IVY Dillon is one of the town's most exciting young actors having already impressed in the Mercury Young Company's Romeo and Juliet last year.

This summer she's performing with Chameleon's Web in their open air touring production of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

For more information on dates and venues go to www.chameleonsweb.co.uk

What or who got you interested theatre? Did you take part in any productions at school?

BOTH my parents were very theatrical whilst growing up. My dad used to sing a lot of dirty blues and jazz and my mother is very creative with set/prop/costume design and acting, which then influenced me and my siblings. I was usually the very shy and anxiously introverted child who had a lot of imaginary friends in forms of plasticine figures (funded by my pocket money), so I suppose my need for my own creations to be alive were relatively prominent when I was little. My first role was Fairy Nuff in Cinderella Rockerfella at my primary school at the age of 11. Then I joined KATs Drama group at the Headgate Theatre where I performed in several panto’s - Grumpy in Snow White, Giant’s Housekeeper in Jack and the Beanstalk and Daddy Bear in Goldilocks.

Are or were any members of your immediate family involved in the theatre?

PRACTICALLY everyone in my family have been or are involved in theatre. My sisters, Holli, Ruby and Nadine and my brothers Louie and Daniel are incredibly talented. We are often named the ‘Von Trapps’ by family friends in jest as all of us have performing in our genetics. My dad was a town favourite (and still is) for his blues singing and characters he would make up in conversations and storytelling sessions. He was very much a people man.

Who is the most inspiring person you’ve worked with and why?

THIS is a very tricky one as there are a few. I would have to say the most inspiring were The Mercury Young Company directors. Filiz Ozcan, Thomas Edwards, Nancy Kettle and Matthew Marks for their work throughout the rehearsals for Romeo and Juliet (Abridged) last year. They pushed me further out my comfort zone than I have ever been. Also my performance studies teachers for A Level, Fiona Bush and Jo Tyne for their love and support throughout my two year course at Colchester Sixth Form. But most of all, my parents. After my father passed away last year, my emotional capacities have grown stronger in terms of coping and accepting events as they come. My mother, Clare, has shown me, through her grief, that it’s okay to feel sadness rather than put on a show for everyone.

Do you have any specialist skills – anything from stilt walking to dress-making – which you work into your repertoire?

I have an eye for makeup design for shows and practical exams, such as my A Level Metamorphosis exam piece by Steve Berkoff. I’ve also been interested and have practice 2D animation since I was roughly seven and have since attended film courses with professionals working alongside myself.

Which experience/role do you regard as the highlight of your career to date?

ROMEO and Juliet at St Martin’s Church last year. This was my professional Shakespeare debut as the leading lady, Juliet Capulet, alongside Peregrine Maturin-baird as Romeo Montague. It was so creatively powerful, with its 360 staging in the acoustic grounds of St Martin’s and visual metaphors and its eccentric usage of percussion in its music was astounding. I felt really honoured to be a part of such a well-rounded production.

What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage?

WE all had chest infections in Romeo and Juliet and would routinely bring in a travel sized pharmacy of Lemsip tablets, honey and lemon lockets, vapour rub – you name it. Prior to the opening night performance, I had been directed to pour more passion into the kiss in The Secret Wedding scene. When I did, it obviously surprised poor Romeo to such an extent that he sneezed into my mouth on stage and I had to pretend that everything was going to plan.

What role would you most like to play and why?

MRS Lovett, hands down. I adore her flaws of character and charm. I’ve always enjoyed watching Tim Burton films when I was younger (and still do) and with Helena Bonham Carter’s depiction of her, I was hooked from the first moment. After being a community chorus at the Mercury Theatre in November last year, I had noted that Mrs Lovett has a versatile character with tons of vices to play with, which I find difficult to detect in most female characters. Other than that, Madame Thenardier in Les Miserable for almost exactly the same reason, she’s immoral, gritty and realistic.

Ever corpsed on stage? What happened?

WE did a production of George Orwell’s Animal Farm in 2015. I was one of the Hens, and during the Battle of the Barn, a sheep was shot in the chest. Me and my fellow actors held her fabricated corpse in grief – until the lady playing the Sheep pulled this ridiculous face.