Cast and Creative Team Set For THE SNOW QUEEN at Northern Stage

The cast and creatives have been announced for Northern Stage's The Snow Queen, a transformative, heart-filled new musical retelling, written by Laura Lindow and directed by Artistic Director Natalie Ibu. Packed with adventure, original music and imaginative storytelling, The Snow Queen will take audiences on an extraordinary journey from the smallest village to the frozen realm of the Snow Queen.

The multi-instrumentalist cast brings together artists born and raised in the North East, new graduates and performers returning to Northern Stage, reflecting the production's strong connection to the region. Leading the cast is Lola Aluko (Sense and Sensibility, Pitlochry Festival Theatre; Mayday, National Theatre of Scotland) as Gerda, the brave young girl at the heart of the story. Aluko previously worked with Northern Stage as Lennox in its 2023 co-production of Macbeth with ETT and Shakespeare North Playhouse. Meg Watson (Mary, Hampstead Theatre) takes on the dual roles of Joan and the Snow Queen, the mysterious and powerful figure whose enchantment sets Gerda's extraordinary journey in motion.

As Gerda sets out on her journey, she encounters a world of strange and wondrous characters, brought to life by Nick Mudditt (Bank of Dave 2: Lone Ranger, Netflix) as Kai, making his stage debut, and Wilf Stone (Little Shop of Horrors, Northern Stage; Hidden Biscuit, Live Theatre) as Mr Kelpine. Both Mudditt and Stone were born and raised in the North East, with both continuing to live locally. Stone previously appeared at Northern Stage in Little Shop of Horrors earlier this year.

Alice Blundell (The Winter's Tale, RSC; A Thousand Blows, Disney+) returns to Northern Stage as Elsie, having previously appeared as Mam in The Sorcerer's Apprentice in 2022. Also joining the cast is North East actor, musician, director and facilitator Michael Blair as Dad. Blair first worked with Northern Stage in 2013 as part of its inaugural NORTH company, and subsequently appeared in the theatre's 2018 production of Sting's The Last Ship. Together, the ensemble will play a range of quirky characters and perform live on stage, creating a dynamic and ever-changing sound world inspired by folk traditions, with echoes of Scottish influences. Fiddles, accordion textures and raw, atmospheric soundscapes combine to create a musical world that is immediate, physical and at times uncanny.

Set in the small town of Stifle, The Snow Queen follows Gerda, who lives a quiet and regulated life. She is the only child in the town until Kai arrives, bringing with him friendship and a sense of possibility. Her world is transformed by their friendship and then shattered when Kai is enchanted by the Snow Queen and whisked away to her frozen realm. Gerda courageously ventures beyond everything she has ever known, encountering wondrous and elemental worlds along the way. From the intimacy of the village to the vastness of the frozen landscape, audiences will be brought into a world that feels both deeply familiar and epic in scale.

Music is central to the production's identity, with Sam Partridge as Musical Director and Composer, and Music and Lyrics by Hatty Carman and Tom Rasmussen. Partridge developed his music practice next door to Northern Stage, training at Newcastle University before teaching there across musical courses, further strengthening the production's connection to the North East's musical community. Alongside Ibu's direction, design comes from Amanda Mascarenhas, with North East artist Anna Robinson as Associate Designer. Lighting design comes from Simisola Majekodummi, with North East artist Matthew Tuckey as Sound Designer and North East artist Esther Huss as Movement Director.

Together, the cast and creative team bring a fresh perspective to Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale, combining live music, movement and imaginative staging to create a festive experience rooted in place, community and imagination. The production also reflects Northern Stage's commitment to nurturing and championing artists with connections to the region, bringing together established practitioners, North East artists and those at earlier stages of their careers, alongside performers returning to Northern Stage.

The Snow Queen also forms part of Northern Stage's Scale Up project, supporting artists to develop their careers and gain experience at mid-scale level. Anna Robinson, who began her journey with Northern Stage as a youth theatre participant before becoming a set designer with the Young Company, will step into the role of Associate Designer, marking her first experience working at mid-scale.

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