Blaxland's Emma Jarman has been enjoying her debut role in the popular musical The King and I now showing at the Sydney Opera House and starring four-time Logie winner Lisa McCune and international opera star Teddy Tahu Rhodes.
And she's dedicating her first big star turn as "Little Eva" to her Vietnamese-born mother, 44-year-old Helen Jarman, also of Blaxland, who is deaf. Jarman is, by necessity, an expert sign-language communicator and hopes her passionate performance communicates what her mother cannot hear.
"I owe it to her for my Asian genes," she said.
"And this is very different in terms of musical theatre, the movements are very descriptive and emotive so hopefully she has been able to understand what is happening on stage."
Jarman, 20, admits she's been extraordinarily lucky to get a big break straight out of dance college. The ex-St Finbars Primary and Glenbrook Public School student, said straight after high school in Sydney's west, she gained dance scholarships here and overseas and then was hired for this nine-month coveted musical theatre stint in the female ensemble.
"I was lucky enough to go straight into work and it's been really amazing," she said.
And performing with some of the big names of the stage has been a delight for the newcomer.
"We work together, we work backstage together. I've learnt so much from them. It's been an incredible experience, they are so knowledgeable and passionate but so humble at the same time."
After performing in Brisbane with one King - Jason Scott Lee - the "scary king" who in theatre terms literally went out and broke a leg (he pulled a muscle mid-show), they then had American star Lou Diamond Phillips (who was mobbed after most performances) and now for Sydney have welcomed Teddy Tahu Rhodes, who is in a relationship with the main star and plays a "funnier king," she said.
"It's been quite a rocky road with our kings," she said.
"It's been like three entirely different shows and Lisa has responded and changed the way she played it [her role]."
The King and I opened in Sydney last week off the back of successful seasons in Brisbane and Melbourne. Some $8.4 million worth of tickets has already sold for the Sydney season - the highest presales for any show staged at the Sydney Opera House and last week the cast was told they were upping the weekly performances from eight shows to nine.
"It's so good to be home after five months of tour, but at the same time nine shows a week! It's just selling so well," the former Mountains busker said.
The show, the story of an English governess who teaches the children of the king of Siam and falls in love with him in the process, received a Helpmann Award for Best Musical. It's had overwhelmingly positive reviews with the exception of criticism from TimeOut magazine (re-published last week on smh.com) which said it was past its use by date and racist. Jarman won't be drawn into any controversy and has nothing but praise for the much-loved Rodgers and Hammerstein masterpiece presented by Opera Australia and John Frost. The show runs until November 1.