From a local extra to a London star.
For most locals, becoming an actor isn't really an achievable goal - just as becoming a singer, dancer, artist or author may be considered (by most, not all!) as a pipe dream which is hardly ever achieved. Some people though, prove the sceptics wrong, working hard at achieving what they truly want as a career.
Raphael Pace is an example of this. His acting exposure started off in Malta, with years of training and experience within Teatru Manoel Youth Theatre group, led by Denise Mulholland, guiding him in the right direction. Choreographers Emma Loftus and Kristina Bianco also influenced Raphael’s work, he reveals, up until he left for London.
After graduating from drama school in 2016, Raphael got his first job in Mamma Mia! The Musical. Not too shabby for a first acting job, right? His next big break was a recent one - a lead role in UK tour of Saturday Night Fever where Raphael’s talent comes to light.
“My training in Malta has helped me secure places at the top drama schools in London,” claims Raphael. Meanwhile, his training in London’s The Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts continued to serve as a great foundation. He continues, “in addition to my training; working hand in hand with my acting agent has led me to land bigger roles in recent shows.”
Raphael’s exposure within the theatre scene has not been limited to London alone though. This headstrong chap has even travelled to the USA, where he worked in Miami for two months with the American team of Mamma Mia! The Musical - a surge of energy invested into a live show performed on the Eastern and Western Caribbean for a duration of nine months!
Raphael’s current day planner is swamped with Saturday Night Fever performances, rehearsals and other actorly duties, but this local kid is continuing to aim for the stars… “I’ll be back in the audition room towards the end of my current contract for upcoming musicals, and maybe even head back to the States for a while and branch out into film and television… who knows!”
Let’s be sure to invite Raphael Pace back to Malta for a killer show soon - he’d love to perform here, he reveals, and we're pretty sure there'll be queues trailing out of the theatre with his name on the programme!