Princess and The Hustler
by Chinonyerem Odimba
Directed by Sara Amanda and Landé Belo
Wednesday 2 - Saturday 12 October, 2024
At the Tower Theatre, Stoke Newington
Cast List
Phyllis 'Princess' James : Hannah Morgan-Johnson
Mavis James : Ebony Skerritt
Wendell 'The Hustler' James : Steven Burrell
Wendell 'Junior' James : Aaron Mante
Lorna James : Lakeisha Louise
Margot : Lucy Moss or Stephanie Irvine
Leon : Jourdan Darbasie
Production Team
Directors : Sara Amanda and Landé Belo
Producer : Landé Belo
Set Design : Max Batty
Costume Design : Laura Coulton
Lighting Design : Rob Hebblethwaite
Sound Design : Anna Kidd
Stage Manager : Norma Hewins
Assistant Directors: Lee James Broadwood, Izzy Ponsford
Assistant Stage Manager : Moira McSperrin
Lighting Operator : Jake Perkin
Sound Operator : Peta Barker or Anna Kidd
Set Construction and Get-in : Jude Chalk, John McSpadyen, Gary O’Keefe, Maria Piva, Liam Taggart, Fiona Tabastot, Tom Hewins, Alex Burton, Stephen Ley and members of the cast & crew
Fight Director : Tamaira Hesson
Movement Director : Lydia Newman
PR & Marketing : Simi Belo
This is Hannah Morgan-Johnson’s first production at the Tower Theatre after joining the company in May. They have had a passion for acting ever since a child and decided to get back on the scene after an eight-year hiatus. They have previously performed National Youth Theatre pieces at the Catford and Soho theatres. Hannah is looking forward to performing in this show and others in the future with the Tower.
Ebony Skerritt recently appeared as Mandy's Friend on Netflix's Top Boy S5. She was also in Call the Midwife as a Choir Singer in the classic train crash episode and a car mechanic in Queens of Mystery on Acorn TV. During Ebony's 17 years in the industry she has predominantly trained for screen, recently appearing on the UK's biggest screen at the BFI Imax Cinema playing a mother in an award winning short film Paintbox. When not acting, Ebony runs a children's entertainment company and is a Creative Makeup Artist.
Steven Burrell is an actor from London who took 10 years from acting to raise his son. An actor with a new found passion for the art that made him a TV star in the early 2000’s. A successful actor working with Channel 5, Channel 4 and the BBC, he turned to writing movies in his spare time and successfully got an option on one of his movies in L.A. His life experience has given him the type of range most actors dream of. A master of both stage and screen, he’s ready for the lights again after a hiatus. One to watch!
This is Aaron Mante’s first show with the Tower Theatre and first time performing in a running play after taking part in the workshop performance of Black Sands in March this year. Aaron has a background mainly taking part in a handful of critically well received short films. As a member of Collective acting studio, Aaron has been honing his skills both on camera and in stage performance taking on high level training in voice & movement techniques. Also taking part in a National Youth Theatre show in the summer, this should be the start of a long and desired love for being on stage.
Lakeisha Louise is from south-east London and is currently studying Musical Theatre at LMA London, where she is set to graduate in 2025. Passionate about performing, she has been honing her skills in acting, singing, and dancing throughout her time at LMA. Princess & the Hustler is her debut with the Tower Theatre Company. This production is particularly special to her as it not only represents her first play but also gives her the opportunity to explore and portray a powerful and meaningful story. Lakeisha is dedicated to bringing the character to life and is excited about the chance to connect with audiences through her performance. As she steps into the professional world, she looks forward to growing as an artist and embracing the challenges and opportunities that come with a career in theatre.
Lucy Moss is an actor, writer, and occasional director. Her first role at Tower Theatre was Irina in The Seagull in 2018, and since then she's appeared in Dead Funny, Talk Radio, Metamorphosis, Mules, Nine Night, Play, Richard III and various other Tower Theatre productions. She also loves a bit of wardrobe and costume design. She's a born and bred Londoner and loves that Tower Theatre is on her doorstep.
This is Stephanie Irvine’s sixth production with The Tower, following The Fan (2024), Richard III (2023), Improbable Fiction (2022), Coram Boy (2022), and Mules (2021). Stephanie used to be a radio journalist at the BBC World Service and now works for an environmental charity planting community orchards.
Jourdan Darbasie's love for the stage began at a young age; he performed in talent shows where he first felt the thrill of being in front of an audience. This early passion led him to pursue a career in acting, and he's now been in the industry for several years. JourdanI studied at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, where he further developed his craft, and he spent three years training at the Identity School of Acting, where he is now signed to their agency. He also underwent advanced Meisner training to deepen his skills. Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of performing in a wide range of stage plays, from the timeless works of Shakespeare to contemporary pieces like Annie Baxter. He has starred in the TV series Premature, which was a significant milestone in his journey, and he's frequently collaborated with The London Film School to create short films, exploring various aspects of storytelling. Acting has always been more than just a career; it’s a lifelong passion that continues to inspire and drive him forward.
Based in Birmingham, Sara Amanda holds a degree in Applied Theatre and Masters in Dramaturgy and Writing for Performance. She works as a Theatre in Education practitioner and has experience in TV, including continuing drama, BBC productions, independent film, and theatre. Sara won the Amplified Audience Award in 2021 and was previously the artistic director of the touring Rush Theatre Company. Currently, she is mentored by Pains Plough. For the Tower, she recently wrote and directed Nicki Takes A Breath and was Assistant Director for Mary, Queen of Thots, both part of the Ain't I A Woman? collection.
