Tip Top Productions unveils cast for ‘Sweet Charity’ at Theatr Clwyd

Casting has been announced for the staging of a much-loved classic musical, set to take the stage at Theatr Clwyd later this year.

Local community theatre company, Tip Top Productions, has announced its cast for the upcoming production of ‘Sweet Charity’, which will run at The Mix, Theatr Clwyd’s theatre in a big top, from Wednesday 12th – Saturday 15th June at 7.30pm. There will also be a matinee performance at 2.30pm on Saturday 15th June.

Most recently, Tip Top staged “The Sound of Music” at Storyhouse in Chester, and a festive Christmas concert at Chester’s St Mary’s Creative Space. In addition to staging “Sweet Charity” at Theatr Clwyd, the company will return to Storyhouse later this year with two further productions, John Godber’s ‘Bouncers’ and the musical compilation show ‘Tip Top at The Musicals’.

‘Sweet Charity’ tells the story of Charity Hope Valentine, a down-on-her-luck dance hall hostess who longs to find love. She works at the seedy Fandango Ballroom with her sassy friends, hoping to someday find Mr Right. Could he be the international movie star, Vittorio Vidal, with whom Charity spends one romantic evening? Or the claustrophobic accountant, Oscar, with whom she gets stuck in an elevator? Or, does the real answer to her happiness lie somewhere inside her? With a score by Cy Coleman, a book by Neil Simon, and original choreography by Bob Fosse, Charity’s adventurous journey towards love is marked by some of the best-loved songs (If My Friends Could See Me Now, There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This, I’m a Brass Band) and some of the most iconic dance numbers (Big Spender, Rich Man’s Frug, Rhythm of Life) in Broadway history.

Leading the cast as ‘Charity,’ is Rebecca Snowden. Growing up in a family of musicians, dancers, and actors, Rebecca was indoctrinated into the world of Musical Theatre from a very young age. She started dancing at the age of 2 under the tuition of her grandmother at the Shirley School of Dancing, and 20 years later, she has qualified to teach in Modern, Tap, and Musical Theatre herself! Last summer, Rebecca performed in her first Tip Top show, The Sound of Music, and enjoyed it so much she came back for Tip Top’s Christmas Concert and now, Sweet Charity. Outside of Tip Top, Rebecca has performed in many shows with Theatr Clwyd, including their record-breaking production ‘Mold Riots’.

Joining Rebecca on stage as ‘Oscar,’ who falls in love with Charity, is local musical theatre performer Rob Lyon. Rob trained at The Hammond School, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London, and, more recently, Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Previous performances with Tip Top include Avenue Q, Love Story, Grease, My Fair Lady, The Full Monty, Oklahoma, The Witches, Coupling, This Is My Musical, The Show Must Go On, and Calendar Girls (among others). Away from Tip Top, Rob runs PQA Wirral, a part-time performing arts school for 4-18 years, as well as teaching acting privately. Rob originally played the role of Oscar back in 2006 as part of his training.

Playing the role of ‘Helene’, Charity’s friend and a hostess at The Fandango Ballroom, Bethany Culshaw first appeared on stage with Tip Top in A Chorus Line (2003) playing Sheila, and more recently sang in The Show Must Go On (2021) and Tip Top’s Christmas concerts (2023). She’s been involved in community theatre across Cheshire, Merseyside, and North Wales for over 20 years in musicals and plays, developing a particular love for Shakespeare. Bethany’s experience includes choreographing musicals such as Guys and Dolls and Kiss Me Kate and playing roles such as Polly Baker in Crazy For You, Rt. Hon. Gwendolyn Fairfax in The Importance Of Being Earnest, and Hero in Much Ado About Nothing.

Cast in the role of ‘Nickie’, also a hostess at The Fandango Ballroom, Kate Barclay trained at Arts Ed and Leeds College of Music. Originally from North Lincolnshire, Katie moved to the Chester area nearly 2 years ago with her cat, Javert. She quickly became involved with Tip Top. Her first appearance was as Elsa Shraeder in The Sound of Music at Storyhouse in Chester last year, quickly followed by Tip Top’s Christmas Concert. In her spare time, Katie enjoys visiting castles and National Trust properties, and hiking in the Cheshire and Welsh countryside with her partner.

Playing the role of ‘Herman’, the angry-at-everything manager of The Fandango Ballroom,