Cast and creatives of Stevenage’s annual pantomime will discover this week whether they have won two coveted national awards.

The Comet: Grace Lancaster as Beauty in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyGrace Lancaster as Beauty in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Gordon Craig Theatre’s spectacular Christmas production of Beauty and the Beast has been shortlisted twice in the Great British Pantomime Awards 2020.

The panto industry’s annual awards were due to be held at The Shaw Theatre, London, today (Sunday, April 26).

However, with theatres currently closed due to coronavirus restrictions, the award winners will now be announced online from Wednesday, April 29 until May 3.

Grace Lancaster, who appeared as Beauty in the Gordon Craig Theatre pantomime, is one of the five contenders in the Best Leading Female category.

The Comet: Grace Lancaster as Beauty in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyGrace Lancaster as Beauty in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

Two of Grace’s rivals for the accolade also appeared on stage in Hertfordshire over Christmas, highlighting the quality of the county’s festive pantos.

Also nominated are Beth Lyons for Aladdin at the Spotlight Theatre in Hoddesdon, and Jemma Carlisle, who played Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty at The Alban Arena in St Albans.

The other 2020 nominations are Holly Tandy for Sleeping Beauty at Yvonne Arnaud in Guildford, and Kate Hume, who starred in Robin Hood at Camberley Theatre.

The GCT’s Jason Addison has also been nominated for his work on the Stevenage panto in the Best Lighting category.

The Comet: Carli Norris as Malevolent in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyCarli Norris as Malevolent in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

Also nominated are Barry Smith for Sleeping Beauty at the Regent Theatre, Stoke, Chris Barrett for Peter Pan at the Swansea Grand Theatre, City Varieties Music Hall’s Jason Salvin, and Matt Clutterham for Dick Whittington at the Bristol Hippodrome.

Hosted by Christopher Biggins and friends, the respective trophy winners will be announced on The Great British Pantomime Awards’ Facebook and Twitter from 7.30pm each night.

You can find the awards on Twitter @GBPantoAwards

The Comet: Carli Norris as Malevolent in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyCarli Norris as Malevolent in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Comet: Carli Norris as Malevolent in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyCarli Norris as Malevolent in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Comet: Prince Gallant (Alex Scott Fairley) and Malevolent (Carli Norris) in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyPrince Gallant (Alex Scott Fairley) and Malevolent (Carli Norris) in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Comet: Aidan O'Neill cowboy dancing as Potty Pierre in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyAidan O'Neill cowboy dancing as Potty Pierre in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Comet: Potty Pierre (Aidan O'Neill), Prince Gallant (Alex Scott Fairley) and Dame Dorothea Derriere (Paul Laidlaw) in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyPotty Pierre (Aidan O'Neill), Prince Gallant (Alex Scott Fairley) and Dame Dorothea Derriere (Paul Laidlaw) in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Comet: Potty Pierre (Aidan O'Neill), Prince Gallant (Alex Scott Fairley) and Dame Dorothea Derriere (Paul Laidlaw) in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyPotty Pierre (Aidan O'Neill), Prince Gallant (Alex Scott Fairley) and Dame Dorothea Derriere (Paul Laidlaw) in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Comet: Rebecca Vere as Fairy Formidable in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyRebecca Vere as Fairy Formidable in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Comet: The Beast (Alex Scott Fairley) in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyThe Beast (Alex Scott Fairley) in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Comet: Jean Jacques (Neil Stewart) and the Beast (Alex Scott Fairley) pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyJean Jacques (Neil Stewart) and the Beast (Alex Scott Fairley) pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Comet: Paul Laidlaw as Dame Dotty Derriere at the piano in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyPaul Laidlaw as Dame Dotty Derriere at the piano in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Comet: Dame Dotty Derriere (Paul Laidlaw) and Potty Pierre (Aidan O'Neill) smashing plates in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyDame Dotty Derriere (Paul Laidlaw) and Potty Pierre (Aidan O'Neill) smashing plates in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)

The Comet: Potty Pierre (Aidan O'Neill) playing the violin in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8PhotographyPotty Pierre (Aidan O'Neill) playing the violin in pantomime Beauty and the Beast at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage. Picture: Martin Smith Origin8Photography (Image: Martin Smith Origin8Photography)