Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Welcomes Largest Ever Cast for RUNNING WILD, Opening Tonight

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's 2016 season launches with Samuel Adamson's adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's novel, RUNNING WILD. A co-production with Chichester Festival Theatre, RUNNING WILD opens tonight 19 May and plays until Sunday 12 June 2016.

The part of Will will be shared between three young performers, Joshua Fernandes, Tyler Osborne and Ava Potter, who previously appeared as Scout in the Open Air Theatre's production of To Kill a Mockingbird (UK tour and The Barbican).

Sharing the stage with the young performers are Hattie Ladbury (previously Miss Maudie Atkinson in To Kill a Mockingbird) as Mum/Geraldine, Ira Mandela Siobhan (Feast, Fela!) as Dad/Hunter, Eric Mallett (whose credits with Complicite include Lionboy, The Street of Crocodiles and Mnemonic) as Grandad/Kaya, Joyce Henderson (an Associate Artist with Complicite) as Grandma, Stephen Ventura (whose credits include several productions with the RSC, Downton Abbey and 39 Steps) as Mr Anthony and Okorie Chukwu (who appeared in last year's Olivier Award-nominated Peter Pan) as Red Bandana/Mahout.

The puppeteers for the show include Laura Cubitt, Ben Thompson, Michael Taibi, John Leader, Sarah Mardel and Stuart Angell. Fred Davis and Romina Hytten make their professional debuts having been part of the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre production in 2015.

The cast will be completed by an ensemble of 57 young performers from the local community aged between 9 to 19, alternating performances in two groups, making this Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's largest ever production.

Led by co-directors Timothy Sheader (Artistic Director at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre) and Dale Rooks (original director for Chichester Festival Youth Theatre's production of RUNNING WILD), puppetry design and direction is by Finn Caldwell and Toby Olie? for Gyre & Gimble (The Lorax, The Elephantom, Alice's Adventures Underground, and former War Horse Associate Puppetry Directors). Completing the creative team are Paul Wills (Designer), Rod Paton (Original Music/Composer), Nick Powell (Sound Score), Nick Lidster for Autograph (Sound Designer), Jessica Ronane CDG (Casting Director), Verity Naughton (Ensemble Casting) and Barbara Houseman (Season Associate Director).

For Will, going to Indonesia isn't just another holiday with mum. It's a new start, and the chance to ride an elephant called Oona. But then the tsunami hit. Charging deep into the jungle, Oona escapes the beach with her young rider desperately clinging on. Miles from civilisation, at first there's wonder, discovery and tree-top adventures amongst the orang-utans. But, as thoughts turn to mum left behind on the beach, tigers prowl, hunger hits, and Will must now learn to survive the rainforest. A story of love, loss, loyalty and of living for the moment.

For more information, visit www.openairtheatre.com/running-wild.

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