Cast & creatives

NOEL ANDREW HARRON (ALADDIN)

We are delighted that S4K favourite Noel Harron is returning as Aladdin, following his acclaimed portrayal of the puppet Pinocchio in the spring.

Prior to that Noel starred as Macbeth in S4K International's production of Macbeth in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman; and before that he was Pinocchio in our production that toured Bahrain and Qatar in December 2013.

During last year Noel was performing in the London Contemporary Theatre Company’s production of Macbeth in Pitch Black (Macbeth) a reprisal of the role he originated earlier in the year. He also featured as a soloist in a recording of Van Winkle – A Folk Musical (Ludlo).

Other work for S4K include: Caliban in S4K’s The Tempest; Mercutio (twice) in S4K’s Romeo and Juliet; Puck in S4K’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Flute and Philostrate in an earlier (2007) production of 'The Dream'; The Porter/Hecate/Donalbain and Seyton in S4K’s Macbeth; Trinculo in S4K’s The Tempest; and Rosencrantz/Osric/Player Queen in S4K’s Hamlet.

Noel has been working on several projects for the theatre company Skewbald Theatre: writing, composing, producing and performing in the company’s Christmas Show Tales of the Arabian Nights, (The Storyteller). Producing, writing and performing throughout the year in Skewbald Stories, (Various), producing and performing in Down the Rabbit Hole (The Madhatter/Tweedle Dum), as a performer Noel has also worked for the company on A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon/Theseus), Baba Yaga Bony Legs (Baba Yaga/Step-Mother). This year he has also ventured into the world of directing with the Halloween show Grimm Sweet Grimm. Noel has also performed two seasons with the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival, revisited Mercutio for Shooting Stars Theatre Company, performed in the all-male production of HMS Pinafore at the Union Theatre, London. Easy to Love at the Broadway Theatre (Murphy), Aladdin (Wishee Washee) and Peter Pan (Nana) both at White Rock Theatre, Hastings.

THOMAS HEWITT (ABANAZAR)

Another favourite from the S4K Theatre Company - Thomas was the Fox, Boy Puppet, Chief Weasel and Donkey in our recent tour of Pinocchio.

Before that Thomas was last in the UAE as Stephano in S4K's The Tempest; he's also appeared as Starveling in S4K's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Thomas is from Durham in the North East of England and trained at The London School of Musical Theatre. For S4K - Stephano in S4K's The Tempest (UK and International Tour) Starveling in S4K's A Midsummer Nights Dream (UK and International Tour). Other credits include Phantom (UK Premiere Rose and Crown Theatre), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch), Firing Life (Camden Fringe), A Little Bit of Dickens (Hereford Theatre), Honk! (Lost Theatre). Films include: The Catch due for release in summer 2014.

Outside of theatre, Thomas also does stand-up comedy and is in a barber shop quartet.

HYWEL DOWSELL (THE GENIE)

Hywel's last appearance in the UAE and Oman was as The Porter in S4K's Macbeth in February.

He was born and raised in the South Wales valleys before moving away to train at the Guildford School of Acting.

His credits while training include: Principal Clark in Footloose (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre), King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar (Ivy Arts Centre), Adolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone (The Mill Studio), Ray in Saturday Night (Ivy Arts Centre) and Nurse in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

Other theatre/concert credits: Ensemble in Berlin The Musical (Bloomsbury Theatre), Police Officer in The Sleeper (The Coal Exchange, Cardiff, WNO), and Jonas Fogg/Ensemble in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Wales Millennium Centre, WNO) and Guest Soloist in The Malta Military Tattoo 2008.

Television and film include: Guest Soloist with The Soldiers in BBC's The Festival of Remembrance (Royal Albert Hall), Pobol y Cwm (BBC)and Hunky Dory (Independent Film) by MArk Evans.

ELLA VIZE (PRINCESS JASMINE)

Ella graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts with a BA (Hons) Performance in Musical Theatre.

Her recent credits include Nurse in Hello Again, Sleeping Beauty in Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella in Cinderella. At Mountview she has appeared in Into the Woods, Lucky Stiff, West Side Story and The Witches of Eastwick.

MAGNUS REINVIK (THE POLICEMAN, THE SULTAN)

Magnus is an actor-musician as well as a freelance composer and musical director with a BA (HONS) in Physical Theatre from East 15 Acting school. This is his debut performance with S4K.

