A Britain's Got Talent winner has been announced as the first star to be cast in a brand new pantomime.

Thomas Redgrave, from the musical theatre group Collabro, will headline as the Prince in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone.

It comes after bosses at the venue, which overlooks the English Channel, confirmed this week they had secured a deal with an executive production company to host its first commercial pantomime this Christmas.

The Collabro boys met for their first rehearsal only one month before going on to wow the Britain’s Got Talent judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams, at their first round audition at London’s Hammersmith Apollo in 2014.

Millions of viewers watched as Collabro claimed their prize on BGT, performing in front of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the 2014 Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium.

They are now the world’s most successful musical theatre group.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs marks the first collaboration between Leas Cliff Hall and award-winning pantomime producers Paul Holman Associates.

Pantomime producer Paul Holman said: “I am delighted to be joining forces with Leas Cliff Hall to present a truly spectacular all-star pantomime this Christmas.

"With plenty of audience interaction and chances to join in the fun, Snow White and; the Seven Dwarfs will be a production the whole family can enjoy together. The immensely talented Thomas Redgrave will be taking centre stage as Snow White’s charming Prince and I know he is going to wow audiences with his breathtakingly beautiful voice. I’m excited for Folkestone audiences to see what we have in store for them this year.”

The former music and dance hall has been run by leading live entertainment company, the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) since 2009 and seats almost 1000 people.

This year's professional pantomime is the first since ATG has been running the LCH. The last was more than a decade ago when the venue was run by Live Nation, back in 2006.

It comes after a promising start to the year for the venue, which secured some of its first touring West End productions.

In March, producer Bill Kenwright's tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, starring Jaymi Hensley from boyband Union J, visited the coastal theatre for a week of sold out performances.

In addition, the national tour of the musical Avenue Q is also arriving in the town in September.

The new show means the annual pantomime by Folkestone-based Community Theatre Project (CTP) will no longer be performed in the winter months.

CTP, which is largely made up of local performers, will now present an alternative Easter pantomime in 2020.

Details

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs runs at Leas Cliff Hall Theatre from Friday 13 to Tuesday, December 31 2019.

To book tickets, visit atgtickets.com/folkestone or call the Box Office on 0844 871 3015.

Read more: All the latest news from Folkestone.

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