A SCUNTHORPE actress is to star in a major West End production of the Wizard of Oz.

Carrie Sutton will perform in the hotly anticipated Andrew Lloyd-Webber production at the London Palladium – alongside a star-studded cast including Michael Crawford as The Wizard.

She has already performed in productions such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Oklahoma! and Cats.

And as she prepares to take to the stage, her debut novel, After the Break-up: A Girl's Guide, will hit the shelves today.

"The Wizard of Oz is going to be a great show," said Carrie, 29, a former Bottesford resident who now lives in Kent.

"I'm looking forward to working with Andrew Lloyd Webber for the first time and Michael Crawford who is playing the wizard.

"The London Palladium feels like my second home. The Wizard of Oz will be my third performance here and I have a contract until early 2012."

Carrie recently starred alongside Whoopi Goldberg as one of the nuns in the stage production of Sister Act as well as taking on a major role as an understudy.

Speaking about her West End experience, Carrie said: "It's been just brilliant. Performing in Sister Act has been my favourite job so far.

"It's a real uplifting show, the writer is just brilliant and I've been very lucky to have worked with Sheila Hancock, Simon Webbe from boyband Blue and the wonderful Whoopi Goldberg in this production.

"Whoopi is an international icon – she was lovely, very down to earth and it's been refreshing working with someone like that."

Yet although the bright lights of the theatre are shining in London, Carrie said she still called Scunthorpe her home.

"I do have family still living in Scunthorpe and I often come up to visit," she said. "In fact, I was here at the weekend but much to my dismay they have pulled the old Majestic cinema down. That was part of my childhood.

"I still think Scunthorpe is home to me.

"When I come up to visit I ride my pony and horse so I can get a bit of country lifestyle and relax because eight shows a week is hard – there's no doubt about it."

Carrie trained at Laine Theatre Arts and with the National Youth Theatre, graduating with a diploma in musical theatre and a LAMDA Acting Diploma (Hons).

She said local amateur dramatic groups were the best preparation for the business.

"Originally I did many of the John Spillers pantos at the Plowright Theatre, even as far back as when it was the civic theatre – as well as loads of festivals and local amateur theatre productions for Wilton," Carrie added.

"Any experience you can get is invaluable, especially if you join a good amateur dramatic group. I'd certainly recommend it."

Her film and television credits include Buried Alive and As the Afternoon Settles.

Danielle Hope was chosen to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz after winning the BBC1 talent search, Over the Rainbow.

For more information Visit Carrie's website at www.carriesutton.net