THE SNOW QUEEN Comes to Rose Theatre Kingston

Rose Theatre Kingston today announces its 2019 Christmas show, a festive new version of Hans Christian Andersen's classic The Snow Queen written by Ciaran McConville, who returns to the theatre following last year's successful adaptation of Hansel & Gretel. McConville will direct a cast of local young actors from Rose Youth Theatre led by a team of professional actors. The production opens on Friday 13 December, with previews from Friday 6 December, and runs until Sunday 5 January 2020.

As a young boy, Kai finds a girl with magic powers alone in the cold. He calls her Gerda and the two grow up to be great friends. But living with magic isn't easy. When Gerda accidentally fires a splinter of ice into Kai's heart, she must get him to the palace of the Snow Queen in time to save his life. Their perilous journey includes pirates, a talking reindeer and a great battle between snow elves and ice goblins.

This new adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's spellbinding adventure features a wealth of local talent from Rose Youth Theatre alongside a professional cast in a story full of Christmas heart.

Ciaran McConville said today, "I am thrilled that the Rose has asked me to adapt and direct The Snow Queen. There's nothing quite like the Rose Christmas show. It delivers spectacle and heart in equal measure, so it makes sense for us to stage such a magical and beloved fairy tale. I am looking forward to meeting any young people aged 10-19 who want to train at the Rose and be a part of this amazing adventure."

As in previous years, Rose Theatre Kingston invites young actors aged 10-19 to audition to perform in The Snow Queen as part of Rose Youth Theatre.

The young cast will receive training from a professional creative team to learn high level acting skills before performing in alternate shows across the run.

Auditions start on Wednesday 20th February, submissions are open now. For further information and to apply please visit www.rosetheatrekingston.org, or email Ciaran McConville at CiaranM@rosetheatrekingston.org.

Ciaran McConville writes and directs. His writing credits for the Rose include Hansel & Gretel, Alice in Winterland, The Wind in the Willows, A Christmas Carol, Our Town: A Kingston Story, In the Way of Peace, Scenes from Childhood and Stay With Me. Other credits include Beast Quest (Hampton Court Palace), The Enchanted Story Trail (RHS Garden Wisley), Stones (Sutton Theatres), Snowbound (Trafalgar Studios), My Father the Angel (NT Studio), These Four Walls, Shostakovich The Last Symphony, Touched by Fire, The Man Who Dreamed (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), MiracleBoy (Bad Physics), Crooked Little House (Battersea Arts Centre), Immortal (Courtyard Theatre) and The Settling Dust (Union Theatre). Adaptations include Heart of Darkness, The Jungle Book, Treasure Island, Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Trial, Arabian Nights, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Oliver Twist, Frankenstein and the hit show Horrible Histories Ruthless Romans, which toured internationally. He is also a founding director of Debut Theatre Company.

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