A 'Beauty' of a Cast for The Palace Theatre Newark Panto

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The Palace Theatre’s festive plans are well under way and they are delighted to announce their full cast for this year’s spectacular family panto Beauty and the Beast.

Joining Emmerdale’s Jonathan Wrather is Tim Freeman, who is back by popular demand having played Dame Trot in last year’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk. He is been joined by a host of new faces including Ryan Willis as Dame Dorothy’s daft son Willy Do it, Isabella Rubin as Beauty, David Gilbrook as Beauty’s Father, Jamie Sheerman as Pimple, Adam Pettit as the Beast and Anna Mitcham as the Enchantress.

Tim is delighted be returning to The Palace Theatre to play Dame Dorothy Do It.

“The Palace is such a lovely theatre with a great crew! Best of all though are the Newark audiences who are always up for a laugh! I have some great memories from last year. There was one show when I was chasing Kev (Simple Simon) around with a massive custard pie and I slipped over but the floor was so slippery I just couldn't stand up, when Kev tried to help me he fell over too and we ended sliding all over the place- chaos! And so embarrassing! The audience loved it though and hopefully they thought it was just part of the script!”

“Playing Dame is great as you get to have cheeky laughs with the audience and the rest of the cast! You get to mess around with custard pies as well and get paid for it – what could be better!”

This will be Ryan’s first visit to the Palace Theatre and his fourth professional pantomime having previously appeared in Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk in Guildford and Snow White in Nottingham.

Ryan understands the importance of panto on young theatregoers. “The first pantomime I saw as a child was The Wizard of Oz. It was the first theatre show I ever saw and was where my passion for theatre began. Pantomime is often a child’s first introduction to theatre and it is important we give them a fabulous show so they go away wanting to see more live theatre.”

For Jamie Sheerman this will be his second time playing Pimple having appeared in Beauty and the Beast at The Spa Centre in Leamington last year.

“Pimple is the sidekick to Eugene, Jonathan Wrather’s character, in the same way that Lefou is to Gaston in the Disney version. I get some great comedy moments in the show and it is fun being part of a duo as you can play off each other a fair bit as well.” 

The show will once again be directed by Mairi Cowieson with choreography by Graeme Pickering. Mairi says “I really enjoy working on the panto in Newark as the town has a real community spirit and the all the venue staff work really hard on the panto and help to make it a great success.”

“It is really exciting to do Beauty and the Beast as the panto this year after the huge popularity of the recent film. The panto version is, of course, very different to the Disney version and has a lot more comedy in it, but the basic story is the same and we know the audiences are going to love it.”

Beauty and the Beast runs from Friday 8 December 2017 until Wednesday 3 January 2018.

Southport Cinderella Cast Ready for a Ball This Christmas

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Southport Theatre and Convention Centre are delighted to announce their full cast for this year’s spectacular family pantomime Cinderella.

Joining former Brookside star Sam Kane as Buttons and Jason Marc-Williams and Alistair Barron as the Ugly Sisters are Toni Howard as Cinderella, Justine E Bailey as the Fairy Godmother / Wicked Stepmother, Joe Ashman as Prince Charming and Jack Kane as Dandini.

For Jack having Sam Kane and Linda Lusardi as parents means that panto is in his blood.  “I’ve been very lucky as both my mum and my dad have done panto since I was born so I have seen almost every panto story going.”

“I have worked with my dad on a few pantos in the past, back when I was one of the juveniles, in the chorus and also playing one of the dwarfs in Snow White at Wolverhampton Grand. The pressure will be bigger now as I am playing a principal character, but I'm really looking forward to it.  He's a fantastic director, and hopefully, being my dad, he'll be able to bring the best out in me. I often find I agree with his direction as we have very similar ideas about characters and how to play them.” 

Justine has appeared in 11 pantomimes, the last six being in Oldham, mostly as Principal Boy and she is looking forward to playing two very different roles this festive season.

“I can’t wait to play two roles - you’re so lucky if you get to play both good and bad in a panto - as it’s a challenge to try and win the audience over as fairy but have them hate you in another costume! I can’t wait to get my hands on Cinderella’s dress!”

I really love panto. I love the fun and energy and I love the music, I love that it is still a form of entertainment that packs out a theatre. I love the different levels within a panto - that there is content for children and adults alike. Most of all I love the fact that no two shows are ever the same as audiences make such an important addition to each performance.”

