Nova trained at the Arts Educational Schools, London. On leaving, she was part of the original company in the national tour of Aspects Of Love. West End and national touring productions of Oklahoma!; Phantom Of The Opera and Salad Days followed. Nova then appeared in three productions with the New Shakespeare Company at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre: Troilus & Cressida, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. This was followed by a tour of Annie, in which she understudied and played the role of Grace Farrell, and a year spent in Germany, playing Jellylorum in Cats.
Next, Nova travelled to Perth Theatre, Scotland, to play Julie Jordan in Carousel and the Gaiety Theatre in the Isle of Man, where she took on the dual challenge of playing Janet in The Rocky Horror Show and Sandy in Grease. In 2005, Nova toured the UK, taking on her favourite role to date, as understudy Anna in The King & I, a role she was lucky enough to play on many occasions. This was followed by two Sondheim favourites: Side By Side by Sondheim at the Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage, and a sell-out season as Young Sally in Follies at the Landor Theatre.
Nova then played the role of Miss Cuff in the first ever tour of the Victoria Wood musical, Acorn Antiques, followed by Grace Farrell in Annie at the Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage. Chess In Concert, starring Idina Menzel and Josh Groban, at the Royal Albert Hall followed and then came a short stint as a nun in The Sound of Music at the London Palladium. Little did the audience know what Ms. Skipp was concealing under her habit!…
….Following the birth of her daughter Melody in 2009, Nova sang in two seasons for Opera Holland Park in productions of Carmen, La Rondine and Le Nozze di Figaro. She also appeared as political activist Emma Goldman in Assassins at the Pleasance Theatre, Islington, and performed in The Two Most Perfect Things in London and Edinburgh, a celebration of the lives of Noel Coward and Ivor Novello. In 2013, Nova had the chance to cover another great role, that of Beverly in the Menier Chocolate Factory’s production of Abigail’s Party. This lead to a few more plays, as a change from musical theatre, including playing Auntie Lou in the tour of Carrie’s War and appearing as four different characters in Kes at Derby Theatre.
Throughout her career, Nova has appeared at several other repertory theatres, including York Theatre Royal (Kes The Musical), Sheffield Crucible Theatre (The Sound Of Music), the Yeovil Octagon Theatre (Carrie in Carousel, Ado Annie in Oklahoma!, Jan in Bedroom Farce and LV in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice). She has performed in pantomimes all over the U.K. as principal girl and, more recently, Fairy Godmother. Nova also has a flourishing cabaret and recording career.
In 2014, Nova appeared in two musicals at the Landor Theatre, first as Mrs Anna Smith in the UK premiere of Meet me in St Louis, based on the Garland film of the same name. This was followed by playing Meg Boyd in Damn Yankees. She then created the role of Kathryn in the brand new musical, Apartment 40C at St. James Theatre. This was followed by a season at Windsor Theatre Royal, playing Judith Bliss in Noel Coward’s Hay Fever and Dora Springer in Pardon me, Prime Minister. She then toured the UK in the new musical, The Smallest Show on Earth, featuring the wonderful music of Irving Berlin. More recently, Nova spent two Christmases Upstairs at the Gatehouse, appearing as Mrs Harcourt in Anything Goes and Duchess Estonia Dulworth in Nice Work if you can get it. She also created the role of Momma Gish in the UK premiere of The Biograph Girl for the Finborough Theatre, and toured the UK in Funny Girl starring Sheridan Smith.