Children invited to become the welcoming voice of Chelmsford Theatre’s panto this winter

Chelmsford Theatre is inviting children aged 5 to 11 to become the voice that welcomes audiences to this year’s pantomime. A new competition offers participants the thrilling opportunity to re-write and then record the theatre’s pre-show announcements.

Three competition winners will be selected, and each will receive a prize of one adult and one child ticket to the panto, where they can listen to their own recorded announcements!

Snow White glides into Chelmsford Theatre this Christmas

This year’s panto at Chelmsford Theatre will tell the magical story of Snow White. There’ll be kind princes, evil stepmothers and sassy back-chatting mirrors in this panto favourite. Plus, audiences can expect a fantastic Chelmsford Theatre twist to the classic fairy tale – on which we’ll say no more!

Helping children learn about ‘behind the scenes’ theatre

The competition to introduce this year’s panto offers the perfect chance for children interested in theatre, the arts and especially in voiceover work, to get a glimpse ‘behind-the-scenes’ and experience a real recording session. It’s part of Chelmsford Theatre’s Discover programme, which aims to connect the theatre with its local community and improve access to the arts for all.

The competition asks participants to rewrite Chelmsford Theatre’s current pre-show announcement lines. A panel of judges will choose three winners, who will then be invited to record their very own winning lines in person at Chelmsford Theatre on 21 November.

After the recording session, the winners’ preshow announcements will be played on a rotating schedule during the panto run. Each winner’s voice will be used for at least 14 public shows and 6 school shows. The winners will be informed of the dates when their recordings will be played – so they can take friends and family along to listen in the theatre foyers!

How to enter the competition

The competition is now live until 1 November.

To take part, get to work rewriting the theatre’s pre-show announcements and submit them online. The panel of judges is looking for lines themed to Snow White, with fun and comedic twists to get audiences in a merry mood ahead of each show!

To enter, each participant must confirm availability to attend a recording session at Chelmsford Theatre on 21 November from 6pm to 7pm.

The winners will be decided by a panel of judges from Chelmsford Theatre, including Creative Engagement Officer Megan Crisp. Megan hopes the competition will inspire the next generation of theatre professionals:

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“Chelmsford theatre is passionate about supporting talent, which is why our Discover programme was created. We hope this competition will not only inspire young people to engage more with the arts, but also help them to see how varied and exciting a potential career in the arts could be. From the marketing officer who writes the copy and the voiceover actor who reads it, to the technical crew who record it and the front of house staff who play it – a lot of futures can come from one competition! We cannot wait to see all your entries.”

Megan Crisp, Creative Engagement Officer

The selected winners will be contacted by 14 November 2024.

Book your tickets for this year’s magical Christmas season

Chelmsford Theatre’s latest season brochure is now live and jam-packed with shows for the autumn winter season, including plenty of festive favourites. The theatre’s winter festival 2024 offers a screening of The Royal Ballet and Opera's Nutcracker, a chance for little ones to meet the merry man in Dear Santa, and of course the beloved annual panto. There’s also a special festive ‘Paint and Sip’ session on 4 December for adults to enjoy as part of the Discover programme of workshops.

After an outstanding 2023 season this year’s panto is selling fast! Secure your preferred date and seats now via the theatre website. To find keep up to date with Chelmsford Theatre shows and events, give them a follow on Facebook and Instagram.

A screening of The Royal Ballet and Opera's Nutcracker, and festive 'Paint and Sip' sessions are coming to Chelmsford Theatre this December.