Broadway beckons for Caitlin
FOURWAYS - Catlin Clerk (25) is a musical performer who is currently running a massive crowd-funding campaign to raise funds for her to study musical theatre in New York for a month.
“I trained as a classical ballerina and started my career doing work for various dance companies,” said Clerk.
She was drawn to musical theatre while she was in last year’s production of Phantom of the Opera which lead to her getting vocal training and acting classes.
During that period she was a final-year psychology student.
Clerk then auditioned for the New York Film Academy and to her surprise she received an opportunity to study there for a month – as she was one in six South Africans to be selected. Once she decided to go, the next question was how she could possibly afford it.
“I applied for bursaries and corporate funding with no luck,” said Clerk.
Someone suggested she try crowd-funding, which she did.
Through a crowd-funding campaign on the Startme website she has managed to raise R54 000 for a trip to New York.
New York is one of the most expensive cities in the world and the New York Film Academy is a highly prestigious school.
It will cost her R70 000 to spend 28 days at the school.
In an effort to raise more funds Clerk will be staring in a stage production called Tarts at the Auto & General Theatre on the Square until 7 December.
So far, Clerk has received a positive response from the public and still needs a few generous people to help her reach her target.
“I just remind myself that 55 days ago I had nothing and now I have raised over R50 000,” she said.
Details: www.startme.co.za.
