Chumisa Dornford-May

Dornford is the daughter of English theatre director Mark Dornford-May and South African opera performer Pauline Malefane. She attended Herschel Girls' School 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). She won the Elaine Paige scholarship to study at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London, graduating in 2023. ==Career==

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. Later in the year, she played the Mistress in Evita at the Curve in Leicester. 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 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. She then starred as Natasha Rostova in Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 for its London premiere at Donmar Warehouse. For her performance in the latter, Dornford-May was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. As of May 2025, Dornford-May is playing the role of Fritz in Stephen Sondheim's Here We Are at the National Theatre. ==Stage==