The cast had a chance to gather together for the first time, meet the team at the theatre and get some great publicity photos taken.
TV presenter, actor and Strictly winner Ore Oduba and actress and soap star Wendi Peters will head up the cast, with the entertaining Bob Golding returning as Dame.
Ore Oduba is a multi-talented broadcaster and performer, who won the nation’s hearts when he was crowned Strictly Come Dancing champion in 2016. As well as hosting flagship TV shows such as This Morning and The One Show, along with countless hours on Radio 2, his musical theatre career has included roles in Grease, Curtains the Musical and the recent tour and West End production of The Rocky Horror Show. Ore will be playing the dashing Prince Charming in Snow White.
Playing the Wicked Queen in the pantomime, stage and screen actress Wendi Peters is best known for her long-running role as Cilla Battersby Brown in Coronation Street. Most recently appearing in day time soap Doctors, her many other roles include Cook Jenkins in children’s TV series Hetty Feather. Extensive stage credits include Big! The Musical and White Christmas.
Nurse Nellie will be played by top Pantomime Dame Bob Golding, who returns to the Northampton stage after winning the hearts of local audiences for the last two Christmases. Highlights of his wide-ranging career on stage and screen include the multi-award-winning one man show Morecambe celebrating the comic legend Eric Morecambe.
Lauren Lane appears as Snow White and Joey Wilby as Muddles with Dean Whatton leading The Seven Dwarfs as Sarge.
Building on the success of last year’s smash hit Jack and the Beanstalk and 2021’s brilliant Dick Whittington, Royal & Derngate are excited to be continuing their partnership with award-winning pantomime producers Evolution Productions. A family business, run by husband and wife Paul Hendy and Emily Wood, Evolution are four-time winners of Pantomime of The Year in the Great British Pantomime Awards.
Jo Gordon, Chief Executive at Royal & Derngate said:“It’s wonderful to have the chance to meet so many of our pantomime cast today. As we continue to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Derngate auditorium, we’re delighted to have such a great cast and company assembled to help us make this pantomime a true highlight of our milestone year. I can’t wait until we have everyone back here to start rehearsals… Roll on Christmas!”
Written by Paul Hendy and directed by Emily Wood, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs promises to be magical, top quality entertainment with lavish sets, hilarious jokes and fun for all the family.
Emily Wood added: "We're so excited to bring together such a magnificent cast for our production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs here at the wonderful Royal & Derngate. I can't wait to direct this truly excellent cast, and share with our audiences what's set to be our biggest and best production yet!"
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will run from Friday 8 to Sunday 31 December 2023. For more information and to book tickets, go to www.royalandderngate.co.uk or call Box Office on 01604 624811.
