Panto preparations underway at Chelmsford Theatre

We’ve just experienced one of the warmest, driest springs on record, but the team at Chelmsford Theatre has been feeling festive as they look ahead to Christmas 2025!

It’s never too early to think about Christmas at the theatre, and their beloved annual panto really is a continuous labour of love. Days after the last show finishes in January, the team gets straight onto planning for the next. In recent weeks, they’ve been ramping up preparations for this year’s epic retelling of the classic tale Aladdin. Producers have begun casting roles and this year’s script writers are already cooking up some cracking jokes.

Talented cast of children selected through the Young Panto Company

Last month, panto producers Rhys Thomas (Chelmsford Theatre Director) and Daryl Back (One From The Heart) selected ten talented children to perform in this year’s panto, following a day of Young Panto Company auditions.

Chelmsford Theatre’s popular Young Panto Company programme offers opportunities for gifted young performers to get real experience working on a theatre production. The programme helps to build confidence and develop key creative skills.

This year’s auditions saw children aged 8 to 15 show off their coordination and dance skills as they learnt a routine with local choreographer and actress Caitlin Rutter, who previously appeared as the title role in Chelmsford Theatre’s Cinderella in 2018.

Children auditioning for Aladdin.

Rhys Thomas says the theatre remains committed to supporting the futures of young performers through the Young Panto Company:

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“This year, we had incredible interest from young people right across Essex to be part of our Young Panto Company – with over 100 applications received and 80 children attending auditions. It was tough to select only ten!

“We’re 100% committed at Chelmsford Theatre to supporting young performers and, in future years, I’d like to draw further on the talents of our young cast and see them become even more involved in our annual panto. So, if you weren’t selected for this year’s show, please do apply again next year. We encourage all young people to have a go at performing and see if they click with it. One way in which they can do this is by taking part in some of our Discover workshops. Held throughout the year, these provide fun and socially connected opportunities to learn new skills and build confidence in the creative arts.”

Rhys Thomas, Theatre Director, Chelmsford Theatre

This year’s chosen young performers will return to the theatre from November to begin rehearsals alongside the main cast and crew.

Snow White scriptwriters return for 2025

This year’s script for Aladdin will be co-written by long-term collaborators Neil Bromley and Tony Casement, after they crafted an energetic and cheeky script for Snow White in 2024.

Neil is best-known in local circles for playing Chelmsford Theatre’s panto dame in recent years. This year, Neil is passing on his wig to a brand-new dame coming to Chelmsford for 2025 – but more on that new casting later!

Tony and Neil both have extensive writing experience, and have worked together on various panto, TV and theatre scripts since 1992. The pair are already working on the script for Aladdin, with even more side-splitting, topical, and (mostly!) family-friendly jokes planned for this year.

Principal cast being sourced for 2025

With the cast of young people in place, scriptwriters busy at work, and a brand-new dame to look forward to, Rhys and Daryl are now working to confirm the rest of the principal cast, including the roles of Aladdin and Princess Jasmine.

Daryl Back says appointing the perfect cast is the most critical part of the annual panto process:

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“Without a great cast, you can’t expect a great show and we’re looking for just the right actors to sprinkle some panto magic over Chelmsford this year. The pizzaz, joy and humour that everyone loves about panto has got to be within the cast, so as usual we’ve got our work cut out to find the perfect people, and over the coming weeks that is our priority. As well as fresh new faces, we are hoping to see a couple of familiar faces that we know Chelmsford audiences have loved in recent years returning in 2025. But all will be revealed soon!”

Daryl Back, Producer, One From The Heart

The full cast for Aladdin at Chelmsford Theatre will be announced later this year. In the meantime, it’s never too early to book your seats for this year’s panto. Tickets can be purchased at www.chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk/event/aladdin.

Santa’s North Pole Adventure

With panto prep well underway, Chelmsford Theatre has this month announced another festive family production arriving in December – Santa’s North Pole Adventure.

Featuring best-loved Christmas songs, audience participation and the chance to have a photo with Santa himself, this heartwarming show sees the jolly man and his North Pole elves face a bit of a hiccup as they prepare for his big Christmas Eve trip around the world…

Tickets can be booked on the Chelmsford Theatre website, with the option to add a souvenir plush toy.