SHOWBIZ dream stories arrive thick and fast these days, with the likes of X Factor contestants continually declaring how they ‘want it so bad’.
But how about this for a tale of absolute determination.
An eleven-year-old girl from Ayr really wants a career in the business, so she Googles all the main performance arts schools in the country.
And she comes up with the Hammond Theatre School in Chester, secures herself a scholarship – and sets off to board with 
46 other female hopefuls.
“That’s exactly what I did,” says Abbie Watson, now starring as the Polish nurse in Billy, Tim and the Wee Glesga Ghost at the Pavilion. 
“I’d wanted to break into musical theatre since I can remember. But having attended drama classes in Ayr, I felt I’d gone as far as I could.”
As far as you could? You were only 11, for goodness sake. You were at an age where you should have been playing Candy Crush on your big sister’s laptop, not searching for centres of excellence. 
“I know,” says Abbie, grinning. “But I knew what I wanted to do.”
Didn’t her parents object to their baby running off to join the circus, or in this case a Cheshire-based theatre school?
“They did sit me down and tell me this was a really big move and ask if I really wanted to do it. But 
I knew my own mind, and they were really supportive.”
Life for the little girl in Chester was tough. The other girls made the young Scot feel isolated, took advantage of the fact Abbie was easygoing and keen to please.
“There were hard times,” she recalls in serious voice. “There were a few girls who were monsters and they led the pack.”
It was a scenario which played out like an American teen movie.
“They’d pick on me. I was never the popular one. I was the follower in the group and they’d use me. They’d only talk to me when they wanted something. But I wanted to learn, so I stayed.”
Was it a time of major tears?
“It was,” she admits. “And I got really homesick.”
At 16, Abbie didn’t return to Ayr. Still determined to go to the next level she took off to London to attend the prestigious Arts Ed college, again landing a scholarship.
This time however didn’t meet any monsters.
“The students were great,” she says. “I really loved my time there, and I learned so much. It was so much more intimate. 
“Then at  18, I went on to another drama college in Islington, the Urdang Academy, which was more of a dance university, which I also loved. 
“My time in London was great, and I’d move back in a minute.”
But Abbie, now 21,  didn’t get the chance to remain in London. Her talent was spotted north of the border and she landed a role in Beauty and the Beast in Ayr.
She’s since been combining musical theatre with modelling work and teaching dance and choreography with a company in Ayr, where she is back at the Gaiety this year.
“I’m playing the Princess in Jack and the Beanstalk,” she says, beaming. 

Glasgow Times:
Right now however, Abbie  is excited at the idea of starring on the Pavilion stage alongside Chris Taylor, David Alexander and Neil Bratchpiece.
Des Dillon’s follow up to the phenomenally successful Billy and Tim takes the story into an infirmary, where the Rangers and Celtic fan continue to bait each other. But then their world changes because they begin to see a ghost, the spectre of a football fan.
lBilly, Tim and the Wee Glesga Ghost, Pavilion, until Saturday.