Full Cast & Creative Team Announced for Revival of DNA at The New Wolsey Theatre

The New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich has announced the full cast and creative team for their upcoming new production of Dennis Kelly's acclaimed play DNA, which will run at the venue from 2-9 February 2023.

The modern-day comedy with bite, which was first performed in the Cottesloe Theatre of The National Theatre, will be directed by the theatre's Chief Executive/Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul and, after an extensive call-out and audition process aimed at performers living in Suffolk and East Anglia, will showcase a predominantly local cast that includes the professional debuts of four rising local performers. The production marks the beginning of a new phase of talent development for New Wolsey Theatre.

A group of teenagers do something bad, something they can't undo. Panicking, they concoct an elaborate cover-up, unleashing a series of events that twist and turn their young lives into a terrifying game of survival, putting not only their friendship, but their morality to the test.

The cast will consist of Ntabiso J Bhebhe (professional debut), Eireann Devlin (professional debut), Brayden Emmanuel (You & Me - ITV), Tom Houlton (Paranorman: Live Action Remake - Laika Studios/ Ridder Films), Shaun Jenkinson (The Kneebone Cadillac - Theatre Royal Plymouth), Jessica Laitt (Cinderella - Out Of The Box Productions), Gabriella Manning (professional debut), Mae Munuo (The Nutcracker - Bristol Old Vic), Charlie Shephard (professional debut) and Emily Tang (Claus the Musical - The Lowry). Ntabiso Bhebhe, Gabriella Manning, Mae Munuo and Charlie Shephard were all previously members of the New Wolsey's Young Company.

Joining Rintoul on the creative and production team will be David Phillips as Lighting Designer and Production Manager, Kira Tisbury as Costume Supervisor, Peter Hazelwood as Technical Manager, Sally Jones as Company Stage Manager, Joseph Newport as Deputy Stage Manager and Jodie Hicks as Assistant Stage Manager.

Alongside the production the theatre will be running an extensive range of masterclasses and workshops with Rintoul and the cast that will support learning and help students, teachers and audience members gain an insight into the production and a deeper understanding of the text.

Douglas Rintoul said of today's announcement, "DNA is a special project for the New Wolsey Theatre, it's my first production as Chief Executive/Artistic Director, it's a rare outing of this top-notch play from one of our greatest writers, but more importantly it celebrates the best of East Anglia's emerging talent. If a regional theatre doesn't support the growth of its local ecology then it will see the loss of more talent from the industry, now more than ever."

Tickets are now on sale at www.wolseytheatre.co.uk. Teachers can request more information on school offerings as well as register interest via Rebecca Hall - rhall@wolseytheatre.co.uk - or by calling 01473 295930 or heading to the theatre's website at www.wolseytheatre.co.uk.

NTABISO J BHEBHE

Ntabiso is a recent graduate from Mountview.

Credits while training include: The Man of Mode (Supporting Lead), Enron (Ramsey/Ensemble), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Demetrius).

EIREANN DEVLIN

Eireann trained at The Fourth Monkey Actor Training Company. DNA is her professional debut.

Her credits whilst training include: This Changes Everything, Julius Caesar, Anatomy of a Suicide and Gundog.

BRAYDEN EMMANUEL

Brayden trained at Arts Ed.

Stage Credits include: Seb in Operation: Save Santa (The Garage); Sim in The Curlew (Arts Ed); Dwight in Sirens (Arts Ed).

Film and Television Credits include: Richard in You & Me (ITV); Romeo in Man (Arch Film Studio); Jay in Cub (Grey Moth Productions).

TOM HOULTON

Tom Houlton trained at the University of Kent, Canterbury. He is an actor and presenter.

His theatre credits include: Captain Stena's Tall Tales (Stena Cruise Line - K22 Productions); Murder! At the Manor, Murder! At Skellington Hall (Two Kings); The Disappeared, The Bunker Below (Neon Monster); Only Fools & 3 Courses, Mammy's Boys (Comedy Dining).

Tom's television and film credits include: Pervert: Hunting The Strip-Search Caller (Paramount+); Paranorman: Live Action Remake (Laika Studios/ Ridder Films); The Beefy Builder (On The Tools); Sparks Project (Channel 4); VT 12 (Tollywood Cinema - Praveen Sattaru); National Rail - Virtual Reality (Feed Films Ltd); Lads, Lads, Lads - Music Video (SOFY/ Milton World); Huntsman (Arthrofilm Ltd); Autumn Tree - Pilot Episode (Moyen Massive Productions); Kidnap TV - Pilot Episode (Kidnap TV Productions); On The Day Tips (Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd); HSBC Manager Training Video (HSBC/ Media Zoo); Case Matter Analysis (University of Law, London).

