New musical Happily Ever After? gets a rehearsed reading at Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre

Happily Ever After?, with book, music, lyrics and concept by Scarborough Theatre Company’s Alex Weatherhill, will be performed by members of the company at the venue on Thursday July 6.

The show finds characters including Hansel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Goldilocks, Peter Piper, Red Ridinghood and Rapunzel in group therapy, from first meet-up to performing at a local music festival.

There are twists and turns and, of course, the person running things has ulterior motives.

Directed by Alex Weatherhill, with musical direction by Andrew Davison, the reading will be performed Katie Buttner, Connor Canvess, Amy Hunter, Natalie Jackson, Martin Richardson, Georgie Samuels, Julie Anne Smith and Nicole Wade.

Alex Weatherhill says: “Happily Ever After? was born in one of those freak moments where many things converged.

"I was working with a director in Barcelona at The Institute of Arts putting together a student production of Stepping Out: The Musical; we’d previously worked on Into the Woods.

"I had just watched a show in a studio space and talked to the producer about how few shows were written as chamber pieces. Another friend who runs a singing business was discussing sound healing and the crazy quantum stuff that she was researching to do with singing and, in particular, group singing… and then a Facebook post sharing the real version of Sleeping Beauty appeared on my feed.

“The idea for a bunch of fairytale characters meeting in a village hall for some sort of group singing PTSD choir popped into my head and lo, the beast was born.

“There are moments of tender connection and moments of outrageous campery.

"It concentrates on how we live beyond the story of our trauma and, despite being centred on fairytale characters, it’s not for kids… it’s for adults who aren’t completely grown up.

" The kind of adults who are watching Wednesday, who loved Once and may dig out Labyrinth from time to time.”

The rehearsed reading of Happily Ever After? can be seen at the Stephen Joseph Theatre at 7.45pm on Thursday July 6.

Tickets, priced at £10, are available from the box office on 01723 370541 and online at www.sjt.uk.com

Alex is also directing the musical Betty Blue Eyes for Scarborough Theatre Company, which he formed two years ago.

Betty Blue Eyes is a stage musical comedy based on the 1984 film A Private Function and features music by George Stiles, with lyrics by Anthony Drewe.

The book was written for the stage by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, adapted from Alan Bennett’s original screenplay. Songs include Fair Shares For All, The Kind of Man I Am, Another Little Victory, Pig No Pig and the title song.

It will be performed at the Stephen Joseph Theatre from Thursday October 12 to Saturday October 14.