A host of musical theatre favourites will join inspirational young anti-bullying campaigner Charlie Kristensen at the Lyric Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue on 22 October 2023.
Celebrating the launch of The Charlie Kristensen Foundation and presented in partnership with New Frame Productions, There’s No Place Like Home will be hosted by Divina De Campo.
The final additions to the line-up include Julie Atherton (Sister Act, Avenue Q), Anna-Jane Casey (Cabaret, Mother Goose), Renée Lamb (Six, Cake) with Connor Carson (The Phantom of the Opera), Lois Morgan Gay (The Pirate Queen), Emily Kitchingham (Scouts! The Musical), Nathan Lorainey-Dineen (& Juliet), Kaya Palmer and Amelia Walker (42 Balloons).
They will join the previously announced Allyson Ava-Brown (Hamilton, Les Misérables), Jenna Boyd (Come From Away, The Wind in the Willows), Allie Daniel (Legally Blonde, Happy Meal), Jacob Fowler (Heathers, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella), Adrian Hansel (We Will Rock You, Guys and Dolls), Dom Hartley-Harris (Bonnie & Clyde, Hamilton), Sophia Nomvete (Amazon’s The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power, Netflix’s Wednesday), Mark Oxtoby (Back to the Future, Guys and Dolls), Bradley Riches (Heartstopper, Kin The Musical) and Ella Vaday (BBC’s RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Sumotherhood).
The evening will also include performances from the Sylvia Young Theatre School, The Alana Shirley Academy of Theatre Arts and Sing Space Musical Theatre Choir, some surprise special celebrity guest appearances and the premiere performance of Charlie’s new charity single ‘Beyond the Sky’. Written and composed by charity patrons Danyl Johnson and Justin Potter, the single will be released in spring 2024.
Directed by Dean Johnson, There’s No Place Like Home features musical direction by Ellie Verkerk, with script consultation and additional material by Beth Granville, choreography by Khiley Williams, lighting design by Joseph Ed Thomas, sound design by Josh Robins and projection design by Sam Diaz.
A ten-strong band will be on hand to accompany the vocalists as they perform songs from classic musicals including The Wizard of Oz, Sister Act, Pippin, Mean Girls and Carousel.
Charlie Kristensen first hit the headlines in 2019 when his singing teacher Jacqueline (Jax) Hughes appealed to the musical theatre community to send messages of support to the youngster after discovering he was being bullied in school. The industry responded with hundreds of messages of love, support and encouragement for the then nine-year-old boy affectionately known as ‘Little Charlie’. In 2021, the young campaigner’s work was recognised with The Diana Award – the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts.
The registered charity The Charlie Kristensen Foundation will allow the 13-year-old who lives on the Surrey/Hampshire border to share his own story in person to young people and teachers in schools, while delivering anti-bullying support and resources which they can also access online.
The Charlie Kristensen Foundation is grateful for the support and commitment of its chair Jamie Read, the Board of Trustees and its patrons Nikki Bentley, Dominic Ferris, Danyl Johnson, Nathaniel Morrison, Will Poulter, Jodie Prenger, Sam Retford and Ben Stock.
Angela Thomas
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