Beauty & The Beast - The Pantomime

From the producers of MADAGASCAR THE MUSICAL and the smash hit pantomime CINDERELLA, comes BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – THE PANTOMIME, starring RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under 2021 winner Kita Mean, What Now host Erin Wells and award-winning entertainer Ali Harper.

Adapted by ingenious writer and director Gregory Cooper (That Bloody Woman, MAMIL, Rumpelstiltskin, Cinderella) this version of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST will have more twists and turns than a snake with an itch!

The story follows Belle (Erin Wells) after she is imprisoned in a castle with a hideous Beast and a number of magical characters all entrapped under the spell of the wicked witch. Can the Beast break free from the terrible curse? Will Belle outwit the wicked witch? Can she fall in love with the Beast before the last petal falls from the enchanted rose? Oh, yes they can!

Known for her big hair, colourful outfits and larger than life persona, it’s little wonder Kita Mean leapt at the chance to join the show. Following two wonderful seasons hosting House of Drag she went on to be crowned the winner of Ru Paul’s Drag Race Downunder 2021. Recently returning from the US tour of War On The Catwalk the delightfully camp queen will show off her charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent as Belles Sister, Tynes.

One of Aotearoa’s national treasures, the award-winning entertainer Ali Harper will play the castle's head housekeeper Mrs Potts. With a career spanning more than 30 years, Ali’s career highlights include Blood Brothers, Mamma Mia!, Legally Blonde, My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, A Shortcut to Happiness, Side by Side by Sondheim, Jacques Brel is alive and well and living in Paris, Calendar Girls, Jerry’s Girls, The Rocky Horror Show,Tell Me on a Sunday, Yesterday and A Little Night Music.

Playing Sydney the Wicked Witch of the West is the exceptional triple threat talent, Calista Nelmes who recently returned home from performing with Royal Caribbean Productions. Audiences will recognise her from last year’s box office smash-hit production of Jersey Boys in Wellington and Auckland.

Playing Alexandra the Good Witch of the South is something Rebekah Head is no stranger to, having starred as Glinda in three separate productions of the Tony Award winning musical Wicked.

As Belle’s father and mad inventor, Maurice, Edwin Beats is a star of stage and the small screen, with theatre credits including Jesus Christ Superstar (Court Theatre), Billy Elliot the Musical (Auckland Theatre Company) and TV credits including Hope & Wire and various sketches for Jono and Ben.

Returning to pantoland is Trubie-Dylan Smith who will play the outrageous Seymour Bottom. His previous Court Theatre credits include The Princess and The Frog (and The Robber!) and The Wind in the Willows. As the artistic director of the Court Jesters he can often be seen appearing in Scared Scriptless. His other theatre credits include He Kura Kōrero (Circa Theatre); The Bald Soprano (Arcade Theatre Company); King Arthur (Rollicking Entertainment Ltd); Red Riding Robyn Hood and Shakespeare As You Write It (New Zealand Playhouse Tour 2018).

Ensemble: Brylee Lockhart, Tiahli Martyn, Zoe Lynch, Gemma Kearney, Campbell Richardson, Bryn Monk, Nicole Wilson, Olly Humphries, Isla Palmer, Holly Palmer, Amelia Nicholls, Poppy Brown, Bronte Allpress Goudie, Molly McDowall, Romy Smith, Maddison McDonald.