From the Stalls to the Spotlight: The Family Stories inspiring Belfast’s Am Dram Performers

Because long before they were centre stage as Sky Masterson, Sarah Brown, Nathan Detroit and Miss Adelaide, they were sitting in the audience, watching, dreaming, and falling in love with theatre.

For Naomi Smyth, that moment came as a child, sitting in the Grand Opera House watching pantomime.

“Every time I’m in there, I’m brought back to that first experience,” she says. “I remember thinking, ‘I want to be on that stage someday.’”

Now 28, Naomi works as a classroom assistant supporting children with Special Educational Needs. But this May, she will stand centre stage as Sarah Brown, a character she describes as resilient, intelligent and quietly transformative.

“There’s something really special about stepping onto that stage and realising you’ve come full circle,” she says. “You feel like a kid again, but this time, your part of it.”

For Emiko Seawright, the connection to this particular show runs deep.

The first time she ever stepped onto the Grand Opera House stage was in 2014, as part of the Summer Youth Project production of Guys and Dolls. She was in the ensemble then, one of many young performers getting their first taste of theatre.

“It was the show that gave me the theatre bug,” she says.

More than a decade later, she returns not as an ensemble member, but as Miss Adelaide, one of the musical’s most iconic roles.

“It really does feel like a full circle moment,” she says. “To come back to the same theatre, to the same show, but in such a different role, it’s really quite emotional.”

By day, Emiko is a solicitor. Her evenings are spent in rehearsals, stepping into a world of comedy, music and character.

“People often ask how I have the energy after work,” she laughs. “But I genuinely look forward to it. It’s an outlet, a chance to switch off from everything else and just enjoy being creative.”

For Dessie Havlin, the connection to the Grand Opera House is rooted in family.

Growing up, he regularly attended shows there with his grandparents, experiences that quietly shaped his love for performance.

“My grandparents were huge fans of theatre,” he says. “They would take us to shows, and those memories have stayed with me.”

Now 26 and working as an Assistant Producer at BBC Radio Ulster, Dessie is preparing to take on the role of Sky Masterson, the suave, charismatic gambler at the heart of Guys and Dolls.

This production, however, carries a particular emotional weight.

Opening night falls on what would have been his grandfather Raymond’s 86th birthday.

“So this one’s for him,” say’s Dessie.

For Greg Fox, the story is now coming full circle in a different way.

As Entertainment Marketing Manager at the Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall, Greg spends his professional life promoting major productions. But this May, he will step into the spotlight himself as Nathan Detroit.

And in the audience will be his two daughters, aged five and eight.

“It will be the first time they’ve seen me perform live,” he says. “I can’t wait for that.”

It’s a moment that brings everything into perspective.

“Being involved in something like this takes a lot of time and commitment, not just from you but from your family,” he explains. “So, for them to be there, to see it, that means a lot.”

Greg himself first played Nathan Detroit as a teenager. Now, decades later, he returns to the role with a very different audience in mind.

“It’s funny how these things come around again,” he says. “But this time, it feels even more special.”

Together, these stories reveal something about theatre in Northern Ireland.

It’s not just about productions or performances, it’s about people, memories and connections that stretch across generations.

For all four cast members, the Grand Opera House is more than just a venue. It’s a place tied to childhood dreams, family traditions and defining moments.

And now, they are part of that legacy themselves.

They are the performers on stage, the ones inspiring the next generation sitting in the stalls, watching, just as they once did.

Guys and Dolls promises to be a vibrant, joyful production, full of humour, music and energy.

But for these people, behind the bright lights and big numbers lies something more personal.

And somewhere in the audience, another child may be watching, thinking the very same thing, “I want to be up there someday.”

Guys and Dolls runs at the Opera House from 12th-16th May. Book tickets now at www.goh.co.uk