The character of Belle in Troika Bermuda’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is a modern sort of woman, strong, gutsy and independent which is probably why they picked Tsilala Brock Graham-Haynes, 22 for the role.

Troika Bermuda is a performance group that aims to empower and inspire Bermuda’s young people.

They will be staging Work in Progress # 5 Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in late August.

Ms Graham-Haynes, 22, is about to move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film, which is a pretty gutsy move considering the level of competition she’ll be up against in LA.

She decided to take part in the Troika production because she wanted to give a little something back to Bermuda, before she launched her career.

“I wanted to do something in Bermuda before I went,” she said. “I probably won’t be back for awhile.”

Over 40 young people, starting at age 12, will take part in the production.

“It will be a stage full of energy,” said Ms Graham-Haynes. “It is really exciting seeing all of the young people in rehearsals dancing away and full of laughter.

“I keep getting reminded how important the arts are in Bermuda and how much the children love it.

“When I was little I danced with United Bermuda Dance Productions, but if I had been into theatre, at that time, this is what I would have wanted.”

She first became involved with Troika two or three years ago when they offered a workshop with Bermudian actor Daren Herbert.

“It was a musical theatre thing and it was very fun,” she said. “I have kept in touch with Troika since then. I am happy to be joining the family for this production because it is really strong.”

Her focus began to shift from dance to musical theatre when she was 14 year old

“I did a Gilbert & Sullivan production of Beauty and the Beast, here on the Island, and the director Duncan McIntosh had a workshop in Prince Edward Island in Canada.

“He said ‘you are not old enough yet, but when you turn 16, come and take our workshop’. I did that.

“It was four children, four teachers and four weeks and very intense. I realised I loved musical theatre.

“I always wanted to be Tina Turner, but then I realised that the stage was actually for me.”

Around this time she also became involved with Troika for the first time, taking part in a workshop led by Bermudian actor Darren Herbert.

She eventually went to Canada to boarding school in London, Ontario.

While there she joined the Original Kids Theatre Company and took part in productions such as Evita and Anne of Greene Gables, among others.

She has just graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts degree in musical theatre.

Since finishing university, she has found that her focus is shifting again.

“I have been on stage all my life,” she said. “I have been dancing since I was three years old, so it would just seem natural to go into stage, but I love film.

“I studied musical theatre; I didn’t study acting, which I could have taken.

“However, over the last couple of years I have realised is that all I do is dissect films and television more than theatre.

“Some of my friends know every Cinderella that is on Broadway right now, and I know what happened in The Good Wife and who the next director is.

“I am more focused on film which is why I am moving to LA. Theatre is something I love and dancing is something I love.

“Musical theatre is something I don’t want to rely on to pay the rent; I want to rely on it to make me happy and joyful verses having to resent it later on in life (because it didn’t pay the rent).”

She already has a manger and is ready for “lights, camera, action”.

She said, as a back up, she could always teach musical theatre at her old musical theatre dance school.

“I am not thinking about my back up just yet,” she said. “Film is a big business; you have to go for it and push for it. If you are an actress you have to love that grind.

“You can’t just hope for the fantasy of the million dollar movies; you also have to love the idea of having two jobs while you wait for your big break.”

Troika’s version of Beauty and the Beast will be directed by Steve Huntsman and choreographed by Eric Bean Jr.

Beauty and the Beast will be held at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts at CedarBridge Academy from August 28 to 30.

During evening performances the doors will open at 7pm and the show will start at 7.30pm.

For the matinee performance, on Saturday, doors will open at 1.30pm and the show will start at 2pm.

Tickets are available at early bird rates until Saturday (July 5) at $35. For more information or to buy tickets see www.ptix.bm.