Spotlight On Polina Pisartsova

In the heart of London's dynamic musical theatre scene, one emerging talent is capturing attention and dreaming big. Polina Pisartsova showcased her skills as a finalist in the West End Calling competition in 2024, and she is currently pursuing a master's degree in Musical Theatre Performance at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music. Polina started her musical career from scratch by arriving in the UK from Ukraine after half a year of war. Great Britain has become a second home to her.

Competing in the West End Calling competition and making her West End debut at The Arts Theatre in London was a significant milestone for Polina. Our competition allowed her to perform alongside other talented artists, gaining invaluable experience and exposure.

The judges feedback about Polina’s performance:

Emma Kingston is a British stage actress. She is currently playing Elphaba in Wicked in the West End and is also known for playing Vanessa in the original London cast of In the Heights and Eva Perón on the international tour of Evita.

Her feedback for Polina's performance was: “You look absolutely sensational, and make up as well! I liked the way you produced the high notes using the belting technique, but just as a challenge you can try singing them in your legit soprano voice, this way you may find new unexpected tones of your voice and use them for some parts of the song. Keep going with your uniqueness and be a first great version of yourself, Polina.”

Lizzie Bea is a British actress and singer. She is best known for playing Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act and Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray.

Her feedback:

“Excellent performance! Not everyone can sing this song (“Into the Unknown” from Frozen 2), it’s an amazing job, everything that needs to be there, was there. And the whistle note at the end of the song was just a cherry on top! You looked and sounded lovely, such a great song choice!”

The feedback from Emma and Lizzie was invaluable. Polina said: ‘I am so grateful for everybody’s feedback at West End Calling, I feel motivated and excited to leave here and apply my critiques, and further my development. I know that vocal control, my confidence on-stage, and my characterisations are all aspects of performance that I would like to improve upon.’

After taking part in West End Calling, Polina looked at the next steps for her career.  Expressing her determination to evolve as an artist and refine her skills, she decided to apply to the Royal Academy of Music, one of the best music conservatoires in the world. She was successfully accepted onto the Masters course in Musical Theatre, which is an incredible achievement especially as a 19 year old.

On her time at RAM, Polina has said her tuition not only equips her with technical skills but also fosters and nurtures her creativity. She is currently being taught by leading practitioners in the industry, including Daniel Bowling, Mary Hammond, Anne-Marie Speed and Hadley Fraiser. Recently she has demonstrated her exceptional development in spoken voice when she was awarded The Hammond Prize for Poetry, adjudicated by renowned Director John Caird.

As Polina embarks on this exciting chapter of her career, she embodies the passion and determination that define successful artists in the competitive world of musical theatre. With her sights set on continuous improvement and a commitment to her craft, she is poised to make a significant impact. Her journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring performers worldwide, proving that ambition, resilience, and a willingness to learn can pave the way for a bright future in the arts.

Photos of Polina by Samantha Thein & Andras Stefuca.