Panto producers Enchanted Entertainment were on the lookout for a female aged 18+ from the North East to star alongside singing sensations Union J’s JJ Hamblett, who is playing Prince/Beast and Sugababes’ Amelle Berrabah, who is playing Good Fairy in Beauty and the Beast, as well as hilarious Geordie comics Charlie Richmond and Lewis Denny.
After hundreds of hopefuls applied for the part, from all over the North East, Enchanted Entertainment’s directors whittled it down to just three candidates and put them through their paces.
Auditions were held this week, where the hundreds of entrants were invited to perform a song of their choice from the show and read some of the lines from the Beauty and the Beast script.
Call-backs for Belle invited back a select few performers, and now the decision has been made. The part of Belle will be played this year by local girl Beth Oxley-Clarke, 25 from Gosforth. Beth formerly attended Sacred Heart Catholic High School in Fenham and studied Musical Theatre at Newcastle College.
Beth Oxley-Clarke said:
I’m so unbelievably excited to be playing ‘Belle’ I’ve been watching the Tyne Theatre pantomime every year for as long as I can remember, and I always hoped one day I would be up there on that stage. I can’t wait to work with such a lovely company!
Producer, Guy Pascall said:
“The standard this year for one of the lead roles was extremely high and we had a very difficult job choosing. “Beth was extremely professional and fits the part of Belle perfectly. “It’s going to be a fantastic production and an amazing opportunity for Beth to be playing one of the lead parts in the show, and we all look forward to welcoming her to our panto family at Enchanted Entertainment.”
Enchanted Entertainment will be bringing 54 spellbinding performances of Beauty and the Beast to the Tyne Theatre and Opera House from 9th December 2022 – 8th January 2023. The pantomime will feature a fantastic live band and, back by popular demand at the Tyne Theatre panto, AMAZING 3D! especially designed for children in the audience. As always, the show will be packed with a host of top stars, including international singers Union J’s JJ Hamblett, who is playing Prince/Beast and Amelle Berrabah from best-selling girl group Sugababes as Good Fairy.
Tickets are on sale now and already selling fast, to book seats or for more information go to the Tyne Theatre & Opera House website www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk