Pitlochry Festival Theatre Announces Ensemble For 2022 Season

Pitlochry Festival Theatre has announced its Ensemble for its 2022 season which takes place this summer between May and October.

Pitlochry Festival Theatre's 20-strong Ensemble will feature Keith MacPherson (The Yellow Door, Lyceum/ Edinburgh International Book Festival; Waiting for Godot, Citizens Theatre and Stan and Ollie, BBC Films); Alyson Orr (Cinderella, Pavilion Theatre Glasgow); Keith Jack (runner up on Any Dream Will Do, BBC, Fame, UK Tour and Only The Brave, Edinburgh Festival ) Rhiane Drummond (Dreamgirls and 9-5 The Musical, both Savoy Theatre and Heathers, UK Tour); Connor Going (Wind in the Willows, Pitlochry Festival Theatre and The Choir of Man, Australia and USA tour); Richard Colvin (Sunshine on Leith, UK Tour and A Christmas Carol, Bolton Octagon); Deirdre Davis (Eileen Donachie in River City, BBC Scotland, Bold Girls, Citizens Theatre and Monarch of The Glen, Pitlochry Festival Theatre); Lanna Joffrey (The Times of Our Lies, Park Theatre); Nalân Burgess (Welcome to Iran, Royal National Theatre and Theatre Royal Stratford East and the forthcoming The Sandman, Warner Brothers and DC Comics); Amelia Donkor (As You Like It and The Taming of the Shrew, Royal Shakespeare Company and Eastenders, BBC) and Rachael McAllister (A Christmas Carol, Pitlochry Festival Theatre).

The Ensemble will also feature Blythe Jandoo (Aladdin, SEC Armadillo; Bend It Like Beckham, North American Premiere; Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat; The London Palladium and Aladdin, The Prince Edward Theatre); Jessica Brydges (Peter Pan, Maltings Theatre); Meg Chaplin (Arrival, imPOSSIBLE and The Midnight Child, UK Tour) Anna Fordham (The Borrowers, Watermill Theatre and The Athena, Sky); James Hudson (Saturday Night Fever, West End/UK Tour and The Choir of Man, West End); Kit Orton (Spamalot, West End & UK Tour and Oliver, Watermill Theatre); Tom Richardson (Julius Caesar and A Midsummer Night's Dream, Storyhouse Chester; The Prince and the Pauper, New Vic Theatre); Marc Small (Barefoot in the Park, Pitlochry Festival Theatre; Richard II , Almeida and the TV series The IT Crowd, Jonathan Creek and Emmerdale); and finally, making his professional acting debut, Richie Spencer.

Pitlochry Festival Theatre's Artistic Director Elizabeth Newman said about the talented Ensemble:

"We are so excited to welcome our 2022 Ensemble to Pitlochry this year. We cannot wait to start rehearsals for productions which will also see us return to producing theatre inside our building as well as outside and online. This fantastic Ensemble of incredibly talented actors will perform some extraordinary dramas, comedies, new works, and musicals in repertoire throughout our Summer Season including in our brand new Studio. The team of Directors Amy Liptrott, Ben Occhipinti, Brigid Lamour, Caitlin Skinner, and I cannot wait to make the plays with them for our wonderful audiences. During their time with us, you will be able to see this talented group in different roles. I look forward to our audience enjoying them transforming from production to production. We are also thrilled that this year their work will be seen in Pitlochry and in Edinburgh, London and toured across Scotland, as three of our 2022 summer productions are being co-produced with leading organisations - Stellar Quines Theatre Company, Capital Theatres and Watford Palace Theatre. Pitlochry is known for its Ensemble, and I am excited for us to continue this brilliant tradition."

Running throughout the summer in the Theatre's Auditorium, new Studio, as well as outside in the theatre's Amphitheatre and riverside Bandstand, the 2022 season will include a staging of the much-loved musical Sunshine on Leith (20 May - 1 October), co-produced with Capital Theatres; the premiere, co-produced with Watford Palace Theatre, of Anne-Marie Casey's adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel Little Women (21 July - 29 September); Michael Frayn's iconic backstage comedy Noises Off (May 27 - 1 October) which celebrates its 40th anniversary; and a revival of Noël Coward's classic 1930s comedy of manners, Private Lives (17 June-30 September).

The Theatre's new studio with see the premieres of three news plays Helping Hands (23 June-9 July) by Cathy Forde; Sara Shaarawi (Niqabi Ninja) Sister Radio (25 August - 28 September) - a co-production with Stellar Quines Theatre Company; and Martin McCormick's new play The Maggie Wall (9 - 29 September).

The 2022 season will also see the premiere of two exciting new productions performed in the Theatre's picturesque amphitheatre, nestled within its Explorers Garden and in the shadow of Ben-y- Vrackie. From 8 June - 7 July, the Theatre will stage Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Lipstick, Ketchup and Blood, playwright and actor Lesley Hart's (The Lemon Tree, Òran Mór) brand new adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic detective tale A Study in in Scarlet and in August, the world premiere of David Greig's (The Adventures with the Painted People) adaptation of Charlotte Higgins' acclaimed book, Under Another Sky (10 Aug - 23 Sept).

Finally, there will be a terrific line up of entertainment for all the family including a brand new adaptation from the creative team behind last year's successful production of The Wind in the Willows of Jules Verne's family adventure Around the World in 80 Days (8 July-17 September).

For further information and tickets for the Pitlochry Festival Theatre 2022 season visit pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com