Kat Woods, 29, is originally from Enniskillen but has been living in Derry for the past five years.

She went through a gruelling audition process in April which she described as “amazingly intimidating”. Kat is currently raising funds to take up the place next October and her first step is a production of Enda Walsh’s ‘Disco Pigs’, which finishes tonight at The Playhouse.

Kat said: “‘The Drama Studio’ only take between one and three pupils every year. I am lucky enough to have been accepted onto a one year course inTV, theatre and film directing. They have postponed my entrance for a year so that I can try and raise the necessary funds.”

Last year, the course directors didn’t accept any students because they did not feel any were at a high enough standard.

The course costs £12,000 and is of such an intense nature that pupils are advised that they will not have time to work in a part-time job whilst studying.

Kat, who works in The Exchange Restaurant and Orchard House, only took up directing in the past few years while studying at Magee.

She said: “It would be awful to miss out on the opportunity to go to London. As a budding director, you need to be in London or New York if you’re going to progress and get the best training.”

At the audition, Kat had to prepare a brief, two person scene with which to impress the tutors. She chose a scene from Cork-based play ‘Disco Pigs’ and thinks her contemporary choice swayed the course directors in her favour.

She said: “A lot of the others who were auditioning were very posh, upper-crust directors. Some of them did scenes from really old plays which were a bit boring.”

Successful completion of the course could see Kat propelled to the big time. She said: “The organisers of the course are extremely well-respected in the industry and have the power to place their students with excellent TV and theatre companies.”

Kat puts her success down to her time at Magee.

She said: “When I started at Magee I wanted to act. The course at Magee was very practical and covered all areas of theatre including stage management, story telling, directing and acting.

“I would never have discovered directing if it wasn’t for the course at Magee. I took the module because I thought it would be interesting and eventually chose it over pursuing acting.”

Kat’s ambition is to direct short films and is in no doubt that the course at the ‘Drama Studio’ would point her in the right direction.

She said: “I’m really excited about the thought of going to London. My best friend is from Creggan and she’s over there at the minute.