Kirsty Maclaren
Kirsty Maclaren

Musical Theatre lecturer at UWL starring in off-Broadway musical Lifeline

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Kirsty MacLaren, Olivier-nominated actress and lecturer at the University of West London, opened in a lead role in off-Broadway musical Lifeline on Wednesday 28 August. Kirsty lectures in Musical Theatre at UWL’s London College of Music (LCM).

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Poster for Lifeline: 28 August - 28 September 2024, Signature Theatre, NYC. www.lifelinemusical.com

Lifeline, which runs until Saturday 28 September, tells the story of Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming’s world-changing discovery of penicillin in 1928, charting the rise and fall of antibiotics. This story is interwoven with that of a present-day doctor, Jess (played by Kirsty), whose childhood sweetheart, Aaron, is recovering from cancer treatment. 

The musical is a two-time Edinburgh Festival Fringe sell-out (2018 and 2022). It has toured to London, Glasgow and the east coast of the USA. It has also been showcased at the UK Houses of Parliament and in Barbados for Prime Minister Mia Mottley. Previously entitled ‘The Mould that Changed the World’, the show underwent significant re-development in 2023 to incorporate numerous modern day patient stories that the producers had collected from around the world.

Kirsty is a Scottish actress and graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She originated the role of Manda in the Olivier Award winning ‘Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour’ (National Theatre of Scotland/Live Theatre; West End), for which she received an Olivier nomination for Best Supporting Actress. 

Kirsty appeared in Series 3 of The Crown (Netflix), playing the role of Violet, and as Carolyn in Boys in the Boat (MGM), directed by George Clooney. Other credits include Nikki in This is My Family (Chichester Festival Theatre); Chava in Fiddler on The Roof (Menier Chocolate Factory/ Trevor Nunn); Alice in Protest (Fuel Theatre/Northern Stage); Susanna Walcott in The Crucible (Royal Lyceum Theatre); and Stella Jacklin in Doctors (BBC). 

Kirsty has a Masters in Learning and Teaching for the Performing Arts and is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 

I am so excited to be onstage in New York and tick off a major career goal. I am really looking forward to sharing the experience with the students at LCM when I get back, having hopefully developed valuable skills that I can pass on.

I love working at UWL as I get to have the balance between artistic skills and academia. I get to nurture both and pass this on to the next generation of actors.”

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