Katherine MacAlister meets the young stars of West Side Story, who are preparing to take to the stage at Oxford's New Theatre later this month.

By day Emily Booth packs her schoolbags and heads off to Wheatley Park alongside 1,300 other pupils.

But when the curtain goes up at The New Theatre later this month, the 17-year-old comes into her own as Maria in West Side Story and sings her heart out.

Not only will opening night be a momentous event for her, but also for the 39 other members of the Oxford Operatic Society who have all been practising for months to make sure this, their biggest performance to date, goes without a hitch.

Emily has loved every minute of it so far but when rehearsals started she was slightly nervous about all the kissing scenes.

The director Dave Crew realised this, so on day one of rehearsals he made Maria and Tony, get it out of their systems.

"It was so funny," Emily said.

"He told us it was best to get them over and done with now in front of everybody, so we had to snog there and then until he told us to stop," she laughed.

Emily's boyfriend isn't quite so thrilled at the idea of his girlfriend snogging on stage every night, but is apparently coming round to the idea and will be there to see Emily on her opening night later this month.

Emily, from Great Haseley, who still has her A-Levels to take, hopes to go on to drama college in London when she finishes school, but in the meantime she's about to take on the biggest challenge of her life.

"It's all just really exciting and I can't wait, although I'm sure the nerves will kick in quite soon, and we are all working really hard to make it a success.

"Everybody has really risen to the challenge.

"But it's such a big theatre to fill so we have to make sure everybody knows about it."

Debbie Burt, who plays a member of the Shark gang, agreed. "I've never been in such a professional outfit before and everyone is really working together. We plan to pull out all the stops."

West Side Story opens on November 28 at Oxford's New Theatre. Call the box office on 0870 6063500.

The director told us it was best to get the kissing scenes over and done with now, so we had to snog there and then until he told us to stop'