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^[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 Paige 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.

As of May 2025, Dornford-May is playing the role of Fritz in Stephen Sondheim's Here We Are at the National Theatre.^[11]