Morpeth's Portia Jack selected for Screen Actors Intensive in Los Angeles

Portia Jack, 13, is already an accomplished singer, and this experience could turbo boost her path to stardom.

She has proved her talent time and again, being selected for revered soloist roles at Hunter School of the Performing Arts, where she is in year seven, and winning a featured artist role in Star Struck.

Now, Portia has been selected to attend the Screen Actors Intensive in Los Angeles in December, where she will study US accent, scenes, improvisation, self-taping, audition preparation, commercials and audition technique with casting directors.

A former Morpeth Public School student, Portia said the opportunity to learn and audition for roles in the US is very exciting.

"I'm really excited about it, I feel like it's an amazing opportunity for me to take and will lead to amazing pathways," she said.

Portia was offered the opportunity after being invited to attend the Australian Institute for Performing Arts (AIPA) Musical Theatre Performing Arts Camp in July, where she learnt from the casts of musicals like Wicked and Hamilton.

After the camp, she was hand-picked by the director of AIPA to audition for the casting directors of Nickelodeon and Disney over Zoom for the Screen Actors Intensive in September, and was successful.

She and her family are now preparing to fly to Los Angeles, where she will train and film for two weeks and have the opportunity to work with casting directors, accent coaches and actors.

From December 7 to 19 she will be training and rehearsing non-stop, and could land an acting role and agent out of the experience.

Portia has been singing since she was two-years-old, and dived into the world of acting about a year ago.

Her favourite genres to perform are musical theatre and pop music, and she spends hours every day rehearsing and practising.

Portia's mum Kristen, who is a music teacher at Morpeth Public School and a recording artist, said she's so proud of her daughter's achievement.

"I'm extremely proud, we still haven't gotten over the tears," she said.

"Portia has been getting up and singing at my performances since she was tiny."

Portia is the only person from the Hunter who has been selected for the trip.

Portia's family is seeking sponsorship from local businesses or groups to help cover costs of the trip. Contact infokristenlane@gmail.com if you would like to help.

A GoFundMe has been set up for individuals to support Portia if they wish, visit gofundme.com/f/seeking-support-for-my-talented-niece-portia.

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