Come this summer, Candace Furbert might be singing on a London stage as part of the award-winning musical ‘The Lion King’.The 20-year-old has auditioned twice for a role in the world-famous show and will hear in the next couple of months whether or not she’s made the cut for its UK tour.“When I’m on stage with the lights on me, that’s where I come alive,” the up-and-coming theatre talent enthused. “I’m in my own world and nothing can stop me.“Where my mind is at now, I’m not scared that I won’t get in. The fact that I had that experience and got two recalls is already great.”As part of that process, Candace had to audition privately for one of the UK’s top theatre directors, Pippa Aillion - the prospect was daunting.“From now on, I feel like I can do any audition,” she said. “I had to go in there and face [Ms Ailion] and she turned out to be a really nice woman.“I sang ‘Listen’ from the movie ‘Dreamgirls’. It’s sung by Beyoncé [in the film]. Three days later I got a call at school and they said they wanted to bring me back.”Candace is now on the Island for her Easter break from studies at London’s American Musical Theatre Academy.Tonight, she will perform at the Fairmont Southampton in a sold-out show, Bermuda’s Entertainers at Their Best.The seven-hour flight back to London will be spent brainstorming for her school’s upcoming amateur musical. It’s a calling that’s only for the truly dedicated, she believes.“You can only do something like this if you love it,” she said. “It’s not always easy. Weekends? Partying? My partying happens when I get on stage.”So far, Lion King tour cast directors have considered Candace for two possible roles in the show - the wise ape Rafiki and a bad-guy role, the hyena character Shenzi.There’s also the possibility she will be offered either role as an understudy.“In the movie [Rafiki is] a guy; in the musical, Rafiki is played as a woman. The musical is totally different.“Shenzi is the boss of the hyena group. I tend to get those characters offered to me for some reason the bully,” Candace laughed.She’s enrolled in a one-year intensive theatre programme at the American Musical Theatre Academy. The school’s principal is Kenneth Avery-Clark, an actor and voice coach. Lessons are taught by current or former performers from London’s West End theatre district.“It’s about balancing the three elements of acting, singing and performing,” Candace explained. “Once you get them all on the same level, you can go out there and go for anything.”She hails from a large Hamilton Parish family, many of whom have a flair for singing.“My mother Olive Furbert sings. I have a cousin, Sheila Smith, who’s an amazing performer; she can sing anything. I have lots of cousins who sing and play instruments - we should put on our own concert.”Her dream? To return one day to Bermuda and teach theatre.Her advice: “Don’t stop. Stay tough. Work your tail off until you get called the teacher’s pet.”Useful website: www.americanacademy.co.uk.