2021 – Jack and the Beanstalk – Pantomime

Production of 2021 – Jack and the Beanstalk – Pantomime

Production description

And so, it was 2021 and we returned to pantomime after the Covid-19 pandemic break!

It was great to bring old and new members of the company together once again to produce an all-singing, all-dancing pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk.

When I originally selected Jack and the Beanstalk as our pantomime for 2020 it was in the knowledge that this was the first panto ever produced in our, at that time, new Studio Theatre and this seemed a good way to mark the anniversary. Unfortunately, the dreaded Covid lurgy put paid to those plans and so we were a year late.

As always this was a team effort, and my thanks go to Wilson Shields BEM and Matthew Watson as without their creative input we wouldn’t have had such a great show. Thanks are also due to Sheila Hammonds and her costume team, Michael Gorman for the set design and construction, Karl Smyth and his tech team and Caroline Wisoner, the Academy Administrator, for the immense amount of work that they have contributed to this production. Their collective patience with dealing with a highly strung and emotional Director also shouldn’t be underestimated ????

Roger Dane (Director)

Programme Details

The plot

Jack is a young, poor boy living with his widowed mother, Dame Trot, and Daisy the cow, at a farm cottage. The cow’s milk was their only source of income. When the cow stops giving milk, Jack’s mother tells him to take her to the market to be sold. On the way, Jack meets a Slimeball who offers Jack magic beans in exchange for the cow, and Jack makes the trade. Slimeball also kidnaps King Betram’s daughter, Princess Demelza, for his Master, the giant Blinderbore. When Jack arrives home without any money, his mother becomes angry and disenchanted, throws the beans on the ground, and sends Jack to bed without dinner. During the night, the magic beans cause a gigantic beanstalk to grow outside Jack’s window. The next morning, Jack climbs the beanstalk to a land high in the sky to not only rescue the Princess but to gain his fortune.

Cast and Crew

Director Roger Dane
Assistant Director Olivia Brennan
Musical Director Wilson Shields BEM
Choreographer Matthew Watson

Costumes

Sheila Hammonds, Phillis McKelvey, Julie Brown, Emma Lewis, ‘L’ Glover, Rachelle Smart

Set, props and backstage

Stage Manager - Michael Gorman
Assisted by - Louise Compston, Vincent Vyce, Dagmara Heasley and members of the company

Sound and Lights

Karl Smyth, Stephen Hyland, Oliver Gordon

Front of House

Roger Dane, Caroline Wisoner, Mark McClean and members of the company.

Band:

Keyboards - Wilson Shields and Philip Cartwright
Percussion - Jeremy Hoy
Guitar & Bass - Michael Currie

Cast (in order of appearance)

Edena the Eco Fairy Sinead Fox-Hamilton, Eile McNamee
Slimeball Amelie Euler , Serena Smart
Jack Trot Oliver Gordon , Niamh McGuigan
Princess Demelza Anna Curry, Nikita Muir
King Bertram Teddy Bingham, Chris Curry
Trumpet Deirdre Johnson, Ellie Wisoner
Dame Trot Robert McGregor
Simple Simon Mark McClean, Alex McKelvey
Daisy The Cow David Bell, Louise Compston, Melissa Dunwoody, Chris Pegg
Giant Blunderbore Kevin Magill, Gareth McGimpsey

Cockroach Sarge Katy Brown, Amelia Lindsay, Aimee Magill
Cockroach Smith Emma Clarke, Isabella Lewis, Georgia Watson
Cockroach Jones Mary Hegarty, Isabella McQuoid, Sophia Valladares
Cockroach Chetwyn-Douglas Scott Heidi Burns, Rosie Smith McCann, Evie Mewha

Chorus

GROUP A
Madeline Dougan, Katie Downey, Bethany Gardner, Isabella Gardner, Ayla Hughes, Poppy McCoy, Robyn Preshur, Elyza Rainey, Oliver Smyth, Rosie Smyth McCann, Emily O'Kelly, Sophie Lynn, Phoebe Preshur, Charlotte Chambers, Anna Crawford, Ava Bradley, Madison McManus, Fintan Hughes, Kallum Wilton, Faith McDade, Emma Cowan, Annie Bernard, Isabella McQuoid, Grace Brown, Emma Clarke, Alistair Corscadden, Aodhan Farnan, Hannah Gillespie, Iona Kesson, Amelia Lindsay, Sarah Norton, Ella Robinson, Sophie Toal

GROUP B
Coco Copeland, Rosa McAleer, Cora McAleer, Kate McGrath, Heidi Burns, Maia Croan, Evie Durham, Alfie Hinds, Nell Mc Clean, Reelan Rose McClure, George McGrath, Evie McKeown, Alicia Moore, Alfie Moore, Alfie Stinson, Katie Brown, Iona Clarke, Eve Gallagher, Tess Gallagher, Mary Hegarty, Anna Hutchinson, Isabella Lewis, Ellie McKeown

GROUP C
Mabel Findlay, Shifra Holliday, Evie Mehwa, Robyn Moore, Lana Murphy, Lucia Murphy, Bobbi Rose Scullion, Alex Armstrong, Holly Coey, Faith Connor Sophia Valladares, Star Dorman, Flora Findlay, Ulelia Holliday, Ryan Johnson, Siena McColgan, Jack McCreery, Ellen O'Neill, Kara Scullion, Rebekah Shane, Freja Spence, Ella Coey, Eilidh Gillen, Liam Johnson, Maeve Lagan, Aimee Magill, Aisling McDonnell, Rebekah McFedries, Dakota Nethercott Hall, Jude Ryan, Rachel Smith, Caitlin Spence , Caspar Spence, Georgia Watson