Toowoomba Grammar School student Ryan Murphy accepted into prestigious Bell Shakespeare scholarship

A young thespian is well on his way to achieving his dream of a career on the stage after landing one of four places in a top theatre company’s scholarship program.

Toowoomba Grammar School student Ryan Murphy was one of just four students from across Australia accepted into the Bell Shakespeare Scholarship program for 2023.

Toowoomba Grammar School student Ryan Murphy is just one of four people to be accepted into the Bell Shakespeare Scholarship program for 2023, setting him up for a career on the stage.

In the new year Mr Murphy will spend a week at the Sydney Opera House with the Bell Shakespeare Company and get a behind-the-scenes look at its production of Macbeth.

The week includes several workshops that will culminate with the four scholars presenting their audition pieces to the company, including its director John Bell.

Toowoomba Grammar School student Ryan Murphy (left) was one of just four students from across Australia accepted into the Bell Shakespeare Scholarship program for 2023, pictured here with fellow TGS student Jamie Watson.

Mr Murphy performed the iconic dagger soliloquy from Macbeth for his audition and said being in a recent school production of the play gave him an advantage.

“It was a great way to find a new way of performing the soliloquy, to find what it means to me and find what the character needs,” he said.

“I wanted to give it not only a youthful energy to it, but a new look at the desires, wants and beliefs for the character.”

While every trainee actor must grapple with Shakespeare, Mr Murphy’s long term goal sits with musical theatre and he has auditioned for universities across Australia, including the University of Adelaide University Elder Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University’s Queensland Conservatorium, QUT, the Victorian College of Art and Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

“It’s very much a waiting game but I have been auditioning since August,” he said.