Beauty and the Beast cast delight staff and shoppers!
With only a few days until panto season opens at Oakengates Theatre @ The Place on 9 December, the dazzling cast of Beauty and the Beast have paid a festive visit to panto sponsor Trio Furnishings.
The stars of this year’s spectacular production, including Matt Evers from ITV’s Dancing on Ice, called in at Trio Furnishings’ showroom on Holyhead Road in Ketley where they met Christmas shoppers and posed for a picture with staff and the Trio Furnishings bear.
Matt Evers stars as Gerald Le Huntsman in this year’s panto, while Phil Butler, who proved popular in last year’s production of Aladdin, will be back in Telford as Hugo Le Gaff. They will be joined by Ian Billings who makes a popular return to the Oakengates Theatre stage as Belle’s father, Professor René Crackpot.
The UK’s former Eurovision Song Contest singer Nicki French will take the role of Witch Guillotine. Danny Mills will entertain audiences of all ages as Madame Cherie Trifle, with Gary Tushaw delivering a West End performance as the Beast and Trixie Waggot lighting up the stage as Belle.
Paul Graham, owner of Trio Furnishings, said: "It was fantastic to meet the stars of the show and see their stunning costumes. We’re delighted to be working with Oakengates Theatre to bring Beauty and the Beast to Telford this Christmas – it all looks set to be an incredible production."
Trio Furnishings was established in 1970 and is one of the county’s largest independent furniture retailers, with hundreds of items of furniture, flooring and lighting for every room of your home throughout the store.
Theatre manager Debbie King said: "It’s an incredibly exciting time of year for everyone at the theatre with a real sense of anticipation. So much planning goes into the panto and we can’t wait for the audiences to enjoy the whole experience, from the magic and romance of the fairytale itself to the colourful costumes, dazzling smiles and fabulous choreography."
Beauty and the Beast is running right through until 5 January 2015 and tickets are selling quickly for many of the performances. Tickets start from as little as £9.50 and can be booked
at http://www.theplacetelford.com/, by calling the ticket office on 01952 382382 or in person at Southwater One and the theatre.
Telford Loyalty Card holders can see the panto for just £10 on Sunday 14 December at 5.30pm or Friday 2 January at 1pm, and there is a special relaxed performance for adults and children with an Autism Spectrum Condition, sensory and communication disorders, or a learning disability at 1pm on Sunday 4 January.
