When she was nine years old, Verity Rushworth landed her first stage role – playing one of the Von Trapp children in The Sound Of Music at Yeadon Town Hall.

Nearly two decades later, the Rawdon actress is back in the much-loved musical, this time playing the lead role of Maria.

Verity, 26, who shot to fame as a child actress in Emmerdale, is relishing her role as the feisty singing nun, who brings love and music back to a household of motherless children.

She stars opposite Jason Donovan who plays stern disciplinarian Captain Von Trapp.

“Jason’s great fun. He’s really naughty. We often get into water fights backstage – which he always starts,” says Verity.

“It’s a wonderful show. It’s like coming full-circle for me because it was my first musical. I played Brigitta, and I remember really looking up to the character of Maria.

“This is my first lead role in a big show. For an actress, it’s just a lovely role. Maria goes from being a tomboy to a loving mother. She never really belonged in the abbey, she just stumbled across it because she heard singing.”

Verity adds: “Everyone has grown up with The Sound Of Music and it’s seen as a feelgood musical about singing nuns, but it’s very political and dark in places, especially with Nazi soldiers pointing guns at the audience.

“It hit home when we performed in Derry, Northern Ireland, where people had grown up with soldiers and guns. It took on a new meaning for them. There were people in tears.”

The show, which includes such songs as My Favourite Things, Do-Re-Mi and Lonely Goatherd, was launched in the West End by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber following his televised search for a Maria, won by Connie Fisher.

“You don’t get the sense that it’s been scaled down for the tour. It’s just as lavish as it was in London – the set is amazing,” says Verity.

A former pupil at St Mary’s School in Menston, Verity first trod the boards, aged three, as a Sunbeam in an Alhambra pantomime.

It was while she was at Scala performing arts school in Horsforth that she landed the role of Donna Windsor in Emmerdale, aged 12.

“I grew up in Emmerdale. It was a great experience and I learned loads,” says Verity. “I was constantly busy – filming, keeping up with my school work and doing Scala – but I wouldn’t have swapped it for the world.

“I was lucky; most children who join a soap at a young age get re-cast at 16 and they bring in someone else, but I worked hard and carried on with my drama lessons.”

Verity was at the centre of some high-profile storylines in Emmerdale, including Donna’s affair with a fellow police officer which led to her marriage break-up, leaving husband Marlon Dingle heartbroken.

She played Donna for 11 years until she left the Yorkshire soap in 2008.

“I was upset when I left, but it felt like the right time,” says Verity. “I was lucky because I went straight into the West End, playing Penny Pingleton in Hairspray.

“It was always my dream to do a West End show, and there I was, making my debut with Michael Ball who’s a hero of mine. He really loves the show and his enthusiasm was infectious. I had a wonderful time.”

As a trained singer, Verity is following in the showbiz footsteps of her grandmother, who was a well-known jazz singer performing in Bradford clubs.

“When I was in Emmerdale, nobody knew I could sing, but then I did Soapstar Superstar and that got me noticed,” says Verity. “I still train. I work with a tutor from the Royal Academy of Music. Your voice keeps changing so you have to keep working it.

“I’m a trained dancer too, so it would be nice to do a role that involves lots of dance. You have to be a triple threat these days!”

She’s still in touch with her old Emmerdale friends and is looking forward to seeing them when The Sound Of Music rolls into West Yorkshire. “They’re all coming to see the show, and of course my mum will be there. It’ll be great to be back up there,” says Verity.

“I love musical theatre and one of my dream shows would be Gypsy, but after this I’d like to get back into telly for a while. I’d like to do a gritty ITV drama, or a good period drama like Downton Abbey. “I went into this job for the variety, so it’s lovely to keep doing different things. That’s what it’s all about.”

The Sound Of Music runs at the Leeds Grand Theatre from June 7 to 25. For tickets, ring 0844 8482706.