“I don’t live that far from Southport so have visited many times and I love it, especially as the people are so welcoming.”

Joe Ashman has been performing since he was a child playing Jeremy in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Kurt in The Sound of Music, both at The London Palladium. More recently he has appeared in Our House – The Madness Musical at the Union Theatre and Rent at the Birmingham Rep, played the title role of Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk and appeared in Casualty. A talented singer-songwriter and guitarist Joe has also performed in cabaret all over the world.

“Funnily enough the first panto I ever saw was starring Linda Lusardi and Sam Kane... and now they're my in-laws! I even met my girlfriend doing panto two years ago. Funny old world eh!? I'm really looking forward to working with Sam, Jack and Toni this year- they're ace people and it'll be so much fun to bring our real friendships into this show.”

“My favorite thing about panto is how two shows are never the same. You're always doing something to make this show even more fun than the last. Generally other actors find it very easy to make me laugh on stage!”

This will be Toni Howard’s professional pantomime debut and she cannot wait to play such an iconic fairy tale role.

“As a child I would watch the village pantomime yearly and then when I got to the age of nine I was able to take part for a couple years running. The only professional pantomimes I've seen are Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk and Aladdin. It’s definitely encouraged me to see more as I thought they were all fantastic! I now can't help but get excited for Southport's Cinderella!” 

“Cinderella was one of my favourite fairytales growing up so to be able to play her as my first panto lead is amazing. I am excited to be part of a fantastic cast and to make Christmas special for so many children!” 

Don’t miss out on Southport Theatre’s stunning production of Cinderella. The show runs from Friday 15 December 2017 until Saturday 6 January 2018.

The Halifax Panto's Magical Cast

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The Victoria Theatre are delighted to announce their full cast for their spectacular family pantomime Aladdin.

In addition to the previously announced Neil Hurst and Adam Stafford some more familiar faces will be returning to the venue this year. Andrew Piper who played Captain Hook will be back to continue his wicked ways as the evil magician Abanazar, Lucy Keirl, who played Tiger Lily in last year’s production of Peter Pan will be tackling two roles – So Shi, handmaiden to the Princess, and the Spirit of the Ring, alongside Katie Faye who played Wendy last year, as the Princess. After an absence of two years Felicity Skiera returns to the Victoria Theatre to play the title role of the mischievous and daring Aladdin. Felicity previously played Jack in the 2015 production of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Felicity says “I have played Jack for three years now and although it has been a fabulous three years climbing the beanstalk I am definitely ready for a change. Aladdin is such a fantastic story that everyone knows and loves, so to be playing the title role is so exciting! I'm really looking forward to getting on that magic carpet as who knows where it will take me. I'm also thrilled to be working with my on-stage brother again, the wonderful Neil Hurst. He's super talented and never fails to make me laugh - usually at the times I'm not supposed to be!”

“I have so many fantastic memories of my time at the Victoria Theatre, but one that really stands out is during a scene where we all had to freeze while Fleshcreep came onstage and stole the magical golden harp. Every night without fail Fleshcreep would do something horrid to Simple Simon (played by Neil), such as sticking his finger up his nose, or putting a sour sweet in his mouth, and Neil could do nothing about it as he had to remain frozen! Every night we'd all be crying with laughter whilst trying to remain still, it was brilliant and the audience loved it too!” 

One new face is Aaron Gibson who is taking on the role of the larger than life Genie of the Lamp. Aaron has previously played the role in both Southport and Barnstaple and is delighted to be spending his first festive season in Halifax.

“The Genie is great fun to play and although I have played the role twice before I am just as excited as ever. It will be a new script for me this year as this version of Aladdin has been written by Eric Potts and I am intrigued to see how he has written the character of the Genie. I am sure he will be just as flamboyant as ever and I will still get strange looks off people when I go out in-between shows covered in glitter!”

The show will once again be Directed by Robert Marsden. “I am delighted to have so many familiar faces in the cast for Aladdin. We broke box office records with the pantomime last year so we need to make sure that we put on a spectacular show again this year and I am confident we will have no trouble doing that with such a wonderful cast.”

A 'Purrfect' Cast for the Palace Theatre Kilmarnock Panto

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The Palace Theatre are delighted to announce their full cast for their spectacular family pantomime Dick Whittington.

