After announcing in March that the Takeover Festival for emerging artists and arts professionals aged up to 25 years of age, which was due to take place in May of last year, will return in June, South Shields' Customs House has now revealed the cast.
The play, Cherryade Supernova, written by Andrew Finnigan, who was in the first Takeover play, WORMTOWN, and is the third young writer in residence, will be directed by Abigail Lawson, who was in the first two Takeover plays and now makes her debut as a director.
Josie’s throwing a house party. She doesn't want to but her Mam said she had to. Her best mate Josh—just to prove they aren’t total losers—instantly drafts up a flawless Facebook event and invites everyone from College. So there they are, all squashed together in Josie’s front room. Can she battle through the night and navigate the stress of trying to keep everyone happy?
Gateshead actress Chloe Jane Millar, who recently completed her training at Arts Educational achieving a master’s degree in acting, plays Josie. Her credits include Rosie in Bridges Apart at the Union Theatre and Natalie in Xposed at Southwark Playhouse. She will return to The Customs House later this year to play the Fairy in the pantomime, Rapunzel.
Playing her best friend Josh will be Benjamin Michael Smith from South Tyneside. His recent stage credits include Jack Orben in Overdue at Alphabetti and Chuck in Burlesque’D.
Lucy Marie Curry from Tyneside will play Sophie. Her credits include Suffragette at Alphabetti Theatre, Teechers at Durham Gala, Stand By Me—The Drifters UK tour, ‘84 The Miners Wives NE tour, Preservation at Live Theatre, Mary Shelley in Frankenstein North East tour, Arbuthnot & Pals at The Customs House, BBC and ITV documentaries and commercials for DFDS seaways and The Metro.
Jackson Watson from Washington may be making his acting debut as Jae, but he’s no stranger to the stage. He has competed in breaking competitions all over Europe, America and China, as well as being the Red Bull BC One UK Champion in 2019, going on to make the top 16 at the Red Bull Last Chance Cypher in India.
Jack Breedon from Cullercoats will play the part of Reece. He has performed in a variety of fields, voice acting in Danny Boyle’s Pages by the Sea, Sunderland Spark Radio and other character work over the last few years as well as starring in award-winning short film First Date of the Dead.
The part of Callum will be played by Kieron Michael from Birtley who recently graduated from Manchester School of Theatre. He has performed on the National Theatre stage in Tokyo in The Monster and has recently been in a virtual theatre play called Broken Link which is going to the Brighton Fringe Festival.
Emily Corless from County Durham will play Stevie. She graduated from Newcastle Theatre Royal’s actor training company, Project A, last year. Her recent acting credits include Project A’s Love and Information at Newcastle Theatre Royal, Where Do We Belong? at Northern Stage, Brunskill and Grimes’ Summer Space to Create at the National Theatre, As You Like It Shakespeare Speakeasy at Alphabetti Theatre and My Life Productions’ Strike at Northern Stage.
Completing the cast is Becky Lindsay from Sunderland, who is taking on the part of Lily. She was shortlisted for the Spotlight Prize Award 2020 and was also the BBC Carlton Hobbs Bursary Award Reserve 2020 representing ALRA North. Her recent credits include Advent Plays at Oldham Coliseum, Theatre Space North East’s tour of Hansel and Gretel, Black Dog Films campaign to ‘End Youth Homelessness’ and in Floppy Toast with Drippy Butter for Lone Pine Pictures.
Cherryade Supernova is at The Customs House on Friday 4 June at 7:30. Tickets are Pay What You Decide.