Mountview Alumni News November 2023

November was full of exciting updates from our graduates. Read on to find out more about their latest projects and achievements.

Are you an alum with news to share? We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch at alumni@mountview.org.uk.

---

On Stage and Screen

Anelisa Lamola was cast as Nina – The Book Writer in the workshop presentation of I’m Every Woman – The Chaka Khan Musical.

Melker Nilsson‘s play, Möt mig imorgon (Meet Me in the Morning), based on Bob Dylan’s lyrics and texts played at Ö2 in Stockholm. The show will continue its tour of Sweden next year.

Tyrone Huntley was confirmed as Barnaby Tucker in Hello, Dolly! at the London Palladium.

It was announced that Ally Kennard will be performing in Stranger Sings at Southwark Playhouse.

Sophie Maria Wojna was named in the cast of Cold War at the Almeida Theatre, with fellow grad Jo Cichonska confirmed as Musical Director.

Summer Priest headed out on tour with Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World.

Meanwhile, Alice Handoll recently wrapped filming for Daddy’s Head.

Beyond Ourselves, written and directed by Andrew Muir, played at the Union Theatre.

Josh Butler and Henry Maynard were cast in Bronco Billy.

The full line-up for the 2023 edition of West End Does Christmas was revealed, with Mountview’s Bronté Barbé and Emma Kingston amongst the cast.

Melisa Camba performed in RepresentAsian: An Evening of Asian Talent at Phoenix Arts Club.

A number of graduates have been preparing for Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch at Southwark Playhouse (cast member Jack Gray, Intimacy and Fight Coordinator Claire Llwellyn [for RC-Annie], Lighting Designer Adam King and Musical Director Arlene McNaught).

Alice Fearn was announced in the cast of West End Musical Christmas at the Adelphi Theatre.

Meanwhile, alum and Mountview co-Head of Acting Alan Pearson appeared in episode 5 of Loki.

Sharon Small was cast as Jennie Lee in Nye at the National Theatre.

Kathryn Pemberton was named amongst the company of Come From Away (UK and Ireland tour).

Casting was confirmed for Cable Street at Southwark Playhouse, with Sha Dessi as Mairead.

Alum Ian McLean has been in rehearsal for The Stolen Winter Light at Rondo Theatre in March.

Abigail Matthews, Adam Craig and Sydney Spencer were cast in The Wizard of Oz (UK and Ireland tour), with fellow grad George Dyer confirmed as Musical Director and Supervisor.

The new West End cast of The Mousetrap was announced, featuring Mountview grads Sarah Parkins and Cathryn Sherman.

It was confirmed that Marc Mackinnon will be reprising his roles as both Manpussy in Ode to Joy (How Gordon got to go to the nasty pig party) (Sydney) and as Duncan in Macbeth (an undoing) (London and New York City).

The debut performance of Samuel Winner‘s My Friend Travis took place at the Stratford East Scratch Night.

Benjamin Lafayette and Patricia Castro began preview performances for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre.

Chris Woodley finished filming for the BBC’s Doctors, which will air in May 2024.

Meanwhile, first-look stills were released for BBC One’s upcoming mini-series Murder is Easy, with Mountview’s Douglas Henshall as Major Horton.

Phoebe Horn has been in rehearsal for ROCK ‘N’ ROLL at Hampstead Theatre.

Grace Hodgett Young was cast as Eurydice in Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre, with fellow grads Beth Hinton-Lever and Christopher Short also joining the company.

Associate Producer Grace Dickson has been preparing for Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible is Going to Happen at Bush Theatre.

Stewart J Charlesworth was confirmed as Set and Costume Designer for Something Rotten! at the English Theatre Frankfurt.

Mountview grads Sha Dessi and Virginia Sirolli were in the musical theatre concert YOUNG BROADWAY in Geneva.

It was announced that Jacob Young will be joining the West End cast of Wicked.

Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol, adapted and directed by Becca Chadder, has been in rehearsal at Richmond’s Orange Tree Theatre.

Romcoms Showmance and Write Place, Write Time, written by Chris Woodley, were released on Amazon Prime in America.

Lilli Lehmann and Kelsey Yuhara have been working on Your Christmas Carol: A New Immersive Adventure, which will show at The Space in late December.

Appointments

Anne Odeke was revealed in the line-up of Orange Tree Theatre’s 2023 Writers Collective.

 

Awards and Nominations

The Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize concert was held on 13 November, with alum Ben Morris amongst the line-up.

Lilac Yosiphon was announced as the runner-up for the 2023 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award, with fellow alum Emily Aboud also amongst the finalists.

In the 2023 Evening Standard Theatre Awards, there were wins for Charlotte Scott and Chloe Forestier-Walker (Best Musical, Guys & Dolls) and for Phoebe Horn (Best Play, The Motive and the Cue).