This year’s panto sees some favourite faces returning to the stage with Fraser Boyle as Dame, Gary Morrison as Idle Jack and River City’s Sally Howitt as Fairy Bowbells. The Palace Theatre are also delighted to welcome back James McAnerney who will be playing Alderman Fitzwarren having been the baddie for the last two years as Dean Castle in Beauty and the Beast and the Demon King in Mother Goose.

James is delighted to be back at his ‘second home’ for the festive season. “I enjoy being at the Palace for panto because the audience are so close to the stage you can see all their reactions really clearly. It always feels like a family working with Imagine at The Palace as the team they put together always get on so well.”

“This year will be a big change for me not playing the baddie as I'm so used to getting booed from the Killie crowd. It will be nice to be able to be part of the story where happiness is happening rather than me trying to stop it all the time. It's also great not being the baddie this year as I'm trying to cut out the booooze in my life – ha ha – I’ll have to try get that one in the script!”

David Haydn, who played Aladdin’s nemesis Abanazar in 2014 is back to play the dastardly King Rat. Amy Scott last appeared in the Palace panto back in 2008 in Mother Goose and is delighted to reprise the role of Alice Fitzwarren that she played at Eden Court in Inverness last year alongside Charlotte Forbes who is reprising her role of Dick Whittington from the same production. Also joining the team as the feisty feline Tommy the Cat is Anna MacDonald.  

As well as performing Charlotte Forbes has had a busy year working on her personal training business as well as running dance and drama workshops. Following on from panto she will be taking to the high seas once more as a performer on Royal Caribbean.

“This will be my first time appearing at the Palace Theatre Kilmarnock and I am very excited to be taking to this iconic stage and working with some brilliant Scottish actors. Dick Whittington is such a great pantomime and he is such a fun character to play. Last year I loved being able to run around the stage fighting King Rat with my trusty side kick Tommy. Playing a principal boy is a huge challenge and it requires a lot of energy to portray their larger than life personalities but it is so rewarding when the audience gets behind you willing you to save the day.”

Don’t miss out on the hilarious swashbuckling panto. Dick Whittington runs from Saturday 25 November to Saturday 31 Dec 2017.

A 'Beauty' of a Pantomime Cast for the Spa Centre

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The Royal Spa Centre are delighted to announce that they are fully cast for this year’s production of Sleeping Beauty.

Joining Spa Centre favourites JP McCue and Sean Dodds are Sally Peerless as the good fairy Gabriella, Denise Pitter as the wicked fairy Carabosse, Chloe Fay as Princess Rosa, Glyn Dilley as the King, James Leeman as Prince Victor and Teddy Moynihan as Carabosse’s side kick, Fran.

Sally Peerless is currently appearing in the UK tour of Sister Act the Musical, having spent much of the last few years in Saturday Night Fever both in the UK and Germany.

Denise also has a strong musical theatre background having appeared in Guys and Dolls in the West End alongside Patrick Swayze as well as the UK tours of Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story and Dancing in the Streets amongst many others.

James has appeared in a number of pantomimes for producer’s Imagine Theatre and is delighted to be spending his first festive season in Leamington. “People I know who have previously having worked at the Spa Centre speak very highly of the team on the panto so that's also quite exciting. Leamington Spa is a beautiful place so I'm looking forward to spending my Christmas there.” 

James has played the Prince in Snow White for the last two years in both Grimsby and Southport and says “I've had great fun playing the Prince in Snow White so I'm excited to spend this season saving another ‘sleeping Princess’ but this time it being Sleeping Beauty.”

The title role of the ‘sleeping beauty’, Princess Rosa, is being played by Chloe Fay in her third professional pantomime. “When I was younger I was in the Junior Ensemble for four pantomimes and I still love appearing in them now. My favourite thing about it is that every performance is different. Nothing is taken too seriously and the audience participation being different every time makes it really fun!”

“I am looking forward to playing a princess as it is every girl’s dream to be a princess and getting to wear such beautiful gowns every day, and always having perfect and pristine hair... Oh and obviously being able to sing all the time without anyone looking at you in a weird way!”

Glyn Dilley is a hugely experienced performer and has appeared in 22 pantomimes clocking up an impressive 1400 performances since making his professional panto debut in The Palace Theatre in Morecambe, his home town. His performances this year have a very royal feel to them - as well as playing the King in Sleeping Beauty he is touring the UK as King Arthur for Story Pocket Theatre.

