Full Cast Announced for Sheffield Theatres' Production of THE WIZARD OF OZ

Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres Robert Hastie today announced the full cast for his Christmas production of The Wizard of Oz - Catrin Aaron (Miss Gulch / Wicked Witch), Jonathan Broadbent (Zeke/Lion), Gabrielle Brooks (Dorothy), Ryan Ellsworth (Professor Marvel / The Wizard Of Oz), Andrew Langtree (Hunk / Scarecrow), Michael Matus (Uncle Henry / Oz Doorkeeper), Sophia Nomvete (Aunt Em / Glinda) and Max Parker (Hickory / Tin Man); and completing the ensemble, Simon Anthony, Piers Bates, MyLes Brown, Collette Coleman, Claire Doyle, Glen Facey, Samantha Hull, Blythe Jandoo, Fergal McGoff, Jo Lucy Rackham, Michael James Stewart, Charley Vincent, Rhiannon Wallace and Charlotte-Kate Warren. The production opens on 13 December, with previews from 7 December, and also announced today, extends its run due to popular demand, now closing on 20 January 2018. Tickets for the extra week of performances go on sale tomorrow, 14 October.

'Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby'

The technicolour classic that takes the whole family to the Emerald City and back again. Join Dorothy and all her friends for this glorious technicolor production of the timeless classic, The Wizard of Oz. Skip along the yellow brick road and journey through munchkin land all the way to Oz, carried along by all your favourite tunes, including Over the Rainbow and We're Off to See the Wizard, in this festive family spectacular.

Catrin Aaron plays Miss Gulch / Wicked Witch. She is an Associate for Theatr Clwyd, where her work includes Little Voice, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, All My Sons, The Light of Heart, Aristocrats; Salt, Root and Roe; Humbug, God of Carnage, A Doll's House, Roots, Taking Steps, Gaslight, Dancing at Lughnasa, A Small Family Business, Festen, Mary Stuart, Twilight Tales, Macbeth, A Toy Epic, Tales from Europe, The Timeless Myths of the Mabinogi, Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, The Voyage, The Way It Was, Flights of Fancy, Hobson's Choice, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Silas Marner. Her other theatre work includes Henry V (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), The Forsythe Sisters (Gaggle Babble), Sex and the Three Day Week (Liverpool Playhouse) and What People Do and London: Let's Get Visceral (Old Vic Tunnels). For television, her work includes The Indian Doctor and The Bastard Executioner; and for film, the forthcoming Apostle.

Jonathan Broadbent plays Zeke/Lion. For theatre, his work includes for the RSC, The Tempest (also Barbican), Queen Anne and Love for Love; My Night with Reg (Apollo Theatre), Grand Guignol (Southwark Playhouse), Hamlet (Rose Theatre), Damned by Despair (National Theatre) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Royal Exchange). For television, his work includes Gimme, Gimme, Gimme; Cold War and Alice in Wonderland; and for film, The Magic Flute and As You Like It.

Gabrielle Brooks returns to Sheffield Theatres to play Dorothy - she previously appeared in Everybody's Talking About Jamie. He r other theatre work includes Lazarus (Kings Cross Theatre), Red Snapper (Belgrade Theatre), The Strangers Case (Liverpool Everyman), The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales), I Can't Sing (London Palladium), Our House (Savoy Theatre) and Avenue Q (UK No 1 Tour/ Cameron Mackintosh). For television, her work includes Paul O'Grady Show and Coming Down the Mountain; and for film, Notes on a Scandal.

Ryan Ellsworth plays Professor Marvel / The Wizard Of Oz. For theatre, his work includes Labyrinth (Hampstead Theatre), Henry V (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, Cymbeline (Cheek by Jowl), Where There's a Will (English Touring Theatre) and Antigone (The Old Vic). For television, his work includes A Royal Winter, Manhunt and Island at War, and for film, Bel Ami.

Andrew Langtree plays Hunk / Scarecrow. His theatre work includes Albert's Boy (Orange Tree Theatre), The Hypocrite (RSC and Hull Truck), Treasure Island (Birmingham Rep), Groundhog Day (The Old Vic), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Theatr Clwyd) and Oppenheimer (RSC and Vaudeville Theatre). For television, his work includes The Royal and Cutting It; and for film, Delovely.

Michael Matus plays Uncle Henry / Oz Doorkeeper. His theatre work includes King Lear (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Frogs, The Return of the Soldier (Jermyn Street Theatre), Peter and the Starcatcher (Royal and Derngate), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty's Theatre), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Playhouse Theatre), The A to Z of Mrs P (Southwark Playhouse) and The Sound of Music (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre). For television, his work includes Endeavour, A prince Among Men, Then and A Perfect World; and for film, A Muppet Christmas Carol.

Sophia Nomvete plays Aunt Em / Glinda. Her theatre work includes Wind in the Willows, Noises Off (UK tours), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Birmingham Rep), As You Like It, The Heresy of Love (Shakespeare's Globe), Much Ado About Nothing (Royal Exchange), The Color Purple (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Pyjama Game (Chichester Festival Theatre) and Ragtime and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre).

Max Parker plays Hickory / Tin Man. For theatre, his work includes Matilda (Cambridge Theatre), Guys and Dolls (Savoy Theatre and Phoenix Theatre), I Can't Sing (The Palladium), Barnum (Chichester Festival Theatre) and Kiss Me Kate (WNO).

Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres Robert Hastie directs. He was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. His credits for the company include Julius Caesar (Best Director nomination for the 2017 UK Theatre Awards) and Of Kith and Kin (also Bush Theatre).

His other theatre credits include Breaking the Code (Royal Exchange, Manchester), Henry V (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Theatr Clwyd). As an Associate Director of the Donmar Warehouse, his work includes My Night With Reg by Kevin Elyot (also West End - Hastie was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards, and the production was nominated for Best Revival at the Olivier Awards), and Splendour, by Abi Morgan.

His other directing credits include Carthage, Events While Guarding The Bofors Gun (Finborough Theatre), Sunburst (Holborn Grange Hotel), Sixty-Six Books (Bush Theatre) and A Breakfast of Eels (Print Room).

For more information visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.

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