TV and stage star Ben in Beauty and the Beast cast
TELEVISION and stage star Ben Richards has joined the line-up of this year’s forthcoming Theatre Royal Nottingham family pantomime, Beauty and the Beast, which begins Saturday, December 9.
Ben will return to Nottingham this festive season in this year’s production packed full of laughter, music, special effects, and plenty of audience participation.
After rising to fame on the ITV drama Footballers’ Wives, Ben went on to secure high-profile television roles in Holby City, The Bill, Doctors, and Hollyoaks; and appeared in the feature films Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis opposite Jane Horrocks and the late Rik Mayal, and Julie and the Cadillacs. No stranger to the stage, Ben has appeared in theatres across the UK and the West End with leading roles in Grease, Saturday Night Fever, The Full Monty, and Little Shop of Horrors.
Further stage roles include Guys and Dolls opposite Miami Vice star Don Johnson; the role of Tick in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre London; Bill Sykes in Oliver! at the Sheffield Crucible; and UK tours of Dolly Parton’s musical 9 to 5 and Rock of Ages, both of which played at the Theatre Royal Nottingham. Most recently Ben starred as the titular character in The Bodyguard opposite Beverley Knight at the Dominion Theatre, London, which broke Box Office attendance records.
Ben will play the Beast opposite the previously announced Nottingham-native Sherrie Hewson as Mrs Potty and returning panto favourites Ben Nickless and Andrew Ryan, who also directs. This year’s pantomime is once again produced by Qdos Entertainment, the world’s biggest pantomime producer, and carries the hallmark of festive family entertainment Nottingham audiences have come to expect, including fantastic special effects, hilarious comedy routines, and plenty of panto magic.
Beauty and the Beast executive producer Jonathan Kiley said: “I’m thrilled that Ben will star as the Beast in this year’s pantomime alongside the fabulous Sherrie, Ben, and Andrew. Not only is Ben a wonderful actor, he has a stunning singing voice and fantastic stage presence; the perfect leading man for this year’s production. This year’s show is going to be yet another unmissable pantomime so audiences should book their tickets now.”
Dreaming of a happier life, the beautiful Belle finds herself transported to a cursed castle held captive by a hideous beast. Can Belle see beyond the monster and fall in love with her captor before the last petal falls from the enchanted rose, or will the Beast’s selfishness cost him the world he once knew and the hand of the girl that has melted his heart? In a production packed full of sensational special effects, beautiful costumes, music, comedy, dancing, and audience participation; Nottingham audiences should book their tickets now for this year’s spell-binding pantomime.