ACTOR Stephen Carlile, who grew up in Devizes, is taking Broadway by storm after taking over the role of villain Scar in Disney's The Lion King.

Mr Carlile, 38, who is a former pupil of Devizes School, made his Broadway debut last week amid much publicity in New York. Among those in the audience for his first night was his mum Barbara who still lives in Devizes and has travelled far and wide watching her son's performances.

He played the role of Scar on the first national UK tour of the musical but he admits he was terrified before taking to the stage of the Minskoff Theatre for the first time last week.

He said: "I had a few days between my final rehearsal and my first performance and I was really scared. I just kept going over and over my lines frightened I was going to forget something.

"But on the night it all went incredibly well and everyone in the cast was really kind and supportive. As soon as I went on stage people began to clap and after the first song I just relaxed.

"The audiences on Broadway are different to those in the West End. They are more interactive and were laughing at all the little jokes and very appreciative at the end.

"This is something that back when I was still at school in Devizes I could only dream about."

His mum can also hardly get over the success of her son who has also appeared in a number of West End musicals including The Go-Between, The Producers, Phantom of the Opera and Snoopy.

She said: "To go from Stephen acting in his first school play at Devizes School to now watching him on Broadway where he has been chosen to be their Scar to celebrate their 20th anniversary is pretty incredible."

Mr Carlile spent his early boyhood in Bratton, near Westbury, before moving with his family to Devizes. After leaving Devizes School he studied at Bath College and Guildford Drama College.

One of his former teachers at Devizes School remembers him well. PE teacher Colin Herring said: "Great lad, always had a smile on his face.

The last time I saw him was on the news when Lion King was in Bristol and he was on television being interviewed."

A spokesman for the theatre said: "The Lion King continues ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its Broadway premiere on November 13, 1997, 24 global productions have been seen by more than 90 million people."