Credits include Be Lonely with Me (ENERGINMOTION), Though Childlike Eyes (Fools Play Collective), The Fish and the Denim River (Theatre Eclectic), PinOkeYO! (Cherub Productions) TRANSIT (À Point Theatre Company), Shooting the Moon (Strangeface Theatre Company), Lost in Transit (Spiegeltheatre company) and Back to the Future (Secret Cinema).

CLARE REILLY (SHERI THE HANDMAIDEN)

Clare is a huge favourite from the S4K Theatre Company and played The Blind Cat / Girl Puppet / Weasel on the spring 2014 tour of Pinocchio. Other shows for S4K International in Dubai include A Midsummer Night's Dream (Helena), Romeo & Juliet (Lady Montague), and Macbeth.

Clare graduated from the London School of Musical Theatre in 2004.  Most recently, Clare played the title role in Aladdin over Christmas (The Academy Theatre, Barnsley) and has workshopped and performed in a new musical Nutcracker – The Musical! (Arts Depo, London).  Other roles for S4K include Helena in S4K’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (twice), Miranda in S4K’s The Tempest, Fleance/Young Siward and then two of the Witches in S4K’s Macbeth (not at the same time!); and Lady Montague in S4K’s Romeo & Juliet.



Other credits include: Rabbit/Narrator Mouse in Bringing Down The Moon (UK Tour), Dick Whittington in Dick Whittington & his Cat (George Lawton Hall, Manchester), Penny/Henrietta in HONK! (LOST Theatre, London), Slave of the Ring in Aladdin (Princess Theatre, Hunstanton), Debs in Boogie Nights (Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man), Peep Bo/Clarinettist in Hot Mikado (Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London), Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty (Blackfriars Arts Centre, Boston), Snow White in Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs (The Metrodome Arena, Barnsley), Principle Vocalist in Toonful! (Landor Theatre), Jack in Jack & The Beanstalk (Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa), Princess Dewdrop in Aladdin (Sheringham Little Theatre), Singer/Dancer in Magical Rhythms of Ireland (Netherlands Tour), Ensemble in the Original Casts of Rasputin Rocks! (Kenton Theatre, Henley) and Blair On Broadway (The Arts Theatre, in London's West End), the title role in Cinderella (Octagon Theatre, Yeovil), Principle Soloist in Magic of the Musicals (Thwaites Empire Theatre, Blackburn) and Ensemble/Covered and played Charlie/Clarinettist in the European Premiere of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s State Fair (Finborough Theatre, London). 

CAROLYN CHENERY (PRODUCER)

Carolyn Chenery is an independent theatre and film producer based in the UK. Since 1997 she has produced over twenty UK tours for the Shakespeare 4 Kidz Theatre Company including productions of S4K’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, S4K’s Twelfth Night, S4K’s Macbeth, S4K’s Romeo & Juliet, S4K’s Hamlet and S4K’s The Tempest. For S4K International, she has produced international tours to Gibraltar, Eire, Bahrain, Qatar, Syria and to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in the UAE. She produced Peter Pan at the White Rock Theatre in Hastings starring S Club 7’s Jon Lee and Aladdin at the same venue with EastEnders’ Leslie Grantham. In 2010 she co-produced Hairspray in Dubai starring Olivier Award-winning Leanne Jones as Tracy Turnblad. With Prima Artistes she has pioneered the acclaimed Drama @ Sea productions on P&O world cruises. In 2013 she produced Pinocchio which toured to theatres in Bahrain and Qatar, and across the UAE in the spring of this year. In 2014 she is producing this production of Aladdin, a spectacular Christmas show at DUCTAC in Dubai, followed by an international tour of S4K's A Midsummer Night's Dream. She is also working on movie productions of the S4K musicals Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth.

JULIAN CHENERY (WRITER, DIRECTOR, CO-PRODUCER)

Writer, Director, Producer, Actor Julian Chenery is best known as the creative force behind Shakespeare 4 Kidz – the UK’s foremost Shakespeare company for children and young people. His musical adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays (with Matt Gimblett) have been performed in every English-speaking country in the world; he produces theatre shows both in the UK, overseas and on the ocean waves. For Aladdin he wrote the script, wrote all of the original songs (with Mike Webborn), directed the UK rehearsals and worked with producer Carolyn Chenery on all aspects of the production via their company S4K International Ltd. In early 2014 he produced and directed the UK and international tour of S4K’s Macbeth. In August he directed an open-air production of Monty Python's Spamalot at the world-famous Minack Theatre, Cornwall (in the UK). He is a producer on the Shakespeare 4 Kidz feature film series, the first of which - S4K's Romeo & Juliet - moves into production in 2015. Julian was voted Producer of the Year by readers of Encore Theatre magazine in 2005. He is a member of UK Theatre, the League of Independent Producers, Mercury Musical Developments, Musical Theatre Network, the Director’s Guild of Great Britain, Stage Directors UK and the Writer’s Guild of Great Britain.

