The full line-up of performers has been revealed for There’s No Place Like Home at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, on Sunday 22 October 2023 at 7.30pm. As previously announced, the evening celebrates the launch of The Charlie Kristensen Foundation by 13-year-old Charlie, a multi-award-winning anti-bullying campaigner, stage and screen actor and presenter of #MusicalChairs online chat show.
Joining the previously announced line-up of performers are Julie Atherton (Sister Act, Avenue Q), Anna-Jane Casey (Cabaret, Mother Goose) and Renée Lamb (SIX, Cake). The Ensemble now includes Connor Carson (The Phantom of the Opera), Lois Morgan Gay (The Pirate Queen), Emily Kitchingham (Scouts! The Musical), Nathan Lorainey-Dineen (Lordin) (& Juliet), Kaya Palmer and Amelia Walker (42 Balloons).
The glamorous Divina De Campo (RuPaul’s Drag Race UK finalist) will host the show (Jodie Prenger is regrettably now unable to do so due to her filming schedule).
They join the previously announced performers 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).
Charlie will share the première performance of his brand new charity single Beyond The Sky, written and composed by charity Patron Danyl Johnson (The People’s Postcode Lottery, The X Factor UK) and Justin Potter. Beyond The Sky will be released in Spring 2024.
There will also be performances from Sylvia Young Theatre School, The Alana Shirley Academy of Theatre Arts and Sing Space Musical Theatre Choir, and some surprise special celebrity guest appearances.
The musical concert will take the audience on a journey down the yellow brick road of Charlie’s imagination, to find the place where he belongs. There will be songs from The Wizard of Oz, Sister Act, Pippin, Mean Girls, Carousel and more.
With direction by Dean Johnson, musical direction by Ellie Verkerk, 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. There’s No Place Like Home will feature a ten-strong band.
Charlie, who lives on the Surrey/Hampshire border, is thrilled to be launching The Charlie Kristensen Foundation, a registered charity through which he will share his own story in person to young people and teachers in schools, whilst delivering anti-bullying support and resources which they can also access online. Charlie started his #CheerUpCharlie campaign in 2019. Having been bullied severely for over 18 months, in part due to his love of performing, he couldn’t take any more. When Charlie opened up to his performance coach, West End actress Jacqueline Hughes, she rallied the theatre industry into action. Hundreds of performers and creatives from the West End, Broadway and Hollywood identified with Charlie’s story, inundating him with supportive video messages. Following backstage invitations and national media interviews, Charlie decided to channel his own experiences and the support he’d received into fighting for others, becoming an anti-bullying ambassador. In 2021, he was recognised with The Diana Award – the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts.
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.
To find out more about The Charlie Kristensen Foundation (registered charity no. 1201186), including donating, fundraising or signing up to volunteer, visit https://cheerupcharlie.co.uk.
To join Charlie for a truly wonderful evening of music, ruby red carpets and fundraising at There’s No Place Like Home on 22 October, visit: https://nimaxtheatres.com/shows/theres-no-place-like-home/. Ticket prices range from £10-£65 (£65 tickets include an exclusive signed poster).
