Justin is back!

Hi panto fans!

We have some super exciting news to share with you today! We are thrilled to announce that the super talented Justin Fletcher will be returning to the Hexagon Theatre, Reading this Christmas to play Wishee Washee in a spectacular production of Aladdin.

More than 35,000 people flocked to the theatre in 2010 to see Sleeping Beauty, which was hailed as the biggest smash hit panto to be staged at the venue in recent years.

So we would like to say a big WELCOME BACK to Justin who we know will be utterly fabulous once again!!

For more news on Justin, Aladdin and our other productions visit our website www.imaginetheatre.co.uk and follow us on Facebook too!

The Imagine Theatre team xx

On the road to the Victoria!

Afternoon panto fans!

Today we are off on our travels visiting one of our lovely venues. We have headed up to Halifax to meet up with the guys at the Victoria Theatre to talk about all things panto!

This year's show is Aladdin and we already have a star signed up! The lovely Neil Hurst will be returning to place Wishee Washee - a really cheeky panto fave!

So it is all go here!

Until next time panto fans...

The Imagine Theatre panto team xx

Martin is goosing around!

Hi panto fans!

Well, it is busy, busy here in the Imagine Theatre office. We are sorting out scenery and props which have now made it back home to the stores after their Christmas travels - so lots to do!

We have also filmed our very first promo video for this year's panto season! Martin Ballard who will be starring in Mother Goose at Loughborough Town Hall later this year had an egg-cellent time!

Check it out here http://www.youtube.com/user/ImagineTheatre1

See you soon panto fans

The Imagine Theatre team xx

First stars announced for 2011/12 season!

Hi panto fans,

Exciting news, we have already signed two of our favourite panto stars for this season!

The formidable Martin Ballard will return to Loughborough Town Hall to play everyone's favourite mother figure - Mother Goose! He has already had a photo shoot too in his new costume - see above!

We are also pleased to announce that the lovely Neil Hurst will return for his third Imagine Theatre panto season at Halifax's Victoria Theatre. Neil will play Wishee Washee in Aladdin - so expect plenty of laughs and lots of mischief!

Lots more details will be revealed soon!

Until then panto peeps...

The Imagine Theatre team xx

Thanks to all!

Hi Panto fans,

Well the 2010 panto season officially closed over the weekend with the casts of Beauty and the Beast in Inverness, Cinderella in Loughborough and in Coventry putting on their final and brilliant performances!

A big thank you to all involved for another fantastic run! And a HUGE thank you to every single person who came to see one of the shows, we hope that you had as much fun as we did!

Stay tuned for more updates on the 2011/12 season coming soon - it is all go in the world of panto!

The Imagine Theatre team xx

(Pictured above: The brilliant Iain Lauchlan as Dame Dorothy Doo It in Beauty and the Beast, Eden Court, Inverness)

Happy New Year

Hello panto peeps!

Well time certainly flies in the world of panto - where did Christmas time go?!

If you are yet to see one of our shows and enjoy the panto fun then there is still time! Cinderella at The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry runs until Jan 8, Beauty and the Beast at Eden Court, Inverness and Cinderella at Loughborough Town Hall both run until Jan 9 - so call the box offices for more details.

Thank you to everyone who came to see one of our shows and to all involved with each and every performance - it really has been a fantastic season.

Whilst we may only be in January, we are already starting to plan for this year's festive panto season! Over the next few weeks we will be meeting with our venues to discuss this year's shows, receiving hundreds of CVs from budding panto actors and reviewing scripts.

So check back soon for more updates!

Happy New Year,

The Imagine Theatre team x

Countdown to Crimbo

Hi panto fans!

Well only a few days to go until the big day, we busy getting our mince pies ready for Santa!

We want to say a big thank you to everyone involved with all of our pantos across the country for making this such a great season so far - if you haven't been to see a show yet there is still time!

We have had so many great reviews too which makes all the hard worth so worthwhile.

I hope you like the picture above of our two formidable Uglies on stage at Loughborough Town Hall - they have been having audiences in stitches!

Merry Christmas panto peeps!!

The Imagine Theatre team xx

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Hello everyone!

Well even with all of this snow about for our pantos 'the show must go on!'

Despite the freezing temperatures our panto pros have been taking to the stage and keeping audiences warm with plenty of laughs, fun and sing alongs!

So take a trip to one of our shows today for the perfect winter warm up!

Take care

The Imagine Theatre team xxx

(pictured a production shot from Aladdin at the Lyceum Theatre, Crewe)

Congratulations Dave!

Hi panto fans!

We are very excited and pleased to announce that our lovely Dave the cow has won the Ben and Jerry's Panto Cow of the Year competition! Go Dave!

Dave, the star of Jack and the Beanstalk in Porthcawl, beat four other cows to be crowned the best panto cow in the UK and we are very proud of him - he is truly mooooovalous!

Dave said: "Thank you to everyone who voted and Moooorry Christmas!"

Love

The Imagine Theatre team x

All go in the world of panto!

Good morning panto fans!

Well what a weekend it has been in the world of panto! Our final shows opened - a huge well done to the casts of Sleeping Beauty, Halifax, Jack and the Beanstalk, Porthcawl, and Mother Goose, Leamington Spa.

We also had our gala night for Sleeping Beauty in Reading, it was fantastic - the pic above is our lovely Jane Tucker who plays Azuriel and Joloyn Dixon who stars as Nurse Nanny Nora.

So over the next couple of weeks we will be off to see more shows which will be lots of fun and perfect for getting us into the Christmas spirit!

Bye for now peeps!

The Imagine Theatre team xx

Kilmarnock audiences love panto!

Hi there panto peeps!

