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GALLERY: Cassidy’s ready to take bite out of Big Apple

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According to talented performer Cassidy Lobb, if you take the “ew” out of Newy, then you’ve got “NY”.

And, that’s where the former Newcastle Grammar School student is headed after being accepted into the prestigious American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York.

There, she’ll study Music Theatre, thanks to a scholarship, for the next two years.

Cassidy, 22, underwent a rigorous entry process, including auditions, but believes her time performing in the Hunter from an early age was the perfect training ground.

However, she was still overcome with excitement about her impending good fortune.

“I had just woken up to get ready for work, at my bar job, and decided to check my emails first,” she explained.

“I then let out a super loud ‘oh my god’.

“I couldn’t stop laughing, which eventually turned into crying.

“Luckily, I live by myself because it would have honestly been the most ridiculous thing to witness.

“In fact, I’m still in shock, it hasn’t truly sunken in.

“I then called my mother (Gillian) and the hysterics were so strong.

“I think mum thought I’d been in an accident.”

Cassidy grew up in Merewether, becoming the youngest person ever to be awarded a scholarship at the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music.

But, at 17, she moved to Sydney to embark on a Degree in Classical Performance Voice.

It’s the same course as recent Newcastle Weekly cover girl Jessica Blunt, who’s beginning her studies at the Royal Academy of Music.

“I did community theatre throughout Newcastle at Young Peoples Theatre (YPT) and Hunter Drama while growing up,” she said.

“I even played Dorothy in YPT’s Wizard of Oz

“In my later teen years, I focussed more towards classical singing.

“About two years into my degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, I just knew something wasn’t right and realised that my passion was with music theatre.

“When the theatre bug bites you, it just never lets you go.

“So, I started to work towards seriously pursuing a career in theatre alongside finishing my classical voice degree. 

“I do think this outcome is a testament to my hard work and diligence throughout both styles.”

It appears talent is in her blood, too.

Although she never met him, Cassidy’s grandfather Harold Lobb started and ran the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

“Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” she told the Newcastle Weekly.

“My grandfather actually founded the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music.

“Unfortunately, he passed away before I was born.

“But, I still believe he’s with me in every step of my music endeavours.

“Around the age of four, my ‘Granny’ would play the Mary Poppins cassette tape in her car and I would annoy her by constantly singing along to it.

“She insisted that my parents put me into singing lessons and the rest is history.

“I started going to Young Peoples Theatre classes when I was seven.

“My first ever role was a ‘twinkly’ in their production of Jack and the Beanstalk.

“I fell in love with the combination of music and drama and have continued to be involved in music theatre shows to this day.

“My ultimate dream is to become a performer on Broadway.

“You just can’t beat the feeling of being on stage and being a storyteller for the audience.

“AMDA is one of the top five most represented colleges currently performing on Broadway.

“So, I think I’m headed in the right direction.”

Cassidy, who finishes her current degree next month, leaves for the Big Apple on 22 February.

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