CINDERELLA Comes to St Helens This Easter

The world's best-loved fairytale is set to cast a spell over St Helens this Easter – and family audiences are being invited to join Cinderella for a right Theatre Royal ball. The Regal Entertainments production promises an enchanting experience complete with lavish costumes and sets, fantastic choreography and a soundtrack of songs to get you dancing in your seat.

Coronation Street's Kimberly Hart-Simpson returns by popular demand to reprise the role of the titular heroine in a rags-to-riches story packed with glass slippers, magic pumpkins, a fairytale carriage, outrageous Ugly Sisters and a fabulous Fairy Godmother.

Cinderella tells the story of a beautiful girl reduced to a life of servitude by her two ugly stepsisters.  But all of that is about to change when an invitation arrives for a grand ball at the palace. With a bit of magic, and help from her loyal friend Buttons, Cinderella is transformed into the belle of the ball. But what will happen when the clock strikes midnight?

It runs at St Helens Theatre Royal from 5-21 April 2025. Tickets are on sale now costing from £18.

Best-known for playing the role of Nicky Wheatley in the world's longest-running television soap opera, Kimberly Hart-Simpson's theatre credits include Rita in Educating Rita, Dreamers at Oldham Coliseum, Balance at The Royal Exchange and Tinkerbell in The Magical Adventures of Peter Pan in Liverpool, while her other screen credits include Hollyoaks, Brassic and Celebrity Haunted.

She previously appeared as Cinders at St Helens three years ago. But the talented actress's connections with the theatre go back much further as before she got her big break, she worked in the wardrobe department at the venue, creating brilliant costumes for Regal Entertainments' shows.

Kimberly will be joined on stage by Ben Keith as Prince Charming, Conor Barrie as Dandini, Lewis Devine as Buttons, Rachael Wood as the Fairy Godmother, and Shania Pain and Richard Aucott as the Ugly Sisters.

The show is written by Liam Mellor and directed by Chantelle Joseph. Nazene Langfield is choreographer, and Callum Clarke is music supervisor.

Ben Keith appears as Prince Charming. Ben returns to St Helens after playing the Prince in Sleeping Beauty in 2022. He studied acting and musical theatre at Liverpool Theatre School and enjoys a busy career as both an actor and singer. His other theatrical credits include Galileo at the Liverpool Everyman, Liver Birdsong at Liverpool's Epstein Theatre, and The Boy Friend, Salad Days and Quaker Girl at Harrogate and Buxton Theatres.

Conor Barrie is Dandini. Liverpool Theatre School graduate Conor has previously appeared at St Helens as Baron von Vippermall in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, and Dmitri in The Salon – the Sequel! Other stage credits include Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk and Beauty and the Beast at the Gladstone Theatre in Port Sunlight.

Lewis Devine is Buttons. Audience favourite Lewis returns to the St Helens stage after playing French Frank in Beauty and the Beast earlier in 2025. His other roles for Regal Entertainments include Muddles in Snow White, Chester the Jester in Sleeping Beauty and Buttons in Cinderella. Coming from a talented performing family, Lewis won the first ever Kids Stars in Their Eyes as Donny Osmond and is part of a comedy show band called Schooner with his father Terry. Away from the stage, he runs The Devine Theatre Company to develop Merseyside youngsters in the entertainment industry.

Rachael Wood returns to the role of the Fairy Godmother after appearing in Cinderella at St Helens three years ago. The LIPA-trained actor and singing coach's stage credits also include Diva in Mam! I'm Ere! at Liverpool's Royal Court, Hannah in The Chaplin Story, Tonight's The Night, Snow White, and the title role in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. Her previous appearances at St Helens include Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty and Madam Botox in Beauty and the Beast.

And Shania Pain and Richard Aucott play the Ugly Sisters.

Shania Pain is a drag performer, cabaret artist and former Drag Idol finalist who studied musical theatre at Liverpool John Moores University. Panto credits include Nursey Knightley in Snow White, Mrs Potter in Beauty and the Beast and an Ugly Sister, all at the Gladstone Theatre. Looking ahead, Shania is due to appear in Dragged to the Musicals which tours this autumn.

Meanwhile a much-loved and experienced dame, Richard Aucott's many panto credits include Queen Hermione and Nanny Nora in Sleeping Beauty, Dame Trott in Jack and the Beanstalk, Sarah the Cook in Dick Whittington and Widow Twankey in Aladdin, along with an Ugly Sister in Cinderella, Nurse Nelly in Snow White and Potty Polly in Beauty and the Beast - all at St Helens. Other theatre credits include Mr Woodhouse and Mr Elton in Emma, Flute in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Malvolio in Twelfth Night.

Theatre Manager and the show's director Chantelle Joseph says: “Cinderella is often described as the greatest fairytale of them all and it's a particular favourite among our family audiences, so I'm absolutely delighted we're able to present such an enchanting pantomime on stage at the Theatre Royal this Easter.

“Kimberly was a huge hit with when she played Cinderella three years ago so I'm thrilled to welcome her back in the title role. She's joined by a wonderful cast of talented panto favourites – I can't wait to get into the rehearsal room and work with them to create a truly enchanting experience for St Helens' young theatregoers.”

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