Abby Wain who originates from the East Midlands is to play the title role in Derby Theatre’s 2016 festive production Alice in Wonderland.
She studied drama, theatre studies and performing arts at Bilborough College, Nottingham before training at East 15. She is appearing in Jonathan Holloway’s reimagining of Charles Dickens’s classic A Tale of Two Cities: Blood for Blood at the Edinburgh Fringe and in 2015 played Alice in Alice’s Adventures Underground at The Vaults, Waterloo.
The cast also comprises Dominic Rye as The Mad Hatter, Elizabeth Eves who played Alice in Northern Broadsides’ An August Bank Holiday Lark in 2014 as the Duchess and Mother, Jack Quarton who was the March Hare in Alice in Wonderland for Octagon Theatre Bolton in 2014 as the White Rabbit, Joanna Brown who appeared in The Princess and the Pea for York Theatre Royal in 2014 as the Queen of Hearts, Paula James who played Mother in Snow Child for Tutti Frutti and York Theatre Royal in 2015 as Tweedle Dum, Keshina Misha as the Dormouse and John Holt Roberts, who appeared in Derby Theatre’s 2013 production of Kes, as Tweedle Dee.
Helena Rimmer, who lives in Derby, will be joining the cast under the Brian Weaver Fellowship which provides an aspiring actor with the opportunity to perform in two professional theatre productions at Derby Theatre.
Alice in Wonderland runs from Friday 2 December until Sat 7 January.
The theatre’s second festive production will be Jack, based on Jack and the Beanstalk, which runs from Tuesday 6 until Saturday 31 December.
The cast includes Jake Waring, Yana Penrose and Martyn Dempsey.
Derby Theatre’s artistic director Sarah Brigham who is directing Alice in Wonderland said, “I’m thrilled to commission a new adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic story. Mike Kenny who wrote Cinderella last year returns to Derby with Alice in Wonderland which will be full of magic and colourful, curious and wonderful characters. Our version will be a fun and stylish interpretation for all ages.
“Jack, also adapted by Mike, will be our Studio offer, a perfect introduction to theatre for young people aged three and above.”
Meanwhile, Derby Theatre is looking for members of the community to join the cast of Stephen Sondheim’s musical thriller Sweeney Todd. The venue needs performers aged 18 and above to be involved in various scenes.
Four hour-long audition workshops will be held on Wednesday 24 August between 6 and 10PM at the theatre’s rehearsal space on Green Lane. Audition slots can be booked by calling the box office on 01332 593939.