Not much chance of ever walking alone as Stevenage cast gets cued up for Carousel

When you’re staging a monster of a musical like Carousel, it pays to have strength in depth.

Lytton Players Carousel - celebration cake. Left to right, musical director Derek Byth, director Maxine Holmes and choreographer Wendy Wartnaby. - Credit: Archant

And this picture shows just how many people have a part to play when Stevenage’s Lytton Players take to the stage at the town’s Gordon Craig Theatre next week.

Carousel, hailed as the finest Broadway musical ever by some and picked out by composer Richard Rodgers as his favourite work, was first staged 70 years ago this year.

The story revolves around fairground barker Billy Bigelow, who turns to crime to provide for Julie Jordan and their unborn child. Everything goes wrong, but then he gets the chance to make things right – and along the way evergreen songs like If I Loved You, June Is Bustin’ Out All Over and You’ll Never Walk Alone lift the heart and the spirits.

The show runs from next Thursday, May 14, to Saturday, May 16 with 7.30pm performances each evening and a Saturday matinee.

Lytton Players Carousel, celebration cake. left to right Ross Edwards (Enoch Snow), Sharon Curtis (Julie Jordan), Luke Crouch (Billy Bigelow) and Allie Neal (Nettie Fowler) and the cake. - Credit: Archant

Call the box office on 01438 357407 to check availability or visit www.gordon-craig.co.uk.