Two leading cast members from last year’s St Albans pantomime will discover this week whether they have won coveted national awards.
Jemma Carlisle and Rita Simons are both shortlisted in the Great British Pantomime Awards 2020 for their performances in the Alban Arena production of Sleeping Beauty last Christmas.
The panto industry’s annual awards were due to be held at The Shaw Theatre, London, today (Sunday, April 26).
However, with theatres currently closed due to coronavirus outbreak restrictions, the award winners will now be announced online from Wednesday, April 29 until May 3.
REVIEW: Barrels of laughs at the Alban Arena with Bob Golding, Rita Simons and Andy Day
Jemma Carlisle, who played Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, is one of the five contenders in the Best Leading Female category.
Two of Jemma’s rivals for the accolade also appeared on stage in Hertfordshire over Christmas, highlighting the quality of the county’s pantos.
Also nominated are Beth Lyons for Aladdin at the Spotlight Theatre in Hoddesdon, and Grace Lancaster, who appeared in Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage.
The other 2020 nominations are Holly Tandy for Sleeping Beauty at Yvonne Arnaud in Guildford, and Kate Hume, who starred in Robin Hood at Camberley Theatre.
PANTO REVIEW: Mayhem, merriment and Madness at the Alban Arena with Sleeping Beauty
Former EastEnders star Rita Simons is among the Best Villain (Female) nominations for her performance as the evil Carabosse in St Albans.
She is up against Birds of a Feather favourite Lesley Joseph, who appeared in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Birmingham Hippodrome.
The other nominees for the award are Melanie Stevens, who starred in Cinderella at The Courtyard in Hereford, Myra Dubois from Sleeping Beauty at the Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds, and Karen Hawthorne as the Wicked Queen from Millennium Forum’s production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Hosted by Christopher Biggins and friends, the respective trophy winners will be announced on The Great British Pantomime Awards’ Facebook and Twitter from 7.30pm each night.
You can find the awards on Twitter @GBPantoAwards
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