Panto Cast Say Goodbye As Next Year’s Show Is Announced

More than 24,000 tickets have been sold so far for the spellbinding show over its six-week run - enough to fill the capacity of Don Valley Stadium, the temporary home of Rotherham United.

Despite the wintry weather, the theatre has been full night after night, which has been down to the hard work of not only the cast, but also the dozens of people behind the scenes, from the technicians and special effects people to the producers, Spillers Pantomimes, and the staff of the Civic Theatre, who made sure everything went alright on the night, performance after performance.

However, most of all, the success is down to the panto fans across the borough, who not only picked 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' to be their festive show, but also supported it in their thousands and made it one of the best selling.

More than 20 cast members took to the stage every night for the show, ranging from West End and television actor Darren Day and "Steps" star Lee Latchford Evans, highly acclaimed for their amazing shared performances as Prince Antonio, to many of the younger performers, who were taking to the stage for the very first time.             

They are now coming to the end of their run but the good news is that the fun will be returning in just 11 short months.

Civic Theatre Manager Mark Scott said: "I am happy to announce that next December we will be looking forward to the wonderful festive spectacular that is 'Jack and The Beanstalk'. Tickets will go on sale from April and I am sure we will have another smash hit on our hands.

"But, don't forget, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' does not finish until Sunday, January 9, so there are still a few fun-filled performances to help banish those post-Christmas blues. If you haven't already seen the show, or want to re-live the magic, grab your seats now while you can."

Comedian Ben Nickless, who played Joey the Jester for all 69 shows, said of performing in Rotherham: "I hope everyone's had a good Christmas.  I have had a wonderful time in Rotherham.  It's simply the best experience to perform at the Civic Theatre and I want to say thank you to all the people who came and enjoyed the pantomime.    

"The audiences here are great. They must be one of the loudest in the country and I have had a right good laugh with them so I can't wait to come back and perform again at the Civic Theatre."

To catch the final few performances of the panto, call the Box Office on 01709 823621, or alternatively, drop into the Box Office, located in the Central Library and Arts Centre on Walker Place, to get your seats in person.

To book your tickets online quickly, safely and easily, go to www.rotherham.gov.uk/theatres and click on "Contact us - Theatre Tickets".