Storyhouse has announced the cast for its new in-house company who will perform the opening four productions at Chester’s brand new £37m theatre cinema and library.
It is the largest rep company in the UK outside the RSC or National Theatre. 26 actors, two trainees and three musicians make up the gender-balanced company.
Storyhouse opens 11 May with a brand-new version of The Beggar’s Opera; which will run in rep with Alice in Wonderland A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Julius Caesar until August 27.
The company will divide evenly between the Shakespeare shows and reimagined versions of The Beggar’s Opera and Alice in Wonderland. In a unique innovation Alice in Wonderland, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Julius Caesar will also be performed at the award-winning Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre.
Alex Clifton, Artistic Director, Storyhouse said: “31 performers join Storyhouse and make the largest rep company in the UK outside the RSC or National Theatre. Chester is becoming a major centre for culture in the UK, and casting this season has been a joy. Our beautiful city and its new cultural centre have acted as a magnet to what will be our strongest most dynamic and diverse company ever. They’ll be here in Chester for the next 6 months, and they’re all really excited to join our community. Lucky them; lucky us!’
Several actors return to Chester, including Daniel Goode, Thomas Richardson, Tom Connor, Charlotte Miranda -Smith, Fred Lancaster, Natalie Grady and Adam Keast.
Performing in the Shakespearean productions are Stephanie Hockley, Meriel Scholfield, Richard Pepper, Christopher Staines, Anne Odeke and Christopher Wright. In Glyn Maxwell’s reimagined Alice in Wonderland and The Beggar’s Opera –Baker Mukasa, Charlotte Gorton, Vanessa Schofield and Jonathan Dryden- Taylor.
Elsewhere, actors will make debuts for Storyhouse including Nancy Sullivan, Barbara Hockaday, Caolan McCarthy, Alex Mugnaioni, Emily Johnstone, Bianca Stephens, Anna Leang Brophy, Rebecca Birch and James Weaver.
Alongside the 26 professional actors, two performers are making their professional debut: graduates from Storyhouse’s Young Theatre Company were auditioned and selected for the unique opportunity to be trainees in the Shakespearean productions. Alex McGonagle and Olivia Hackman will play Flute and Starveling respectively in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and minor roles in Julius Caesar.
The company perform the opening show at Storyhouse on Thursday May 11.
Storyhouse’s Artistic Director Alex Clifton will direct The Beggar’s Opera and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Derek Bond (Sweet Charity at the Royal Exchange Theatre) will direct Alice in Wonderland and Loveday Ingram (The Rover at the RSC) Julius Caesar.
Tickets are on sale now, go to storyhouse.com to find out more
