Tom Milner Charming Audiences in Southport This Christmas

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Southport Theatre are delighted to announce that Tom Milner, most recently seen on The Voice, will be taking on the role of Prince Charming in Cinderella this Christmas.

On The Voice Tom was selected for Team Ricky before even reaching the chorus of ‘Wait on Me’ in his blind audition and he says of his experience on the BBC talent show: “The Voice was great experience! People would pay a lot of money to get advice from four top professionals in Will.I am, Boy George, Paloma Faith and Rick (Ricky Wilson) - and I got it for free! More importantly I met some friends for life from the show and I’ve done some collaborations with a couple since.”

Tom has also appeared on our screens as Paul Langley in Waterloo Road, Holby City, Barking and Doctors.

This will be Tom’s second pantomime with producer’s Imagine Theatre, and like many performers he has fond memories of pantomime from his childhood.

“I always remember watching Frank Bruno in a panto and my older brother got up on stage at the end of the show. I was gutted as I was too young!”

“Doing panto always makes Christmas feel that extra bit special! They’re filled with fun for everyone of all ages too so the whole family can enjoy them together. I do love TV because you get to go again if you go wrong!! However treading the boards and having a live audience to bounce off wins hands down!”

“This will be my first appearance at Southport Theatre and I can’t wait - although I’ve heard it’s pretty cold so I’ll have to dig out the Parka coat and dress as an Eskimo during the period!”

“I am looking forward to working with everyone on the show. I’ve had friends who have worked with Sam Kane before and can’t speak highly enough of him.... NO pressure Sam!”

“Cinderella is a really magical show that makes us believe that our dreams really could come true and who wouldn’t want a Fairy Godmother of their own. If I did I would wish that I was the frontman of either The Stereophonics or Maroon 5 or just to be a rock star in general!”

Steve Boden, Managing Director of Imagine Theatre, says “We are delighted to have on Tom on board for this show and we are very grateful that he was able to step in when Joe Ashman, who was originally going to be playing Prince, had to withdraw. Tom is a top class performer with a wealth of experience in theatre, television and the music industry and he will be a brilliant prince.”

The Grand Pavilion’s Panto Cast Set for a Ball This Christmas

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The Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl are delighted to announce their full cast for the magical family pantomime Cinderella.

As previously announced Grand Pavilion favourites Jolyon Dixon and Nathan Guy are returning for another year of panto mayhem and joining them are some familiar faces from last year’s Jack and the Beanstalk. Jeremy Cave who played the villainous Fleshcreep is getting touch with his dark side again, albeit this time in a dress as an Ugly Sister.

“I was 18 when I did my first panto and I played an Ugly Sister on a world trip onboard the cruise ship the Oriana -  that was 12 years ago so can't wait to put the lippy back on!  I am looking forward to getting back with all the gang as it was an amazing cast and crew on Jack and the Beanstalk so I am delighted a lot of the same people are back again. Me and Jolyon had such a laugh on stage and off and just can't wait to partner up with him this year for more hilarity!”

“I really enjoyed spending last Christmas in Porthcawl. It is hard to pin point my favourite thing but you can't beat that view every morning! We were lucky with the weather and nearly every day there was a beautiful sunrise and sunset.” 

Rasheeda Ali and Jessie Lilley are also returning for their second year. Rasheeda is taking on the title role of Cinderella, having played Princess Tamara last year.

“I am delighted to be back home for Christmas again this year. It means that not only do I get to spend Christmas with my family, they get to see me in panto. My mum tells everyone she knows to come and see it and I lost count of the amount of times she saw Jack and the Beanstalk!”

“Last year was my first ever panto and I enjoyed it so much I was really excited to be invited back again this year. Cinderella is one of the most well-known of the fairy tale princesses so it is a bit nerve racking.”

Jessie played Jack last year and is delighted to be returning to Wales for the festive season as Prince Charming. “Part of the reason I am so excited to be back is to work with such a fabulous cast and crew again. Panto in Porthcawl always feels like a real team effort and everyone is very supportive of each other.”

The Grand Pavilion are also welcoming two new cast members this year with Courtney King playing the dual roles of Wicked Stepmother and Fairy Godmother and Elin Pavli-Hinde as Dandini.

Courtney says “This will be my first visit to the Grand Pavilion. The nearest I have been to Porthcawl before is Cardiff with Round the Horne. It won’t be my first Cinderella though as I have played Fairy Godmother twice before and Wicked Stepmother twice, but never both at the same time. I am looking forward to the contrast between the two, as they are so strikingly different.”

It is also Elin’s first visit to the Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl but she has previously appeared in three pantomimes for Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

“I adore panto as it is a great mixture of magic and comedy and a brilliant introduction to theatre for kids. My favourite panto memory is probably when I saw Cinderella’s rags turn into a ballgown for the first time as a child… I was completely mesmerized… I remember thinking this must be magic!" 

