Hi, it's Nicola Cochlin. Young people have been making history for years, but we don't often hear about them. My brand new series on BBC Sounds sets out to put this right. In history's youngest heroes, I'll be revealing the fascinating stories of 12 young people who've played a major role in history and who've helped shape our world. Like Audrey Hepburn, Nelson Mandela, Louis Braille and Lady Jane Grey, history's youngest heroes with me, Nicola Cochlin.

Listen on BBC Sounds.

Hello, I'm Krista Young and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive.

For rights reasons, we've had to shorten the music. The program was

originally broadcast in 2008. My castaway this week is the actress Ruthie Henshiel, a West End and Broadway star.

She has performed in many of the most successful musical productions of the past 20 years,

including Miss Saigon, Le Miserables and Cats.

In Chicago, she played Roxy, a defining role that left reviewers and audiences breathless at witnessing a megawatt talent shine in all its dazzling brilliance.

However, offstage, her life has often been defined more by shade than light.

As a child, she endured a volatile home life that was further scarred by abuse.

And as an adult, she suffered mental breakdown.

Now she's happily married with two young daughters.

But of the dark days behind her, she says,

I'd spent so many years entertaining and pretending everything was all right.

But no matter where you get to, it's never enough.

You're always looking for the next thing.

Ruthie Henshiel, it sounds as if you were propelled through life from probably quite a young age to perform.

Yes, I think I was. I've always thought of my life as a little bit like being on an express train that I couldn't get off of.

It was going so fast that I couldn't see the scenery either.

But I had an unbelievable drive since being a child.

And when I found dancing, it was like somebody had turned the light on in my life.

And so I couldn't get enough of it.

...