Landé Belo has been involved in theatre for the last two decades as an actor, director, producer, sound designer, stage manager, light and sound operator, costume designer and artistic director. Her directing credits include Fix Up (2019), I can’t breathe: Being Black in a Time of Covid (2021), Mules (2021), Leave Taking (2022) and The Gift (2023). As part of her initiative to promote black, female voices in theatre, she produced In Hiding (2023) and devised and produced Ain’t I A Woman? (2024), which has received 3 nominations for the 2024 Black British Theatre Awards, including Best Play, as well as Best Director and Best Producer for Landé.
Princess and The Hustler
by Chinonyerem Odimba
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Wednesday 2 - Saturday 12 October, 2024 |
Cast List
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Production Team
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This is Hannah Morgan-Johnson’s first production at the Tower Theatre after joining the company in May. They have had a passion for acting ever since a child and decided to get back on the scene after an eight-year hiatus. They have previously performed National Youth Theatre pieces at the Catford and Soho theatres. Hannah is looking forward to performing in this show and others in the future with the Tower. |
Ebony Skerritt recently appeared as Mandy's Friend on Netflix's Top Boy S5. She was also in Call the Midwife as a Choir Singer in the classic train crash episode and a car mechanic in Queens of Mystery on Acorn TV. During Ebony's 17 years in the industry she has predominantly trained for screen, recently appearing on the UK's biggest screen at the BFI Imax Cinema playing a mother in an award winning short film Paintbox. When not acting, Ebony runs a children's entertainment company and is a Creative Makeup Artist. |
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Steven Burrell is an actor from London who took 10 years from acting to raise his son. An actor with a new found passion for the art that made him a TV star in the early 2000’s. A successful actor working with Channel 5, Channel 4 and the BBC, he turned to writing movies in his spare time and successfully got an option on one of his movies in L.A. His life experience has given him the type of range most actors dream of. A master of both stage and screen, he’s ready for the lights again after a hiatus. One to watch! |
This is Aaron Mante’s first show with the Tower Theatre and first time performing in a running play after taking part in the workshop performance of Black Sands in March this year. Aaron has a background mainly taking part in a handful of critically well received short films. As a member of Collective acting studio, Aaron has been honing his skills both on camera and in stage performance taking on high level training in voice & movement techniques. Also taking part in a National Youth Theatre show in the summer, this should be the start of a long and desired love for being on stage. |
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Lakeisha Louise is from south-east London and is currently studying Musical Theatre at LMA London, where she is set to graduate in 2025. Passionate about performing, she has been honing her skills in acting, singing, and dancing throughout her time at LMA. Princess & the Hustler is her debut with the Tower Theatre Company. This production is particularly special to her as it not only represents her first play but also gives her the opportunity to explore and portray a powerful and meaningful story. Lakeisha is dedicated to bringing the character to life and is excited about the chance to connect with audiences through her performance. As she steps into the professional world, she looks forward to growing as an artist and embracing the challenges and opportunities that come with a career in theatre. |
Lucy Moss is an actor, writer, and occasional director. Her first role at Tower Theatre was Irina in The Seagull in 2018, and since then she's appeared in Dead Funny, Talk Radio, Metamorphosis, Mules, Nine Night, Play, Richard III and various other Tower Theatre productions. She also loves a bit of wardrobe and costume design. She's a born and bred Londoner and loves that Tower Theatre is on her doorstep. |
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This is Stephanie Irvine’s sixth production with The Tower, following The Fan (2024), Richard III (2023), Improbable Fiction (2022), Coram Boy (2022), and Mules (2021). Stephanie used to be a radio journalist at the BBC World Service and now works for an environmental charity planting community orchards. |
Jourdan Darbasie's love for the stage began at a young age; he performed in talent shows where he first felt the thrill of being in front of an audience. This early passion led him to pursue a career in acting, and he's now been in the industry for several years. JourdanI studied at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, where he further developed his craft, and he spent three years training at the Identity School of Acting, where he is now signed to their agency. He also underwent advanced Meisner training to deepen his skills. Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of performing in a wide range of stage plays, from the timeless works of Shakespeare to contemporary pieces like Annie Baxter. He has starred in the TV series Premature, which was a significant milestone in his journey, and he's frequently collaborated with The London Film School to create short films, exploring various aspects of storytelling. Acting has always been more than just a career; it’s a lifelong passion that continues to inspire and drive him forward. |
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Based in Birmingham, Sara Amanda holds a degree in Applied Theatre and Masters in Dramaturgy and Writing for Performance. She works as a Theatre in Education practitioner and has experience in TV, including continuing drama, BBC productions, independent film, and theatre. Sara won the Amplified Audience Award in 2021 and was previously the artistic director of the touring Rush Theatre Company. Currently, she is mentored by Pains Plough. For the Tower, she recently wrote and directed Nicki Takes A Breath and was Assistant Director for Mary, Queen of Thots, both part of the Ain't I A Woman? collection. |
Landé Belo has been involved in theatre for the last two decades as an actor, director, producer, sound designer, stage manager, light and sound operator, costume designer and artistic director. Her directing credits include Fix Up (2019), I can’t breathe: Being Black in a Time of Covid (2021), Mules (2021), Leave Taking (2022) and The Gift (2023). As part of her initiative to promote black, female voices in theatre, she produced In Hiding (2023) and devised and produced Ain’t I A Woman? (2024), which has received 3 nominations for the 2024 Black British Theatre Awards, including Best Play, as well as Best Director and Best Producer for Landé. |