A YOUNG local performer is a step closer to her dream of travelling to America and immersing herself in the life of a Broadway artist after receiving a $5000 scholarship.
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Teenager Charlotte Taylor has been taking to the stage since she was a four-year-old in a preschool production of The Night Before Christmas.
These days the 14-year-old is a Carillon Junior Theatrical Society veteran.
"As one of the longest standing students, she just loves it there," her mum Annette said.
"She attends every single class they have - Medieval Monday, Dramatic Tuesday, Theatrical Thursday, as well as speech, drama and performance group.
"On average, she'll be there for around nine hours a week, plus she does two hours of dance, but it can be even more when she is rehearsing for a show."
Charlotte is one of 63 children across NSW and the ACT who have been awarded a total of $294,000 in scholarships to help them pursue their sporting and artistic dreams.
The Variety Heart Scholarships are described as supporting young people with an existing talent who are sick, experiencing disadvantage or living with a disability.
In Charlotte's case, Variety says she has worked hard to overcome the challenges presented by multiple diagnoses including autism, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, anxiety, dyscalculia and motor dyspraxia.
"She succeeds because she is so driven and passionate about what she does," her mum said.
"She's her own worst critic and she does get tied up in knots before a performance, but once she gets out there, she's just amazing."
Ms Taylor said she burst into tears when she discovered her daughter had been selected as a Variety Heart Scholarship recipient for 2023.
"She may not be the kid that suffers the most, but she is a kid that suffers and struggles.
"She tries so hard in everything she does and I see that every day, but to think that Variety sees it too and believes that she deserves this opportunity, it's just so wonderful.
"There are so many things she wants to achieve, but she has a lot of hurdles to jump, so we are very grateful to Variety for helping to move some of those out of her way."
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Charlotte says her first goal is to attend school holiday workshops at NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) and, beyond that, she would like to conquer the USA.
"I have always wanted to audition for Aussie All-Stars," she said.
"Auditions are held at the Australian Junior Theatre Festival in Newcastle each October and if you're successful, you travel to New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles and immerse yourself in the life of a Broadway artist.
"It's been a dream of mine for the longest time, but I know how much it costs and never thought it would be something we could afford.
"I can't thank Variety enough for making the America trip more achievable and giving me the chance to make my dreams come true."
More than 100 people attended the recent Variety Heart Scholarships ceremony held at Bankstown Sports Club.
Variety NSW/ACT CEO Tony Warner said the young recipients "are working hard to achieve their goals and Variety is honoured to recognise each individual and their many, many hours of hard work and dedication".
According to Variety, the scholarships have, since 2017, been made possible thanks to the support of presenting partner, the Grahame Mapp Family Foundation, in honour of the late Gillian Mapp.
Applications will open again for Variety Heart Scholarships in May 2024.
For more information, visit www.variety.org.au/nsw/variety-heart-scholarships/
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