Cinderella runs from Friday 15 December 2017 until Sunday 7 January 2018. After successive record breaking seasons we advise booking tickets early to ensure you get seats at your preferred performance.

Grimsby Auditorium’s Cinderella Cast Ready for a Ball This Christmas

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The Grimsby Auditorium are delighted to announce their full cast for this year’s spectacular family pantomime Cinderella.

Joining Britain’s Got Talent finalist Jon Clegg as Buttons will be Grimsby’s own Phil Hoyles who returns to play an Ugly Sister after playing Widow Twankey in last year’s production of Aladdin. Joining him as the other half of the gruesome twosome is Kevin McGreevy in his first role as dame.

Phil has had a busy year working on his own children’s show as well as a Tommy Cooper tribute show which he has been touring since 2002. In addition he presents his own radio show and has been doing voice-over work for a well-known supermarket.

Phil says "I am delighted to be back this year. I had such a great time playing Widow Twankey last year, the audiences were brilliant and loved the show, so I'm looking forward to being back. With Grimsby being my home town, it's always good to return, especially at Christmas to spend time with family as well as working the Auditorium."

“I enjoy playing an Ugly Sister. I played it for the first time way back in 2005 when I did a touring production of Cinderella. I then spent three years playing the part of Ugly Sister and we did Haverhill, Leatherhead and the Isle of Wight. Working alongside another dame as Ugly Sister you develop a partnership and a bond during the run of the show. You can bounce off each other too which is a really fun thing to do. Also if one forgets the lines hopefully the other one can jump in!” 

For Kevin McGreevy who has spent many years playing the comic in panto, most recently at the Palace Theatre in Newark and the Royal Spa Centre in Leamington Spa, the chance to tackle a different kind of panto role is very exciting.

“I can't wait to be a Ugly Sister this year, I have been in Cinderella three times and this is the first time I'm doing it in a frock! I think the biggest challenge for me will be all the costume changes as the comic never has more than three costumes but a dame always has a lot more and there is not always much time!”

“I am looking forward to panto season as it will be a wonderful end to a busy year for me. I have been working on a fabulous interactive show called Dinosaurs in the Wild for the last few months as well a charity music festival with Peter Andre, Lulu, Gabrielle, Lemar, Feeder, Wonderstuff and many more as well as a large dance festival headline by Diversity.”

Also joining the cast are Trixie Waggott as Cinderella, Ann Micklethwaite in the dual roles of the Fairy Godmother and Wicked Stepmother, Sally Frith as the dashing Prince Charming and Laura Robson as Dandini.

Trixie is excited to be playing what she calls the “ultimate panto princess”.

“I have always loved the magic of panto and as a performer it's great to have just as much of that on the stage as well as you would as an audience member. Panto is often the first introduction into theatre for a child and I love that after seeing Cinderella at Christmas they may feel inspired to see other productions in the future. 

“As a little girl I was always obsessed with fairytales, and seeing them come to life on the stage through pantomime was amazing. My first ever panto was Snow White and I loved every second of it, seeing my family singing and dancing along made it such a great experience. Now I can't ever imagine Christmas without seeing a panto.” 

Book your tickets now to see this magical panto cast.  Cinderella runs from Friday 15th - Thursday 28th December 2017.

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.

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.

Jon Clegg Making An Impression at Grimsby Auditorium This Christmas

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The Grimsby Auditorium are delighted to announce that Britain’s Got Talent finalist Jon Clegg will be playing Buttons in their spectacular family pantomime Cinderella.

Jon Clegg won the hearts of the nation in the 2014 series of Britain’s Got Talent with his impressions of everyone from Homer Simpson to Simon Cowell himself!

Jon says “I think my favourite impression would have to be Ant and Dec! It's the impression that was so popular on Britain’s Got Talent, and their reaction will always be a highlight.”

This will be his fifth panto with Imagine Theatre having appeared in both Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk at The Hexagon in Reading as well as two years in Leicester at the De Montfort Hall for Snow White and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Since finishing Britain’s Got Talent Jon has toured the world with his one-man impression show and is looking forward to spending the festive season in Grimsby.

“This is my first time working in Grimsby, but I have visited there before - and have worked a few times in nearby Cleethorpes, mainly appearing at Thorpe Park holiday park. Last year I did a show at Cleethorpes Pier with former football manager Ron Atkinson.” 

“I'm really looking forward to playing Buttons again, for the third time. It's probably my favourite panto role, as I get to play the fool but also have some poignant moments too!"

“This year in the run up to panto I am mainly sailing the seven seas on cruise ships, but am also working in hotels across the Mediterranean. So far this year I've been to Dubai, Oman, India, Sri Lanka, the Caribbean, Spain and Cyprus!” 

