Chumisa Dornford-May | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2002/2003 Cape Town, South Africa |
| Alma mater | Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts |
| Years active | 2023–present |
| Father | Mark Dornford-May |
Chumisa Dornford-May (born 2002/2003) is a South African and British actress. Known for her work in musical theatre, she received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination.
Dornford is the daughter of English theatre director Mark Dornford-May and South African opera performer Pauline Malefane. She attended Herschel Girls' School [1] in Cape Town and trained as a classical singer from age 9. Offered a place at Edinburgh's St Mary's Music School, Dornford-May instead relocated to Chester in 2018, where she pursued A Levels in English literature, Music and Performing arts at Christleton High School and joined On The Mark Youth Theatre (OTMYT). [2] [3] She won the Elaine Page scholarship to study at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London, graduating in 2023. [4]
Upon graduating from drama school, Dornford-May made her West End debut in the ensemble of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love for its 2023 revival at the Lyric Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. [5] Later in the year, she played the Mistress in Evita at the Curve in Leicester. [6] She also understudied Martha Kirby in the titular role. For her performance, Dornford-May won a UK Theatre Award.
In early 2024, Dornford-May Dornford-May featured as Wednesday Addams in the London Palladium concert of The Addams Family with Ramin Karimloo [7] and joined The Phantom of the Opera at His Majesty's Theatre on the West End, alternating as Christine Daaé with lead actress Lily Kerhoas. [8] She then starred as Natasha Rostova in Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 for its London premiere at Donmar Warehouse. [9] [10] For her performance in the latter, Dornford-May was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Dornford-May has an upcoming role as Fritz in Stephen Sondheim's Here We Are at the National Theatre. [11]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Aspects of Love | Ensemble | Lyric Theatre, West End |
| 2023–2024 | Evita | Mistress / Eva Perón (understudy) | Curve, Leicester |
| 2024 | The Addams Family concert | Wednesday Addams | London Palladium |
| 2024 | The Phantom of the Opera | Christine Daaé (alternate) | His Majesty's Theatre, London |
| 2024–2025 | Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 | Natasha Rostova | Donmar Warehouse, London |
| 2025 | Here We Are | Fritz | National Theatre, London |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | UK Theatre Awards | Best Supporting Performance (in a Play or a Musical) | Evita | Won | [12] |
| 2025 | Laurence Olivier Awards | Best Actress in a Musical | Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 | Pending | [13] |