Everyman Theatre gets resident company of actors

The Everyman Theatre's new building won the Riba Stirling Prize in 2014

The Everyman Theatre in Liverpool is to get its own resident company of actors for the first time in 25 years.

The new company will start in January and will stage a series of shows for six months each year.

The theatre is famous for launching the careers of stars such as Bill Nighy, Julie Walters, Jonathan Pryce and Pete Postlethwaite, who were part of the celebrated 1974 Everyman company.

The theatre reopened in 2014 after a three-year rebuild at a cost of £27m.

Described as a "pioneering" new structure, the aim of the company will be to "genuinely embrace its community", welcoming people from all backgrounds and will work closely with the Young Everyman Playhouse.

Artistic director Gemma Bodinetz said the vision of the company is about 'creating relationships'

The gender balanced company will be made up of around 14 actors and will work with artistic director Gemma Bodinetz and associate director Nick Bagnall.

The first line-up of plays will be announced later in the year and auditions will be held for the company in a few months time.

Everyman said the productions "will aim to speak to the city-region and create a powerful bond with audiences".

Bodinetz said the vision of the company was "about creating relationships" with the aim "to surprise, dazzle and invigorate everyone that encounters us".

Bagnall added he saw the return of the company to the theatre as "a fantastic opportunity... to tell great stories that matter to the people of this city".