“I love panto as it gives so much pleasure to so many people every year. It is also great fun to do. One of my favourite panto memories is being on stage at the Liverpool Empire when a small child told the Queen to go away using a very rude word! It brought the house down and everything to a standstill!”

Teddy Moynihan was part of the RSC’s Shakespeare Live performance to mark 400 years since the Bard’s death when he performed as Chino / Ensemble in the West Side Story routine. He has also played Dandini in Cinderella and is looking forward to getting in touch with his dark side this season.

“I think it will be great fun to play a baddie and I look forward to seeing how loud we can get the kids booing!”

Janice Dunn who has directed the pantomime for the last few years says “I am delighted to have such a fabulous cast. Directing at the Spa Centre is always great fun and I promise we are going to put on another spectacular show this year.”

Sleeping Beauty opens on Saturday 2 December 2017. The show runs until Sunday 31 December 2017 and for more information or to book tickets please call 01926 334 418 or visit www.royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk

Double Trouble for Cinderella in Southport This Christmas!

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Southport Theatre and Convention Centre are delighted to announce that two familiar faces are returning for panto this year as the deliciously wicked Ugly Sisters.

Jason Marc-Williams who played Dame Dolly Mixture last year returns to don a dress once again, with Alistair Barron who played Jingles the Jester last year, moving over to the dark side as the other half of the dastardly duo who do everything they can to make poor Cinderella’s life a misery.

2017 is a busy year for Jason as he is currently in the UK tour of Trespass and later this year he will be starring in the tour of the Ray Cooney farce It Runs in the Family before heading in to pantoland.

Jason says “Alistair and I have been friends for 5 years now, in fact we are more like brothers, so it is hilarious that we are playing Ugly Sisters this year.  This is fourth consecutive panto season together, until now we have been dame and comic, but we have always talked about how much fun it would be to play Ugly Sisters together.  I have already been giving him some make-up tips to help him out!”

Alistair adds “Me and Jason are the very best of friends, I don't find him annoying in the slightest....! It is so nice to keep getting asked back to places to do panto with one another, but sometimes I wonder when I'm going to be able to get away from him!” 

“I am so excited to play the baddie. I have been the comic for the last three years which has been fun, but I am so enthusiastic about a new challenge! Also it will be the first time that I'll be playing a dame character so a very different panto season for me.” 

Both Jason and Alistair are in agreement that Southport is a great place to spend the festive season.

Jason says “There are many wonderful things about working in Southport, including all the brilliant staff at the theatre. I live in Swansea near the sea so being in a seaside town for Christmas stops me feeling too homesick.”

Alistair is in agreement with this, adding “I am really looking forward to going back to Southport this year to perform in panto as there is a lovely community spirit in the town and at the theatre, and the audiences were such fun. I do like to be beside the seaside, oh I do like to be beside the sea.” 

Don’t miss out on Southport Theatre’s stunning production of Cinderella. The show runs from Friday 15 December 2017 until Saturday 6 January 2018.

Imagine Theatre announce recruitment of further employees as their team continues to expand

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Imagine Theatre announce recruitment of further employees as their team continues to expand

Imagine Theatre are delighted to announce an expansion of their team with the addition of several new key members of staff. Laura Taylor joins them as Head of Marketing and Business Development, Katie Boyce as a specialist props maker and Eric Potts will be writing and directing for them this forthcoming Christmas season.

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Familiar Faces Return to Eden Court for Snow White This Christmas

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The Eden Court’s pantomime preparations are well under way and they are delighted to announce the return of many familiar faces for this year’s production of Snow White.

Taking on the dual roles of director and dame for the second-year running is Steven Wren, with the hilarious Ross Allan returning for more slapstick fun as Jingles the Jester. The role of Prince will be taken on by David Rankine, who was last at Eden Court in the title role of Aladdin in 2014 and the iconic role of the Wicked Queen will be played by Marj Hogarth who is thrilled to once again be playing a baddie having played Carabosse in Eden Court’s 2013 production of Sleeping Beauty.  

Steven says “I had a wonderful time playing dame last year – it was just so much fun getting back on to the panto stage again after five years away from it. The Eden Court panto team are great so it enables me to be able to both direct and perform. We do have a new member of the team this year in Lesley Wood who will both choreograph and assist me with directing the show, and once again the fabulous Will Marshall is back as our Musical Director.”

