Music, panto and local drama talent are among the highlights of the latest programme of events to be announced by Sheringham Little Theatre.
A new brochure flagging up shows between October and March includes a Blues, Roots and Americana music weekend, a Cinderella panto with a modern Netflix twist, and six “am dram” productions.
Theatre director Debbie Thompson said: “Cinderella is the best panto story – but as ever we are putting a new slant on it with our Prince Charming as a Netflix star looking for love through his documentary called A Charmed Life.”
Cinderella runs from December 15 to January 2 with Emily Kate Ann as Cinders, Samuel Garrett as Prince Charming, Kit Henson and Danniella Schindler as the Ugly Sisters Beeston and Bump, Grace Pennington as Buttonz and Shane Armstrong as the stepmother and fairy godmother.
Following public demand, the theatre is also staging its first ever adult panto - Rubbin Good (Jan 12-14), a risque version of Robin Hood penned by the venue’s regular panto writer Nick Earnshaw.
The amateur offerings are Blithe Spirit (Oct 18-21)and Communicating Doors (Feb 14-17) by the Cromer and Sheringham Operatic and Dramatic Society, Miss Marble’s Christmas Present (Nov 9-11) and Waiting for God (Jan 26-27) by Stage Direct, and Season’s Greetings (Nov 16-18) and Wyrd Sisters (Mar 28-30) by the Little Theatre Players
The Blues Roots and Americana weekend (Mar 8-10) features Sally Barker, Brooks Williams, Fran McGillivray and Mike Burke plus the Spikedrivers as well as local artists.
Fund raising events – to help pay for a new boiler at the venue – include a gardening evening with East Ruston Old Vicarage’s Alan Gray (Oct 14) and radio-style fun with Pete Goodrum and Steve Bumfrey (Nov 3).
Show details and a downloadable brochure will be available on the website www.sheringhamlittletheatre.com after August 28 when tickets go on sale to the general public. Films and screenings do not appear in the brochure but will be added via the website.
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS
October
14 – Evening with Alan Gray and Anna Perrott – tips, chat and fun with Radio Norfolk Garden Party duo
18-21 - Blithe Spirit – classic comedy from Noel Coward by the Cromer and Sheringham Operatic and Dramatic Society
27-28 - Night at the Music-Ghouls – spooky musical theatre concert by the SLT Youth Theatre for Halloween
November
1 – 53 Floods – historian Neil Storey marks the 70th anniversary of the 1953 floods with stories and pictures
3 - Goodrum and Bumfrey Unplugged – chat and laughter from Pete Goodrum and Stephen Bumfrey from Radio Norfolk
16-18 - Season’s Greetings – Festive family feuding in the Alan Ayckbourn comedy by the Little Theatre Players
December
1 -Billy Fury Meets Elvis – an evening of classic rock and roll from two icons by tribute act Ivan Brady
10 - Carols at the Theatre – festive singalong with the Sheringham and Cromer Choral Society, joined by the SLT Youth Choir
15 – Jan 2 – Cinderella – professional panto fun with a Sheringham flavour with Cinders and her Ugly Sisters Beeston and Bump
January
12-14 - Rubbin Good – an alternative “adults only” panto as Robin Hood gets the rude, lewd and crude treatment
26-27 - Waiting for God – Am dram group Stage Direct’s live version of the BBC sitcom set in a retirement village
February
9 - Solve-Along-a-Murder-She –Wrote – cult interactive screening of classic murder mystery with audience participation, games and prizes
14-17 - Communicating Doors – time-travelling comic thriller set in a hotel by the Cromer and Sheringham Operatic and Dramatic Society
24 – New Mikado – a new Opera Anywhere production putting a fresh take on the Gilbert and Sullivan story by setting it in Ancient Rome
March
2 - Big Night Out – variety show with song, dance, and burlesque hosted by drag queen MSK
8-10 - Blues, Roots and Americana weekend - with Sally Barker, Fran McGillivray and Mike Burke, the Spikedrivers and Brooks Williams.
28-30 - Wyrd Sisters – SLT Players present their version of Terry Pratchett’s bewitching take on Macbeth.
A tragedy-hit seaside family is trying to get life back on song through music in a new comedy drama premiering at Sheringham this summer.
Shanty is the story of a Cromer crab fisherman and his two daughters, all grieving after the sudden death of their wife and mum.
Their rebuilding journey, laced with music and humour born out of adversity, is explored by up-and-coming young playwright and poet James McDermott who lives near Holt.
“It is a drama drawing its comedy from the family’s attempts to form a band, the mess of grieving and being a young person clumsily trying to find a new way forward,” he explained.
A free arts event celebrating two famous British characters will raise the curtain on a new fundraising appeal at Sheringham Little Theatre.
Prose, poetry and music will punctuate an afternoon of performance on Sunday April 23 which coincides with St George’s Day and the birthday of William Shakespeare.
Entry is free during the event which runs from 3pm to 5pm, in the Hub which will be serving cream teas as well as cakes, savouries and drinks. But donations will be invited to help kick start a £5000 appeal to upgrade the venue’s curtains.
No More Heroes? looks to explore well known and unsung icons of British culture. Works will include a new version of the St George story, and the words, plus a parody, of the Bard, as well as music from British composers ancient and modern.
He’s a bus station busker, whose songs are just the ticket for travellers. But who is he and why does he do it?
They are the questions tackled in new one-man comedy drama penned and performed by a north Norfolk entertainer.
Greg Powles’ show The Busker takes a journey in song, stories and humour that delves into the mystery street performer. As well as singing his songs, he explains how they fit into his life.
It will be staged at three East Anglian venues in May – Pakefield, Sheringham and Norwich – ahead of plans to take the new work to the Edinburgh Festival next year.
A pair of prestigious premieres feature in the newly-announced summer season drama line-up at Sheringham Little Theatre.
Shanty is a brand new comedy, with live music, based on a Cromer sea shanty singing fishermen and his family. Running from August 8-12 it charts daughter Shanty’s creation of a band to tackle the family’s fishing business woes. It is penned by North Norfolk based playwright, poet and EastEnders scriptwriter James McDermott.
Run For Your Man (August 22-26), by farce master Ray Cooney, is a modern twist on his classic Run For Your Wife – putting cabbie Jackie into the main role, juggling two husbands in two different towns, before her life unravels.
Songs signalled the reopening of Sheringham Little Theatre’s Hub café after a month-long closure for a facelift.
The new-look Hub held its “premiere” with an opening ceremony on Saturday morning (Feb 11) that mixed music, mingling, poetry and performance.
BBC Look East presenter and reporter Jenny Kirk cut the ceremonial ribbon, praising the project and encouraging people to support the venue’s investment in its future.
She said it was the first time she had been back in town since another reopening – a street party in 2019 to mark the end of works to repair a high street sink hole, when she was also impressed by the town’s community spirit.