26 October 2026

Gayle Rankin returns to the Scottish stage in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

At just 17, Gayle Rankin won a place at New York’s prestigious Juilliard School. She was one of only 18 successful candidates that year, selected from an estimated 3,500 applicants worldwide. She also became the first Scottish drama student to attend the institution.

Although Gayle secured a scholarship-funded place, moving to the United States to study acting brought considerable additional costs. A Dewar Arts Award in 2007 helped towards those expenses, making the move to New York more manageable. At the time, Gayle described what the support meant to her:

“The money will be a tremendous help in funding my education in New York and will make my life so much easier… It is a great honour and means so much to me to be recognised by the Dewar Arts Awards.”

Four years later, Gayle graduated with a BFA in Acting. Reflecting on her time at Juilliard, she wrote:

“Juilliard’s rigorous, four-year training program has changed my life and my career forever and has unquestionably been the most significant experience of my personal and professional life thus far… I am very excited to be at the beginning of a career here in the States and have found really great representation here.”

Since graduating, Gayle has appeared in a range of high-profile screen roles, including Sheila the She-Wolf in Netflix’s GLOW, Emily Dodson in HBO’s Perry Mason and Alys Rivers in House of the Dragon. Her stage work has brought further recognition, including a Tony Award nomination for playing Sally Bowles in the 2024 Broadway revival of Cabaret.

Now, Gayle has returned to the Scottish stage for the first time since leaving for Juilliard. She stars as the title character in the National Theatre of Scotland’s production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which has played at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre and Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre, with further stops at His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen and Pitlochry Festival Theatre.

 

From securing a place at one of the world’s leading drama schools to returning to perform in Scotland, Gayle’s journey has come full circle. Her story also reflects the role that financial support can play at a pivotal moment in a young artist’s career.

Supporting Scotland’s creative future

The Dewar Arts Awards help young people across Scotland pursue their artistic ambitions, regardless of their financial circumstances. If you’re a Scottish performer or creative under 30 who lives or works in Scotland, you can apply for support throughout the year.

Find out more about eligibility and how to apply at dewarawards.org/apply.