‘Singin’ in the Rain’ at the Crucible this Christmas: cast announced for Sheffield’s festive musical

Sheffield Theatres has announced the cast of its Christmas musical Singin’ in the Rain, which opens at the Crucible in Sheffield on November 26, 2026 and runs through January 16, 2027, according to the theatre’s official website. The production is staged in collaboration with Jonathan Church Theatre Productions, Chichester Festival Theatre and Stage Entertainment, and will then tour the UK and Ireland.

Grant Almirall will play Don Lockwood, Natalie Anderson — known to audiences from Emmerdale — will be Lina Lamont, while Nicole-Lily Baisden will play Kathy Seldon and Matthew Maddison will be Cosmo Brown. Wendi Peters, known from Coronation Street and Heathers The Musical, takes the role of Dora Bailey.

Jonathan Church directs, with choreography by Andrew Wright, set and costume design by Simon Higlett and musical supervision by Robert Scott. As the theatre notes, more than 14,000 liters of water will be poured on stage — the most famous element of this musical.

“I am beyond thrilled to welcome Jonathan Church home, together with his brilliant team, to create a production of Singin’ in the Rain at the Crucible this Christmas. It is one of the greatest musicals of all time,” Sheffield Theatres artistic director Elizabeth Newman said in the theatre’s announcement.

Based on the classic MGM film starring Gene Kelly, with a screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and songs by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, Singin’ in the Rain tells the story of silent-film star Don Lockwood at the moment cinema transitions to talkies — and of aspiring actress Kathy Seldon, who steps in to save the day.