MARK HEDGES (CHOREOGRAPHY & MUSICAL STAGING)

Mark has worked exclusively in musical theatre for fifteen years.

Creative: The Wiz (Peoples Theatre, Newcastle - Director), Sunshine On Leith (Northern Stage, Newcastle - Director), The Sound of Music (Jordan Cultural Festival - Choreographer / Childrens Director), Macbeth (UK and UAE Tour - Choreographer), What the Ladybird Heard (UK Tour - Choreographer), Celebrate Christmas (Royal Albert Hall - Musical Stager), RSVP ASAP (LSMT Studios, Choreographer), 'Tis the Season (Jermyn Street Theatre - Director), Oliver! (UK Tour - Childrens Director), Les Miserables (Queens Theatre, London - Childrens Director), Applause (Bridewell Theatre, London - Choreographer), Little Women (UK Premier Workshop - Assistant Director), Three Phantoms (UK Tour - Choreographer), Stepping Out (Union Theatre, London - Associate Choreographer)

Actor - West End: Starlight Express (Apollo Victoria Theatre - Swing and Understudy to Rusty and Dustin), Jerry Springer - The Opera (Original Cast - National Theatre and Cambridge Theatre - Swing and Dance/Fight Captain), High Society (Shaftesbury Theatre - Arthur), Les Miserables (Queens Theatre - Swing and Dance Captain/Childrens Director), Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena (Ensemble/Dance Captain)

Actor - Regional: Little Shop Of Horrors (Palladium Theatre, Edinburgh - Ensemble, Understudy Mr Mushnik), The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (West Yorkshire Playhouse - Ensemble, Understudy Grumpskin), Starlight Express (UK/Scandinavian Tour - Prince of Wales, Understudy Dustin and Poppa).

Mark is Head of the Dance Department at The London School of Musical Theatre.

MIKE WEBBORN (MUSICAL DIRECTOR, MUSICAL TRACKS AND ORIGINAL SONGS)

Michael has worked around the UK as a Musical Director, Accompanist and Arranger. Most recently, Michael has been Musical Director for S4K's Macbeth starring Noel Andrew Harron which played here in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman.

As Musical Director: Meet Me in St. Louis (UK Premiere, Landor Theatre), Pinocchio (Arranging; Dubai Tour, Shakespeare 4 Kidz), [title of show] (London Premiere, Landor Theatre), Nunsense A- Men! (Landor Theatre), Next Thing You Know (Landor Theatre), The Tempest (UK and Middle East Tour - Shakespeare 4 Kidz), Spring Awakening (Catford Broadway, London), Hot Mikado (Landor Theatre), The Little Mermaid (Arranging; Middle East Tour - Shakespeare 4 Kidz), Curtains (European Premiere, Landor Theatre), Jack and the Beanstalk (Perth Theatre), Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (Tron Theatre, Glasgow), Show Choir!: The Musical (UK Premiere, Edinburgh Fringe 2011), The Wizard of Oz (Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe) and Aladdin (Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal). He is also Musical Director for Gotta Sing! at the Phoenix Artist Club, coaching new singers on their regular courses and playing for Open Mic Nights.

As Assistant Musical Director: Blood Brothers (UK, No. 1 Tour).

As accompanist: I Love You Because (Jermyn Street Theatre), Sunday in the Park with George (Edinburgh Fringe 2011) and Honk! (Royal and Derngate, Northampton) as well as pianist on recordings of White Chameleon by Christopher Hampton and Murder in Samarkand by David Hare for BBC Radio 4. 

Michael returned to London after completing his MA in Musical Direction from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and holds a BMus (Hons) in Vocal Studies from Trinity College of Music, having also been awarded the Alan J Kirby Prize for Conducting and Charles Proctor Prize for Choral Conducting. He was recently nominated for Best Musical Direction in Fringe or Regional Theatre for [title of show] at the Landor Theatre by BroadwayWorld.com. He is currently in the process of writing several new musicals with writing partners Daniel Finn, Tom Oakley and Matthew Dye.