Audiences will be taken on a magical and mystical adventure later this year when the Connaught Theatre pantomime, Aladdin, reaches for the stars in a first class flight to pantoland with, in the title role, S Club 7 pop star and west end singing sensation Jon Lee, who took his first steps in theatreland at the tender age of 12 when he appeared in the title role of Oliver! opposite Jonathan Pryce at the London Palladium.
In 1999, Jon joined S Club 7, formed by former Spice Girls’ manager Simon Fuller, and went on to sell over 19 million albums, and establish a place in the history books of modern culture. Known to millions across the world, S Club 7 received two Brit Awards and were awarded Record of the Year. An audience of 90 million world-wide viewers enjoyed their popular TV series and a box office smash-hit movie, Seeing Double, along with numerous sell-out arena tours.
Chart-topping Jon has travelled the world and there can’t be many people who haven’t sang along to hits Never Had a Dream Come True, Reach and Don’t Stop Movin’ to name just a few. S Club 7 first came to public notice in the BBC series Miami 7 which saw the group working in a hotel and entertaining guests with their song and dance routines. The series was so popular, LA 7, Hollywood 7 and Viva S Club followed, airing in 100 countries. The programme has since been credited with inspiring a new generation of teenage TV musicals such as High School Musical and Glee.
Ever in demand, Jon has gone on to take the West End stage by storm with critically and publicly acclaimed performances in the box office smash-hit, Les Misérables, in the role of Marius at the Palace Theatre and Queens Theatre, as well as appearing at the O2 in the 25th Anniversary performance of the award-winning production.
He has performed at the Edinburgh Festival in Teen Scream, toured the country in Love Shack and been guest for BBC Radio 4 on The King & I alongside Barbara Cook and in Mame with Julia McKenzie. He played John in Tomorrow Morning at the Landor Theatre and the title role in Aladdin in Southampton opposite Paul O’Grady’s alter ego Lily Savage, a role that Jon reprised last year at London’s O2. Jon has recently completed a season playing Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys and is currently promoting the release of his debut solo album Fallen Angel.
Joining Jon in the popular Connaught pantomime are Heart breakfast presenters Tom and Jack in the roles of PC Ping and PC Pong along with Britain’s Got Talent opera duo Kieran and Sarah, who play Genie of the Lamp and Slave of the Ring.
Aladdin opens on Friday 5th December and runs until Sunday 4th January 2015. Tickets are already selling fast with discounts available for early bookers. You can book for Aladdin by calling Worthing Theatres on 01903 206 206 or online at www.worthingtheatres.co.uk.