Marj Hogarth is delighted to be back in Inverness “I love working at Eden Court because it's a beautiful theatre that is very much at the heart of the community of Inverness. I love that people travel enormous distances to come to the pantomime, and I take the responsibility of that dedication very seriously. Although I couldn't get much further away from home as I now live in England!”

“I have been playing the panto baddie for 25 years. It's always a joy. We all love to be a little bit scared, and I love playing formidable women. The Wicked Queen in Snow White is one of the most well-known of the panto ‘bad girls’ and I am sure I will have great fun in the role.”

Recently Marj has been writing a series of female characters that will form a one woman show as well as being involved in developing immersive theatre experiences for children and young people with special needs. 

This year both Ross Allan and David Rankine have appeared in productions at the Edinburgh Science Festival. Ross has been appeared in Uncanny Valley for Borderline Theatre Company / The Gaiety Theatre Company while David starred in Cosmonaut. David has also Appeared in Avoidable Climbing for the Take Me Somewhere Festival, Real Hoosewives Fae Glesga for the Pavilion Theatre and Lost in Music with Magnetic North.

Ross says “Inverness is definitely like a second home to me now as I have spent nearly two months here every year for the past five years. I obviously worked with Steven last year and I was also in Aladdin with David and Sleeping Beauty with Marj and it will be great to work with all of them again.”

David is delighted to be taking on the role of the Prince. “Over the last few years I have played the title role in Aladdin and the arrogant and vain Hunter in Beauty and the Beast and I will be playing a dashing Prince this year. They are all very different roles and I feel very fortunate to get the opportunity to play so many contrasting characters.”

Stephen Boden, Managing Director of Imagine Theatre who produce the pantomime, says “We are thrilled to have such a strong cast coming together for Snow White. Ross is very popular with the Eden Court panto audiences and is now in to his fifth year with us, and teaming up with Steven Wren last year was a great success so we are delighted to have them both at the helm once again. David is a really versatile performer who has a great understanding of panto and Marj plays a wonderful baddie. With such a fabulous cast in place I am really confident that Snow White will be another brilliant panto.”

Snow White is one of the most popular tales of them all so we advise booking your tickets early to avoid disappointment. The panto runs from Tuesday 5th December 2017 until Sunday 7th January 2018

Soap Star Jonathan Wrather to Star in The Palace Theatre Newark’s Beauty and the Beast This Christmas

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The Palace Theatre are delighted to announce that soap superstar Jonathan Wrather will be spending the festive season in Newark as the odious Eugene in the brand new comedy panto Beauty and the Beast this Christmas.

Jonathan is a familiar face to soap fans all over the UK as he is currently playing the controversial character of Pierce Harris in Emmerdale.

Jonathan also played bad boy Joe Carter in Coronation Street from 2002 until 2003 as well as having roles in Fat Friends, Clocking Off, Holby City, Casualty, Silent Witness and the US hit series Bones amongst others.

A RADA trained actor, Jonathan has spent much of his career on stage including playing the iconic character of Harry in the UK tour of When Harry Met Sally, as well as starring in productions such as Edward II, The Duchess of Malfi, Romeo and Juliet, Othello and The Grapes of Wrath. This will be Jonathan’s second appearance in pantomime having previously appeared in the Victoria Theatre Halifax’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk way back in 2003.

Jonathan says "Doing panto is always enormous fun. Playing the baddie in one is great fun too as you get such strong reactions from the audience. Beauty and the Beast is a terrific story and I can’t wait for rehearsals to start this autumn.”

Steve Boden, Managing Director of Imagine Theatre who produce the pantomime says, “We are delighted to be working with Jonathan for the first time this year and thrilled to have him on stage with us at Newark. He is a hugely talented and experienced actor and, as per his character in Emmerdale, portrays a great baddie! Our panto character Eugene is similar to that of Gaston in the Disney version – his vanity makes it impossible for him to believe that Beauty does not love him and so he plots to kill the Beast. He really is a true panto villain!

This is our third year producing panto at the beautiful Palace Theatre in Newark with word spreading around the region about the quality and sales going from strength to strength. We are confident that Beauty and the Beast is going to continue the tradition of top quality panto at the Palace and will be another fabulous show.”

Beauty and the Beast runs from Friday 8 December 2017 until Wednesday 3 January 2018.