AS a child, she begged for early release from hospital so she could watch a production of Mary Poppins and now Ruth McKay is continuing her love affair with the stage as a volunteer on a heritage project for one of Scotland’s most treasured theatres.
To mark National Volunteer Week this week, the 17-year-old talked to the Sunday National about how much she has gained from volunteering at the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh and why others should consider helping their communities.
As part of the King’s heritage project, Ruth has been paired with former theatre producer and costume designer Olive McMillen to gather stories from her about her work.
These include how 300 people, including a pregnant woman, responded to her advert for people to play nuns in a production of the Sound of Music at the King’s.
“The pregnant woman was a really good singer but Olive told her that if she wanted to be in the show she would have to be at the back of the stage,” said Ruth.
McMillen produced shows at the Kings in the 70s and 80s and still keeps many costumes in her home.
“It has been a dream to talk to her as she produced, directed and starred in shows, so she has really done it all,” said Ruth. “It has been absolutely great.
“People talk as if there is some sort of disparity between older people and younger people but this proves there absolutely isn’t. I have completely found a friend with Olive.
“She treats me as an equal and I think that is what people are missing in not going for opportunities to volunteer.”
Ruth, who has always had an interest in costumes, now intends to make pencil sketches of some of Olive’s designs for the heritage project.
Her project and many more will be displayed on The People’s Archive which is to launch this autumn to celebrate the history of the King’s.
Since she was a young child Ruth has been involved as much as possible with the theatre, performing in shows and working behind the scenes.
When she was nine years old, Edinburgh’s Children’s Hospital even made arrangements for her to go to the theatre in the middle of treatment for a serious infection because she was so desperate to see Mary Poppins on stage.
“I told every nurse and doctor that I had tickets and it was imperative that I got out to see the show,” said Ruth.
“They made it happen although I had to go straight back to hospital.”
It helped make up for the fact that she had been forced to pull out of performing in a show after the opening night because of the infection.
“I was heartbroken because it was my first-ever solo,” said Ruth.
She has since won major parts in other amateur shows and although she now works full-time as a sales assistant in an Edinburgh jeweller’s shop, she uses her days off to volunteer at the theatre and was recently appointed chair of the Youth Advisory Board.
“I like to do as much as I possibly can with all the different people who work here,” Ruth said.
The King’s Theatre is halfway through its redevelopment and the People’s Archive will be an online exhibition celebrating the history of the Edwardian gem, showcasing “wonderful” collections of programmes, show posters, letters, headshots of stars past and present.
Members of the public are also being recorded to document what they love about this historic theatre, in the hope the interviews will be of interest to future generations.
