Miracle on 34th Street cast announced at HOME Manchester

HOME Manchester has revealed casting for Miracle on 34th Street.

The musical adaptation of the beloved Christmas classic, directed by Sara Joyce, will run from 6 to 31 December 2024.

Set in New York City at a major department store on the brink of collapse, the musical follows a kind-hearted stranger who steps in as a last-minute replacement for the store’s Santa. After claiming, however, to be the real deal, and a subsequent arrest, it is in the hands of a young girl named Susan to restore the world’s belief in him.

Joyce commented: “Miracle on 34th Street is my favourite Christmas film so it’s an absolute privilege to be directing Meredith Wilson’s brilliant musical adaptation of the original movie at HOME. In our production, New York meets Manchester, tradition meets new ways of thinking, and nothing is more powerful than the belief of children. The extraordinary cast and team will bring magic and joy beyond the stage into the audience.”

Leading the cast and sharing the role of Susan will be Harriet (High School Musical, Matilda), Karis (Les Misérables, Oliver!), and Lillie (Steve McQueen’s Blitz, Les Misérables). Their surnames have been omitted.

The adult company includes Adam Vaughan (BBC’s Outlaws) as Kris Kringle, Christopher Jordan (BBC’s The Jetty) as Mr Macy, Ida Regan (Brief Encounter) as Sawyer, Jessica Joslin (A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic) as Doris, Matthew Hawksley (Guy Richie’s The Gentlemen) as Fred, Stephanie Hockley (Blue Beard) as Shellhammer, and Zweyla Mitchell Dos Santos (Little Shop of Horrors) as Judge Harper.

The creative team features set and lighting designer Ciaran Bagnall, costume designer Lara Booth, sound designer Julian Starr, choreographer Kevin Turner and casting director Nadine Rennie.

Karen O’Neill, CEO at HOME, said: “We are delighted to present our musical adaptation of the festive classic Miracle on 34th Street at HOME this Christmas, and we are thrilled to be working with such an incredible range of local performers, writers, and creatives. This renowned tale is the perfect offering to get families and loved ones into the Christmas spirit and we can’t wait to share this brand-new musical with our audiences.”

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