John Elkington will mark the 25th year since his first panto at Nottingham Playhouse when he plays the fragrant Rose in the theatre’s 2023 seasonal production Cinderella.
Tom Hopcroft will play sassy sibling Violet and Danny Hendrix will return to Nottingham as Buttons. Jewelle Hutchinson, who has just graduated from Mountview Theatre School, will make her professional debut as Cinderella. Liam Marcellino will be the Prince, with Nottingham-born Georgia-Mae Price as Dandini. Alice Redmond will take the roles of both Fairy Godmother and Her Ladyship.
Fourteen Nottinghamshire youngsters will appear as the youth chorus playing circus folk, woodland creatures, footmen and puppeteers. Team Pumpkin are Isla Farrell, Ruby Hardy, Nathan Hayward, Effie Lennon, Amiya Maxwell, Henry Pavier and Olivia Richardson, while Isla Granville, Max Huson, Matilda Lamb, Logan Miles, Ayanna Mzungu, Sahasra Peddi and Josie Samuels will be Team Slipper.
Writer and director Adam Penford said, “what a sublime cast and the best dame in the land in John Elkington. I'm delighted that five of the performers are from our region, celebrating the wealth of talent on our doorstep. Cinderella is everyone's favourite pantomime with a dramatic story, magical transformation, romance and hilarious baddies."
Musical director will be John Morton. Set and costume design will be by Cleo Pettitt. Rosanna Bates will be choreographer. Lighting design will be by Tim Mitchell, sound design by Adam Fisher, video design by Raphael Achache and casting directors are Natalie Gallacher CDG and Richard Johnston.
Cinderella will run from Friday 1 December until Saturday 13 January 2024.