FOR as long as he can remember it has been John Demps ey's dream to perform on Broadway.

Although he is only 22-years-old, he has already travelled all over the world singing, dancing and acting on stages from London to Japan.

But they have all been rehearsals for his big ambition ... to cross the pond and tread the famous boards in the Big Apple.

He has his heart set on following in the footsteps of his idol, Glasgow-born performer John Barrowman. Now John has secured himself a place at one of New York's top musical theatre schools, but the passionate Scot is still a long way from living his Broadway dream.

John, who lives in Strathaven with his mum, Helen, 52, and his big sister Victoria, 24, still needs to raise £35,000, despite getting a scholarship of $10,000, before he can start on a two- year course at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in October.

He said: "John Barrowman has done exactly what I want to do.

"He was born in Scotland and made the bridge over to America, he became very successful in musical theatre, he came back home and he is back and forward all the time. He is on television, he is singing and he hosts his own television show, he is really a big inspiration for what I want to achieve.

"He has the same kind of story as me – a small town guy who has made it big."

John started performing at the age of 10, when he played the lead role in Joseph at Kirkland Primary School.

He went on to star in school productions at Strathaven Academy before getting a place to study Musical Theatre at Langside College.

When he was 16, under the advice of one of his teachers, John decided he needed to learn to dance if he wanted to make it big in London or New York.

For two years he studied dance at Anniesland College where he learned ballet, tap, jazz and contemporary dance.

When he was 18, he auditioned for the Laine Theatre Arts college in London and was accepted onto their two year course.

From there he went to work on a cruise ship travelling in the Eastern Mediterranean.

When he got the job he had only 10 weeks to learn 17 hours of performances, including dance steps, dialogue and songs.

John went down a treat with the passengers and was offered a second season, but decided to take a job as the lead on the Chinese tour of the Spirit of Broadway, a musical revue show, instead.

For a month he travelled round China before returning to London to take the lead role of Ralph Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore at the King's Head Theatre in Islington.

Now, fresh back from a year-long run on the stage at Disney Tokyo, he is putting all his efforts into finding the money to fund his New York education.

John said: "I just love performing, it is my life. The experience that I have had were phenomenal, but I have much bigger ambitions.

"Working has just given me more experience, my ultimate ambition has always been to get to New York."

John dreams of joining famous alumni from AMDA, like pop star Jason Derulo, and bagging big roles in the entertainment world.

He has his heart set on playing Judas, in Jesus Christ Super Star, Galileo, in We Will Rock You, Chris, in Miss Saigon, Ryan, in High School Musical, and other big musical roles.

He said: "Everything I have done so far has been a stepping stone, I have trained in Scotland then worked in London and got myself performance experience, and now I need to get that final piece of training that I need to get to Broadway.

"It is the most amazing feeling performing on stage and seeing people enjoy what you are doing. It is one of those things that you can't explain in words, it is just a feeling you get.

"If you imagine the happiest you have ever been in your life, that's all I can describe it as.

"You feel so many emotions, excited and happy and anxious and nervous, and then you go on the stage and everything just goes away and you feel incredible. It is just one of the most exhilarating experiences I have ever had.

"If I managed to get the funding to go to the school I do believe if I got there the sky is the limit of what I can achieve."

And although John is doing all he can to raise the cash himself, he is looking for financial backing from local companies.

To make a donation to help John get to AMDA visit www.gofundme.com/oxq4o

matty.sutton@ eveningtimes.co.uk