Steve Boden of Imagine Theatre who produce the panto in Grimsby says “We are thrilled to be working with Jon once again. He is extremely talented and a pleasure to work with and always builds up a great rapport with his audience.” 

“The popularity of the Grimsby pantomime has grown immensely over the last few years and we really enjoy working with the team at The Auditorium. We are really excited to be continuing to build on that success this year with Cinderella and to cementing panto as an important part of Grimsby’s festive calendar.”

Cinderella runs from Friday 15th - Thursday 28th December 2017.

Sam Kane to Star in Cinderella at Southport Theatre this Christmas

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The Southport Theatre and Convention Centre are delighted to announce that television star Sam Kane will be playing Buttons in their spectacular family pantomime Cinderella this Christmas.

Sam is well known to soap fans throughout the country for playing Peter Phelan in Brookside. He has also appeared in both Coronation Street and Emmerdale and appeared alongside Danny Dyer in the movie Vendetta.

Sam is an experienced theatre performer having starred in the musicals Boogie Nights, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Carousel and South Pacific. Sam previously appeared at the theatre in 2009 with the UK tour of Hot Flush. “I played the part of ‘The Man’ which was a great part for me as I got the chance to play 27 different roles in the musical. I was the only man playing all of the male roles. It was so much fun and a really challenging gig but I loved every minute of it. There were two different casts; Rula Lenska, Marti Webb, Sheila Ferguson and the second cast was led by Lesley Joseph.”

Sam has also appeared in many pantomimes throughout his career playing everything from Prince to Ugly Sister and this year as well as playing Buttons he is also going to direct the pantomime.

“I’ve been directing pantomimes since the Millennium but have appeared in them since the age of 17, missing just two years since. I started as a dancer, moving onto smaller roles like Little John then onto Prince, Ugly Sister, Wicked Henchman and Baddie. I’ve been headlining since 1995. I love panto as it has to be as equally entertaining for three year olds as it is for grannies and grandads. I love the challenge that it brings when I’m directing but even more so when I’m up there in the spotlight. I’ve been doing both; performing and directing for so long now that it doesn’t feel like it’s ever been any other way. Although, I have to say it’s exhausting for me on opening night but that’s all part of the joy of it.”

“The list of what I love about pantomime is as long a list as you’ll ever see. It’s such a joy to have an audience with every generation sat watching you with great expectation. Delivering that expectation is the biggest joy. Seeing people laugh, even rock in their seats with laughter, is the best feeling an entertainer can have. If we can keep the integrity of panto as it should be and tell the story and we’ve got in as much comedy as we can, with beautiful production values, great songs, great dancers, great routines that make for a full night’s entertainment, then we’ve cracked it. A kid came up to me one day in Cardiff. I was playing Abanazar in Aladdin. The kid said. “I loved hating you. You made me love you and hate you at the same time’. That was one of my happiest moments in panto. My job was done!”

When not appearing panto Sam spends much of the year performing on some of the biggest cruise ships in the world and he is currently in the process of becoming an agent as well as fronting his own show on www.2ndcityradio.net. Sam says “I’ve always fancied having a go on radio but the opportunity never lent itself until recently. I love it now. I’ve been on there for over a year. The interaction is great. And I don’t have to sing all the songs in-between, so that’s even better.”

Steve Boden from Imagine Theatre who produce the pantomime says “we are really excited to work with Sam for the first time this year. He is a wonderful performer and has such an invaluable wealth of experience in the panto industry that we are confident he is going to be a great asset to our new production in Southport this year.”

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.

Jolyon and Nathan Return for Panto at the Grand Pavilion

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The Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl are delighted to announce that audience favourites Jolyon Dixon and Nathan Guy are returning to star in their spectacular family pantomime Cinderella.

The pair have proved a huge hit with audiences over the last few years with their hilarious interplay, clever slapstick routines and witty audience interaction.

This will be Jon’s third year as Dame at the venue and he is delighted to be returning “The people and the crew and the audience at the Grand Pavilion are my favourite things about spending the festive season here.”

“I am overjoyed to be renewing my comedy partnership with Nathan - although it will be strange for him not to be my son this year - he'll still call me mum in the dressing room! It's been eight years since I played ugly sister and it's a nice change to be a bit of a villain - funny and friendly though with it!”

Nathan is delighted to finally have the chance to play his favourite pantomime character. “I've wanted to play the part of Buttons since I first started performing in pantomimes as a juvenile in the chorus all the way up until today! I like to think the comic character is always a favourite with panto audiences, but Buttons steals the hearts as the character who doesn't get the girl even though we want the best for him and Cinderella.”

“I can’t wait to work with Jolyon, he is a force of energy and fun. He never stops making me giggle on stage in the wings and off the stage. He has a twinkle in his eye that's so warm that invites the whole audience to enjoy his performance.”

Cinderella runs from Friday 15 December 2017 until Sunday 7 January 2018.