It comes as welcome news to audiences in Wales as theatre resumes in the Welsh capital next spring. Lovers of live music and theatre are invited to take their seats for the inaugural Live Under the Stars attraction at Cardiff Castle which runs from 22 March to 11 April 2021.
The 3-week run will include 30 performances of Sleeping Beauty featuring, among others, Wales’ most loved West End musical star, Sophie Evans, and Wales’ most famous panto dame, Mike Doyle.
Event Will Provide Vital Employment To Welsh Event Industry Staff
The attraction will also bring crucial employment opportunities to Welsh event staff, much of whom have been out of work for many months due to the pandemic.
Within the Covid-secure iconic walls of Cardiff Castle, audiences can look forward to a unique limited season of Sleeping Beauty at the castle along with special one-off performances from stars from the stage and screen. Further details about these additional shows will be announced soon.
With so many Welsh theatres and venues currently closed for the foreseeable future due to Welsh Government regulations, the Newport-based producers believe that being outdoors whilst following the existing attractions social distancing policies such as rigid hygiene measures, this will be the safest and most appropriate way to present live entertainment until theatres can safely and viably open indoors.
Live Under the Stars – A Mixed Programme and All-Star Line Up
Richard Perry, Director of Live Under the Stars said. “Our land of song has been silent for too long and we hope to come back with a real bang in the spring with a great family feel-good mini season produced in Wales. Sleeping Beauty at the Castle will feature a predominantly local cast and we’re thrilled that Sophie Evans and Mike Doyle will take the lead. We are planning additional live shows throughout the run too, from opera to comedy in what we hope is the first of many Live Under the Stars experiences at Cardiff Castle.”
Richard continued “We are keeping prices as low as we can with the preview shows for Sleeping Beauty priced at just £15. With a limited run of just 30 shows and capacity per show expected to be limited due to Covid guidelines we are only expecting a few hundred tickets to be available per performance. We therefore expect demand to be high for this limited season of fun, safe family entertainment. We are also giving the stage over to emerging artists from Cardiff on a few nights during the season to offer them the experience of a lifetime and as a one-off unique showcase for their talents. We will be announcing those nights, as well as the other shows very soon.”
Sophie Evans said “I’ve been itching to get back to the stage for so long. My life is all about performing on stage and entertaining live audiences. With doors to theatres currently locked and with no sign of them opening soon, I am over the moon to have been asked to take the lead in Sleeping Beauty. It will be a special and significant return to the stage for me as I’ll be performing in Wales, to my local audiences who have supported me so affectionately over the last few years.”
COVID-Secure Performances of Sleeping Beauty At Cardiff Castle
The covered stage and purpose-built seating area will be arranged to comply with the current safety guidelines so that families can buy tickets for their household or support bubble and be safe in the knowledge that they are in a Covid-safe attraction .
Due to the pandemic, for many performers and crew this will be their first professional engagement since March 2020 when all live performances ceased.
- Sleeping Beauty at the Castle (along with other shows to be announced) will run from 25 March to 11 April 2021.
- Tickets start from just £15 and are fully refundable or transferrable if public health circumstances dictate
- Tickets will go on sale via Ticketmaster on 30th November 2020 at 12pm
- Live Under The Stars are partnering up with Shelter Cymru as the official nominated charity for the season at Cardiff Castle.