From school to stage stardom

A few months ago Javine Hylton was still a student. Now she is starring on the West End stage in The Lion King.

"It's a big shock. I still have to pinch myself sometimes to make sure it's real, but it feels good," said Javine, 18, who only a few months ago was still attending the London Studio Centre.

She is starring at the Lyceum as the new Nala in the smash-hit Disney musical. "Until now, it's only been a dream in my head," she added. "It started when I was three. I wanted to be a ballet dancer, but in my last year at school I was having doubts.

"I did musical theatre at college, but concentrated on dance. I used to sing at home to the radio but at college I didn't do singing lessons or drama at first. I was so embarrassed at people hearing my voice."

Eventually a teacher gave her material that was more suited to her voice than the standard songs from then hit shows like Les Miserables or Beauty And The Beast, and her true talent emerged.

It was immediately spotted in the school's end-of-term showcase by Lion King casting director Pippa Ailion. "Javine just leapt out at me," she said. "She has wonderful stage presence and really sparkles. She is a great dancer and has a wonderful singing voice, rich with great clarity, depth and resonance.

"We had her back for audition five or six times and each time she had something more to offer. That is an extremely rare attribute to find."

Javine, from Ladbroke Grove, has succeeded Paulette Ivory as Nala. She has a relatively easy passage through make-up compared with the show's other new principal Sharon D Clarke, from Tottenham.

Sharon spends up to 40 minutes in the care of Sara Tyndall, head of wigs and make-up, before she is fit to take to the stage as Rafiki, the baboon who represents the very spirit of the show.

"I find it rather relaxing," said Sharon, whose successes include appearances at the National Theatre and with English National Opera. She has taken over from Josette Bushell-Mingo and loves playing "the delightfully mad, zany and magical" Rafiki. "It's fantastic," she said. "It sends jingles down my spine."