Well we are almost truly into panto season with our last shows beginning their festive runs in the next couple of days - so good luck to all involved!

We have been busy travelling the country seeing all of our shows and they have all been totally fabulous.

Dick Whittington at the Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock, has been having audiences in stitches! Liam Dolan and Steve Wren (pictured here) are quite the comedy duo!

Speak soon everyone!

The Imagine Theatre team

Good luck Sleeping Beauty Reading cast!

Hello panto peeps!

Well it has been another busy week in pantoland, more shows have started their run and we still have a few more to go!

The cast of Sleeping Beauty in Reading are getting ready for their first show tomorrow at the Hexagon Theatre - as they say in the theatre world break a leg guys and gals!

Our panto casts in Porthcawl and Halifax are still busy rehearsing - a big shout out has to go out to the Halifax cast of Sleeping Beauty for braving such snowy conditions - it is going to be a great show!

Don't forget to vote for Dave the panto cow (star of Jack and the Beanstalk at the Grand Pavilion) he's down to the final five panto cows in Ben and Jerry's national comp. Check out the website today www.benjerry.co.uk/pantocow/

Until next time panto fans xxx

More pantos into rehearsals and opening this week!

Hi panto fans,

It is another busy week in the world of panto, three more of our shows started rehearsals yesterday - Jack and the Beanstalk in Porthcawl (Gillian who plays Fairy is picture here - lovely lady!), Sleeping Beauty in Halifax and Mother Goose in Leamington Spa.

So the actors are being put through their paces as we speak, learning their lines and rehearsing their dance steps. They get to try on all of the fabulous costumes too!

Another panto that we co-produce at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry opens today, so good luck to the cast of Cinderella we know that you will be fab!

Bye for now panto fans!

The Imagine Theatre team xxx

Vote for Dave the cow!

Hello panto fans!

Exciting news from panto headquarters, Dave the cow who is playing Daisy in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Grand Pavilion has been nominated in a national competition!

We are over the moooon (see what we did there!) that Dave is down to the final five cows in the Ben and Jerry's Pantomime Cow competition.

Now Dave is a very special, talented cow and we think he has all the right mooooves (sorry we'll stop now!) to win! So vote for him today and help him win! http://www.benjerry.co.uk/pantocow/

Until next time panto fans!

The Imagine Theatre team xx :)

Sleeping Beauty cast are busy learning their lines!

Hi everyone!

Well another one of our pantos are now in rehearsals. The cast of Sleeping Beauty at the Hexagon Theatre in Reading started rehearsing yesterday.

Director Steve Boden (very important chap) has been putting them through their paces and helping them to learn their lines. This is Imagine's first production at the Hexagon and we are very excited!

Sleeping Beauty is one of the all-time classic fairytales but we have a few surprises too for Reading audiences - there is going to be something for everyone!

Speak soon panto fans,

The Imagine Theatre team xx

Three more pantos in rehearsals!

Afternoon everyone!

Well three more of our pantos started rehearsals today - Cinderella at Loughborough Town Hall, Aladdin at the Lyceum Theatre, Crewe and Beauty and the Beast at Eden Court, Inverness.

So it will be all go this week for our stars and the members of the crew. Everyone will be busy learning their lines, getting into character and drinking plenty of cups of tea to keep them going!

So stay tuned for more rehearsal updates coming soon!

The Imagine team

It's all go in Kilmarnock

Hello panto fans!

We really are getting close to panto season and everyone involved in all our pantos is very excited :)

It's all go today in Kilmarnock as rehersals kick off! The Dick Whittington cast and crew are all on site from today at the Palace Theatre getting into the swing of things before the show opens on November 25th!

Watch this space for some sneek peaks of the rehersals in Kilmarnock as well as updates on the rest of the pantos.

Speak soon!

The Imagine Theatre team x

6 weeks to go....

Yep, just 6 weeks to go until our first panto goes into rehearsal! That's Cinderella at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry on Mon 8th November.

Following closely on its heels is Dick Whittington at the Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock which starts on Thurs 11th Nov.

Then Monday 15th Nov sees Cinderella at Loughborough Town Hall, Aladdin at the Lyceum, Crewe and Beauty and the Beast at Eden Court, Inverness go into rehearsal.

PHEW..... but THEN

Monday 22nd November and it's the turn of Sleeping Beauty at the Hexagon, Reading.

Then last but by no means least into rehearsal on Monday 29th November go Mother Goose at the Spa Centre, Leamington, Jack and the Beanstalk at the Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl and Sleeping Beauty at the Victoria Theatre, Halifax.

WOW!

We're exhausted just thinking about it, let alone doing it.... but BRING ON PANTO, we're nearly ready for the 2010 season!!

Azuriel on the radio

Did anyone hear the lovely Jane Tucker on BBC Radio Berkshire over the weekend? She was chatting about appearing in Sleeping Beauty at the Reading Hexagon! :)

Little panto stars!

Hi everyone,

As you can probably tell, it's been a rather busy few weeks for the Imagine team. We've been up and down the country launching various different pantos, but have also had auditions for the panto babes.

Thanks to ALL to came and auditioned at the different theatres. We are always really impressed by the talent that we see, and this year was no different. Infact, it was harder than ever to choose our favourites, as everyone was so fantastic! But congrats to all who made it through to the different shows- we can't wait to start working with all of you little stars :)

Also, we've just appeared in the Stoke Sentinal - for all of you who might be interested in coming to the Crewe Lyceum panto this year why not check out the article (pictured) here http://bit.ly/accaU5 for some show and cast updates!

That's all for now - coming up in the next few weeks...more panto updates and some behind the scenes news...

The Imagine team x :)