On Air Now Mark Gore 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Now Playing Frank Wilson Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)

Aladdin cast announced ahead of launch weekend

The Palace Theatre Newark has announced the full cast for this year’s Christmas pantomime, Aladdin. Already announced are Hayley Tamaddon, best known for Emmerdale and Dancing on Ice, as Princess Jasmine and Tim Freeman who returns to the Newark as that most-famous of pantomime dames, Widow Twankey.

Joining Hayley and Tim will be Jenny Perry as Aladdin, Andrew Piper as Abanazar, Lucy Keirl as So Shi and Emily McGlynn as the Spirit of the Ring. The principal cast is completed by two familiar faces to Newark, Kevin McGreevy as Wishee Washee and Connor McAllister as the Genie of the Lamp. Kevin said “I have been reunited with my Newark panto mum Tim Freeman, who I’m looking forward to working with again!”

 

Lucy grew up in Newark and is no stranger to the Palace stage: “I danced at the Palace a few times as a child with a local dance school. I also remember seeing all sorts of things there, including Dick Whittington one year as our family panto – I was pretty taken with the pyro that went off every time the fairy appeared, and the big foam fingers in the foyer!”

 

Many of the cast will be in Newark this Saturday for the annual pantomime launch, where they will be out and about at the Palace and in the town between 11am and 1pm. Carys Coulton Jones, Business Manager for Heritage, Culture and Visitors, said “we love having the panto cast come to visit. Everyone in town is always really excited to see them around in their colourful sparkly costumes and it’s a great reminder that there are less than three months until Aladdin opens”.

 

Saturday’s launch is the first day of a panto-focused weekend with Sunday seeing open auditions for the Aladdin Junior Chorus. Carys continued, “the standard of auditionees for our junior chorus has been great since we started doing open auditions and we can’t wait to see what 2018 will bring. Over 100 kids turned up to audition last year so we’re very much hoping to beat that record!”

 

Registration for auditions takes place at the Palace between 9.30am and 10am. Children aged between 9 and 16 are eligible to audition; more information can be found at imaginetheatre.co.uk or by contacting the Palace Theatre Box Office on 01636 655 755 to request a registration form.

More from Local News

  • Newark jam-packed with events this spring and summer

    This year is set to be a busy one in Newark with a whole host of events set to take place in the market town over the next few months. From Artisan Markets to the CAMRA Beer Festival and ‘Race to the Castle’ (a paddle board event) to the popular Steampunk Festival, there’s lots for families and friends to get involved with.

  • The District Council garden recycling service is open for 2024/25 sign ups

    Recycle your garden waste and help create a greener Newark and Sherwood by joining the District Council’s garden recycling service. You can now sign up to the 2024/25 service and join over 18,000 residents who are already signed up! For £37 you get a brown bin and an all-year-round collection service, which occurs every two weeks between March and November, and monthly from December to February. If you need to order an additional bin you can do so for £37 each.

  • StreetLink support for rough sleepers in Newark and Sherwood

    If you see someone sleeping rough and you want to help, you can now alert the right support groups through one website, StreetLink. StreetLink, a digital platform aimed at helping rough sleepers, has officially relaunched with a new website that connects people who are sleeping rough to local support services.

  • 2023 Brings A Full Programme Of Events For The Town Centre Including Newark-On-Sea

    Including a live screening of the King’s Coronation