Casting Announced To Join AJ and Curtis Pritchard in CINDERELLA Panto

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre has announced more casting for this year's pantomime, CINDERELLA! Playing the title role of Cinderella is Kingswinford-born CBeebies presenter Evie Pickerill and Five Star's lead vocalist Denise Pearson joins the cast as the Fairy Godmother.

Denise and Evie star alongside the previously announced AJ and Curtis Pritchard as Prince Charming and Dandini from Saturday 4 December 2021 - Sunday 9 January 2022.

Having grown up in Dudley, Evie has fond memories of Wolverhampton Grand. She performed at the theatre in her school days with West Bromwich Operatic Society before training professionally. On her return to the Grand and her first pantomime role, she said; "I'm so happy to be in my hometown for Christmas! Panto is always such fun, but to be performing in front of family, friends and locals is a dream come true. I have been on the Grand stage once or twice before as a teenager, I was in awe of the theatre back then and can't wait to feel the same butterflies again this Christmas".

Evie studied BTEC Performing Arts at Thomas Telford school and then moved to Liverpool at the age of 18 to study acting at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. During her final year at LIPA, Evie had the idea of putting on the musical Shout. The show was such a success at LIPA, that it transferred to play at that year's Edinburgh Fringe. The show went down a storm and receiving five star reviews, it was performed again at the Fringe and in 2016 at the Royal Court in Liverpool. Since 2018, Evie has been able to carry on her love of performing, in the CBeebies House and in the CBeebies Presentsproductions. Evie played Princess of the Clouds in CBeebies Christmas in Storyland (2020) and Juliet in CBeebies Romeo & Juliet (2021).

Denise Pearsonis an English singer-songwriter. She was the lead vocalist with the British pop/R&B group Five Star, lovingly thought of as Britain's Jackson 5, which comprised herself and her four siblings. The group was created and managed by their father, Buster Pearson, in 1983. Five Starhad four Top 20 albums and 15 Top 40 singles in the UK, including the Top 10 hits System Addict (1986), Can't Wait Another Minute(1986), Find the Time(1986), Rain or Shine (1986), Stay Out of My Life (1987) and The Slightest Touch (1987). They won the 1987 Brit Award for Best British Group.

Denise said; "I am delighted to be joining the beautiful cast at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre for the 2021 production of Cinderella as Fairy Godmother. I am so excited to see you guys and welcoming in a sense of normality and interactive fun again. Oh yes, we shall go to the ball!"

Adrian Jackson, Chief Executive & Artistic Director of the Grand Theatre said;"I'm delighted Evie Pickerill will play the title role of Cinderella. Evie is home-grown and proudly represents the many performers who started their journey into showbusiness in local productions, right here at the Grand Theatre. She is known to millions of families on CBeebies and will be recognised by our very youngest of theatregoers - many of whom will experience the magic of theatre for the first time this Christmas. In Denise, we have a world-class vocalist and I know she will Raise the Roof with some great songs. Combined with AJ & Curtis Pritchard, our cast appeals to the entire family and I look forward to welcoming everyone to our very special Christmas pantomime."

CINDERELLAwill be produced by Imagine Theatre, in partnership with Wolverhampton Grand.

The headline sponsor for CINDERELLA will be Dudley Zoo & Castle.

Tickets for CINDERELLA from Saturday 4 December 2021 - Sunday 9 January 2022 are on sale now. Tickets can be booked online at grandtheatre.co.uk.

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