Grab your glass slippers, your carriage awaits as the home of pantomime in Northern Ireland this year stages the much-loved classic Cinderella.
With an award-winning creative team at the helm, over 35,000 tickets have already been sold for the biggest show of Northern Ireland’s Christmas season.
Cinderella opens at the Grand Opera House on Saturday 3 December 2022 and runs until Sunday 15 January 2023. Children and adults alike can expect laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses with Belfast’s favourite Fairy Godmother May McFettridge, who this year celebrates a record-breaking 32 Grand Opera House pantomime seasons.
May is joined on stage by Paddy Jenkins, who was last seen on the Theatre’s stage in March in Give My Head Peace, as Baron Hardup.
Returning to the Grand Opera House panto following their appearance in last year’s sell-out run of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Adam C Booth plays Buttons opposite Kia-Paris Walcott in the title role.
Jo Donnelly, who played Mummy Bear last year, is joined by Jolene O’Hara as the vile Wicked Stepsisters, and Lisburn’s Gyasi Sheppy plays Dandini, who in 2021 landed his dream job as one of the presenters of CBeebies.
Completing the line-up, Conor Headley, originally from Lurgan, a graduate of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and a former participant of the Grand Opera House’s summer youth production, takes on the role of Prince Charming.
“Northern Ireland’s biggest Christmas show warrants a top-drawer cast and the best creative team to bring alive from page to stage the most magical pantomime of them all,” said Ian Wilson, Chief Executive of the Grand Opera House.
“Since the Theatre opened in 1895, generations of families have made the Grand Opera House pantomime part of their Christmas festivities, and with over 75,000 expected to attend during the six-week run, book your seats now otherwise not even your Fairy Godmother will be able to magic you a ticket!”
The Grand Opera House pantomime is staged by Olivier award-winning producer Michael Harrison on behalf of Crossroads, the biggest pantomime producer in the world. As well as producing the recent production of Bedknobs and Broomsticks at the Grand Opera House, Michael has produced the current UK and Ireland tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which runs at the Theatre in October, and he is creating his seventh consecutive London Palladium pantomime this year.
Cinderella is directed and choreographed by Jonny Bowles, who won Best Choreography for Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the 2022 Pantomime Awards, and lighting design is by
Ben Cracknell, whose recent designs include the West End production of The Drifters Girl and the national tours of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Osmonds, The Cher Show, and the 2022 Olivier Awards at the Royal Albert Hall.
Michael Harrison, producer of Cinderella, said: “We’re delighted today to be announcing such a fabulous cast for the Grand Opera House’s pantomime. We’re currently working on a script packed full of laughter for all the family and know that Crossroads’ pantomime in Belfast will be something very special for young and old alike.”
Northern Ireland’s biggest pantomime will once again be sponsored by Dale Farm, who are delighted to share the joy of panto again this year.
For the Grand Opera House pantomime performance schedule and tickets, visit: goh.co.uk