FULL CAST REVEALED FOR RAPUNZEL AT STORYHOUSE THIS CHRISTMAS

Big beats, big hair and big fun are all promised when Rapunzel comes to Storyhouse this Christmas - and today the full cast for the enchanting festive production can also be revealed.

The Storyhouse Originals pantomime runs from Friday 4th December to Sunday 3rd January 2027 and tickets are on sale now.

Charlie Mae McKevitt plays Rapunzel and she will be joined on the Storyhouse main stage by Alicia Aquino, Savannah Beckford, James Colebrook, Jessica Dennis, Tasha Dowd, John Holt Roberts, Andy Owens and Eleni Papaioannou.

High in her tower, Rapunzel dreams of seeing the world far beyond the walls that surround her. But when a charming visitor appears, a hilarious adventure ensues…and Rapunzel discovers she has more power than she ever imagined.

The traditional tale is being given a special Storyhouse glow-up with a show that is fast, funny, and packed with dazzling dance moves, magical mischief and an irresistible soundtrack of mega hits.

Charlie Mae McKevitt appears as Rapunzel. A graduate of Italia Conti, her credits include The MGM Story (Hope Mill Theatre); Cinderella (Shakespeare North Playhouse); Red or Dead (Liverpool’s Royal Court); Further Adventures of Peter Pan (UK Productions); Ballet Explored (English National Ballet); Legislative Theatre (Trouble House Theatre); Jack & The Beanstalk (P&O Cruises) and The Worst Princess – Workshop (Full House Theatre).

Alicia Aquino is Gretel. Alicia studied at the Urdang Academy where credits included Fame, Hitchhiking Across America and Urinetown: the Musical. She made her professional debut as lead vocalist in the world premiere of arena show Disney: The Castle. Other credits include lead vocalist in Voice in a Million at the 02 Arena, while most recently she played Princess Jasmine in Aladdin (for both Jordan Productions and Scarlett Entertainment).

Savannah Beckford plays Fairy Oggy. Savannah studied performance in New York and acting at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Credits include Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Night (Warner Bros); The Buccaneers (Apple TV); The Merry Wives of Windsor (OVO); Humbug (Speakeasy Project) and By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (RCSSD).

James Colebrook is Prince Iver. James trained at Laine Theatre Arts. His stage credits include Jock Night (Hope Mill Theatre and Seven Dials Playhouse, London); Game Night (Edinburgh Fringe Festival) and West Side Story (Manchester).

Jessica Dennis plays Fairy Gothel/Segal. Jessica is an actor, singer and voice artist known for her work across theatre, audio drama and voice acting for video games and television.

Theatre credits include Macbeth (PSF); The Rainbow (Perth Theatre); Jack and the Beanstalk (Watford Palace Theatre); Romeo + Juliet (Box Clever); The Merchant of Venice: 1936 (RSC, West End and national tour); The Habit of Art (Original Theatre, 59E59 Theater); Boeing Boeing (London Classic Theatre); Aladdin (Stephen Joseph Theatre); Twelfth Night and Romeo + Juliet (Orange Tree Theatre); Henry V and The Tempest (Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre, York) and The Deranged Marriage (Rifco).

Television includes EastEnders, Murder Maps and Ruth Ellis. Film includes The Other Mother, Speak English, Night of the Living Dread and Tuesdays With Bernie.

Tasha Dowd appears as Sam. Tasha, who trained at Leeds Conservatoire, returns to Storyhouse after appearing as Lennox in Macbeth and Mo the Mouse in Cinderella. Further stage credits include Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors (Derby Theatre/Northern Stage); Buttons in Cinderella (CAST); Rio Taylor in The Walrus Has a Right to Adventure (Liverpool Everyman); Jake/Minotaur in The Storm and the Minotaur (Slung Low); Amy in Joy Unspeakable (Bolton Octagon); Marty Wilde/band in Vernon’s Girls (Liverpool’s Royal Court); Lady Macduff in Macbeth (Leeds Playhouse) and Ensemble/Mother in The Coup Coup Club (Slung Low Warehouse).

Film and TV credits include Delinquent in Tin Star (Sky Atlantic) and Jo in The Long Game (Shortfilm).

John Holt Roberts is King Marrow/Captain Pirate. John trained at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts and returns to Storyhouse after appearing in Cinderella in 2023. Other stage credits include 93 ‘til Infinity (Slung Low); Love’s Labour’s Lost and Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare in the Squares); A Christmas Carol, Welfare, The Wind in the Willows, Alice in Wonderland, Robin Hood and the Major Oak and Kes (all Derby Theatre); The Dinner (Lamphouse Theatre/Switch Festival); Twelfth Night (JLA Productions); The Gingerbread Man (Hiccup Theatre national tour); The Wind in the Willows (Gobbledigook Theatre/Bolton Abbey); Troupers and Till the Cows Come Home (Mikron Theatre national tour) and A Christmas Carol (The Flanagan Collective).

Film credits include Two Kids (Double M Films); Father Christmas is Back (MSR Media) and Zomblogalypse (One and Other Creative).

Andy Owens is Royal Trumpeter/PC Clue/Dave the Pirate. His theatre credits include Elliot in Who Let the Gods Out? (Polka Theatre); Little Robin Red Breast (Filskit Theatre); Hugh in Rosie & Hugh’s Great Big Adventure (North Wall, Edinburgh Fringe and Soho Theatre); Perkins/understudy Eddie Lyons in Blood Brothers (UK tour); Fritz/the Mouse King in The Nutcracker, Lysander/Snout/Mote in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Malvolio/Sebastian in Twelfth Night, Roger in Swallows & Amazons, Delio in The Duchess of Malfi and Edmund in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (all Creation Theatre Company); understudy in Posh (UK tour); Peter in Peter Pan (Crossroads); Hansel in Grimms’ Fairy Tales (Guildford Shakespeare Company) and Nick in Carrie’s War (UK tour).

Eleni Papaioannou plays Mrs Wand/Oink/Butler/Vicar/Pirate Colin. Eleni trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts where she attained an MA in Acting.

Stage credits include Stickman Live (London, UK tour and UAE tour) and Dear Santa (Birmingham Hippodrome).

Rapunzel is written by Anne Odeke and directed by Gemma Fairlie. Set design is by Carla Goodman, lighting by Charly Dunford, and composer and sound design by Ernie Acquah. Sundeep Saini is movement director and choreographer, and Vicki Amedume is aerial director.

Storyhouse Creative Director Suzie Henderson said today:

“Christmas is a time of magic and wonder for children, for whom pantomime is often their first – exhilarating - experience of live performance.

“So I’m delighted that, following the success of last year’s Beauty and the Beast, we have another absolute treat waiting in the wings for our family audiences this season.

“Anne Odeke’s bold and exciting adaptation of Rapunzel is packed with delights, and now we can also reveal the multi-talented cast who are ready to let their hair down in the rehearsal room and create something magical and memorable for Chester theatregoers of all ages this season.”

For more details on Rapunzel visit: 

www.storyhouse.com

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