Tom's presenting credits include: Deal or No Deal (Evolution Gaming); eToro Corporate Trading Video (eToro); TikTok Videos (Taylor & Francis); Social Engineering Red Flags (Theory Films); Libraries Connected (UpSkill Digital); LADbible Visit Britain (LADbible); The Friday Problem (Skill Boosters); Quiz App (Itza Media); National School Videos (National Education Group).

SHAUN JENKINSON

Theatre credits include: The Kneebone Cadillac (Theatre Royal Plymouth); Under My Skin (Pegasus Theatre).

Film and television credits include: Backbone (BBC).

JESSICA LAITT

Jessica trained at East 15 Acting School. DNA is her regional theatre debut.

Theatre credits include: Cinderella (Out Of The Box Productions).

Film and commercial credits include: Uplink (Short Film: Xtreme Productions); The Night Watch (Training Film: Iver Makeup Academy Pinewood Studios); ROARR! (Commercial: Trendy Grandad); Wish You Were Here (Commercial: Lastminute.com).

Credits while training include: The Sea of Milk, The Audience Effect, Ondine, Svatura (East 15 Acting School).

GABRIELLA MANNING

Gabriella recently graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. This is her professional stage debut.

Credits whilst training include: Three Sisters, Dance Nation, Richard II, The Seagull (Central School of Speech and Drama); Be My Baby, How to Disappear Completely and Never be Found, Nice Guys (New Wolsey Young Company).

MAE MUNUO

Mae is an actor/deviser and graduated from the Royal Central School of School of Speech and Drama, Acting CDT in 2019. She made her professional actors debut with I'll Take You to Mrs Cole! For Complcité (Catherine Alexander). Mae has just performed as Claire in The Nutcracker at Bristol Old Vic, directed by Lee Lyford.Her credits include:The Canterville Ghost (Justin Audibert), Guillver's Travels (Jaz Woodcock- Stewart) and The Bolds (Lee Lyford) all with the Unicorn Theatre. And Anansi the Spider (Justin Audibert) at Regents Park Open Air, in collaboration with The Unicorn Theatre. She also wrote and performed her own play How to Become a Revolutionary (Abi Falase) with Small Truth Theatre. Credits with them also include: September Skies (Yasmeen Arden) and Centre Ground (Sarah Davey-Hull).

Film credits: Short film, Behind your Back (Rastine Mir) and Mini-Series, Mea and Gee (which she wrote and directed)

CHARLIE SHEPHARD

Charlie recently graduated from the Oxford School of Drama. This is his professional stage debut.

Credits whilst training include: Superhuman, As You Like it, A Lie of the Mind (Oxford School of Drama); The 39 Steps, The Pillowman (New Wolsey Young Company).

EMILY TANG

Emily trained at The MTA.
Theatre credits include: Ensemble/Cover Fairy in Claus The Musical (The Lowry).

Credits while training include: Ensemble/1st Cover Hud/1st Cover Sheila in Hair, Featured Artist in Something Old, Something New, Roberta/Mum in How To Disappear Completely And Never Be Found.

NEW WOLSEY THEATRE

The New Wolsey is Ipswich's award-winning theatre. With a 400-seat main auditorium, the Theatre is nationally recognised for the quality, diversity and reach of its productions, both as a producer, and in collaboration with a diverse range of visiting artists and companies from across the UK. It's renowned for staging world premieres and landmark revivals of musicals including 20th Century Boy, It's a Wonderful Life, Made in Dagenham, Never Lost At Home, Once, Our Blue Heaven, Sweet Charity, The Who's Tommy (UK Theatre Award for Best Touring Production), Kinky Boots and for its annual Rock 'n' Roll pantomime.

The Theatre has always been a champion of making performing arts accessible to all. As a founder member of the ground-breaking Ramps On The Moon, the New Wolsey Theatre is part of a consortium that strives to normalise the presence of deaf and disabled people on and off the stage and in 2017 the Theatre won the UK Theatre Award for the Promotion of Diversity.

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