TWO young Borderers are busy making their professional debuts at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Former Earlston High School pupils Grace Rhattigan and Gareth Williams, have both secured roles in a new production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical, which will run at the city’s C Venues throughout this month.

The show explores the relationships between the quirky tenants of the Armadillo Acres Trailer Park in Florida, and is being run by Beyond Broadway Productions and the team behind 2015’s Fringe hit Zanna, Don’t!

Grace, who is 20 and from Lauder, became interested in performing when she was a child.

She has spent the past three years at The MGA Academy of Performing Arts in Edinburgh, which earlier this year became the first full-time professional training academy in Scotland to be awarded accreditation by CDET, the UK’s quality assurance body for the professional dance, drama and musical theatre industries.

She said: “I will be playing a character called Jeanie who is prone to panic attacks and doesn’t ever leave her trailer.

"She’s a really interesting character to play and I’m looking forward to seeing how the audience react to her.

“Training at The MGA Academy has been a great experience as I’ve met so many different people from all walks of life and learnt so much about the industry. 

“After the Fringe, I’m planning on moving to London so I can spend time auditioning for more professional jobs.”

Gareth, 18, from St Boswells, recently completed his first year of training at the same academy and is looking forward to spending his summer performing.

He said: “I am part of the ensemble cast and it’s my job to help guide the audience through the show each night. The Great American Trailer Park Musical involves some audience interaction so the show will be different every night. It’s my first time working at the Fringe and I’m really looking forward to the whole experience.”

The show runs until Monday, August 28, from 8.40-10.15pm at C Too (St Columba’s by the Castle, Johnston Terrace).

Tickets, priced £13.50/ £11.50, can be purchased via edfringe.com or 0131 226 0000.