amelia began to develop a love of musical theatre. But when she saw Wicked in 2024, something clicked.
“I even remember saying to my mum, ‘I need to be on that stage one day.’”
It was the moment Amelia realised that performing could be more than something she enjoyed watching. It could be something she could pursue herself.
But when she started at Itchen College, she didn’t feel like a confident performer.
Exploring something new
Amelia studied Dance and Musical Theatre, despite arriving with no previous dance experience and very little singing experience.
She describes herself as shy and nervous when she first started, but her time at College gave her the opportunity to explore her interest, develop new skills and discover what she was capable of.
A big part of that journey was the support she received from her teachers.
Amelia particularly remembers the encouragement of Ria, who she describes as an incredible mentor.
“Ria pushed me and supported me throughout my time at Itchen,” she says.
Her singing teacher, Cookie, also played an important role, spending hours with Amelia learning songs and working on perfecting her notes.
Alongside her teachers, Amelia says the technical team helped make her performances possible, with lighting and sound helping to bring each production to life.
“I’m forever grateful to everyone who supported me and my journey at College.”
Finding confidence through performance
As Amelia explored musical theatre, she began taking on opportunities that might once have felt out of reach.
One of the biggest was playing Roxie Hart in Chicago.
It was Amelia’s first ever role in a show – and her first ever lead role.
“Playing Roxie Hart was an absolute dream come true!”
She says she felt honoured that her teachers trusted her to tell Roxie’s story and gave her the opportunity to discover her own version of the character.
She also took on the role of Princess Anna in Frozen, a character that held a special place in her heart after loving Frozen since she was little.
Amelia says she was emotional and overjoyed when she found out she had been given the part.
“It was truly magical.”
For Amelia, these weren’t simply performances. They were opportunities to keep challenging herself, building confidence and discovering what she could achieve.
Discovering where her passion could take her
By the end of her time at Itchen, Amelia had achieved a Distinction in Dance and Musical Theatre.
More importantly, she had a much clearer idea of what she wanted her future to look like.
Her next goal is to continue her musical theatre training at a drama school in London, before auditioning, gaining further experience and putting herself forward for professional opportunities.
And she already has one particular ambition in mind.
To play Glinda in Wicked.
It feels like a fitting ambition for someone whose future was first sparked by watching the show from the audience.
“No one is going to come and knock on your door”
Throughout her journey, Amelia has kept one piece of advice from her dad in mind:
“No one is going to come and knock on your door.”
For Amelia, the message is simple: opportunities don’t always arrive on their own. You have to be willing to take them.
That’s the advice she would give to other young people who are still figuring out what they want to do.
“Give everything a go even if you’re scared,” she says.
She also encourages students to focus on their own journey, not compare themselves to others, and not give up when something feels difficult.
Your future starts with exploring
Amelia’s journey shows that you don’t have to arrive at College already knowing exactly what you want to do.
She started with an interest in musical theatre, but also with nerves and very little experience in some areas. By giving herself the chance to explore that interest, supported by the people around her, she discovered a passion she now wants to build a career around.
From sitting in the audience watching Wicked to stepping onto the stage herself, Amelia has spent her time at Itchen finding out what she’s capable of… and discovering where her passion could take her next.
So, what could you discover about yourself?
Explore your future at Itchen.
