Shrewsbury panto time as young dancers take to stage
[gallery] More than 20 talented young dancers have won coveted places in the chorus of this year's Shrewsbury pantomime.
More than 20 talented young dancers have won coveted places in the chorus of this year's Shrewsbury pantomime.
There were tears of joy and tears of sadness as 120 hopefuls from across Shropshire spent a full afternoon auditioning at Shrewsbury's Theatre Severn on Sunday.
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The youngsters came from dance schools across the county including the Telford-based Miss Debbie's Dance School and Gaston Payne.
Shrewsbury dance schools Stage Two, Topaz, Viv Kelly Dance, Centre Pointe and Stagecoach were also represented.
All the youngsters were hoping for a chance to join the cast of this year's pantomine Jack and the Beanstalk, which will run at the theatre in Frankwell from December.
Judges faced the difficult task of finding just 24 girls from the auditionees.
The successful 24 included three sets of sisters, Sophie and Isobel Lavarie, Lucy and Jody Humphreys and Emily and Libby Ashford.
Marian Crossland, from Theatre Severn, said rehearsals for the pantomime would start in November.
Those who auditioned ranged in age from just four to 14.
Marian said: "There was such a lot of talent and it was very difficult to whittle the 120 down to just 24. There were some very happy girls at the end but sadly some tears from those who didnt get through.
"We thank everyone who took the trouble to come along."
There will be three teams of eight appearing in the pantomime.
They are Trinity Biddolph, Lucy Humphreys, Hope Lewis, Hannah Smith, Estelle Pack, Alesha Mitchell, Beth King, Jody Humphreys, Daisy Kynaston, Isobel Laverie, Matilda Gaughan, Olivia Ellis, Emily Ashford, Libby Ashford, Sophie Lavarie, Georgia Goring, Holly Britzan, Lucie Simmonds, Honey Leonard, Maddy Croall, Ellen Monroy, Daisy May Wyatt, Megan Austin and Emily Morgan.
Last year's pantomime, Aladdin, was a runaway success, breaking Theatre Severn's box office records with ticket sales of more than 30,000.
But this year's offering, Jack and the Beanstalk, promises to be even more spectacular, and includes a West End cast and special effects.
It has once again been produced and written by Shropshire TV personality Paul Hendy.
Tickets for this year's show cost from £12 to £16. Concessions will receive £2 off.
For more information about Jack and the Beanstalk, call Theatre Severn's box office on (01743) 281281.
By Catherine Ferris
