First look at Let The Sun Shine! at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre this Summer

Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre is the perfect place to Let the Sun Shine! this summer - and today the first images of the uplifting new show can be revealed.

Helen Redcliffe’s unmissable tale of love, friendship, family and finding the courage to be yourself opened on Friday and captivated Chester audiences over its opening weekend.

Let the Sun Shine! runs until Sunday, 23 August. Tickets are on sale priced from £20.25 for Storyhouse Members.

When a colourful music festival crashes into the quietest village you’ve ever seen, nothing – and no one – escapes unchanged.

Summer, 1969. Meet Harry, a small-town dreamer longing for a bigger life beyond the family business. As free spirits, flower children and larger-than-life festivalgoers descend on his village, he discovers friendship, first love and – most importantly – his own voice.

But can he persuade his traditional father to let him chase his dreams?

Along the way you’ll meet unforgettable characters, from the mischievous Puck, a mysterious seller of dreams, to Joan who discovers it’s never too late to reinvent yourself and embrace life’s second chances. And not to forget Sunny and Claire, who bring the audience interaction to the next level.

Packed with spectacular live music, dazzling choreography, a powerhouse cast of singers and a sensational live band, Let the Sun Shine! is an unforgettable open-air musical bursting with heart, humour and the spirit of the 1960s.

The cast includes David Ahmad as Arthur, Annabelle Aquino as Cloud, Rebecca Bainbridge as Veronica, Lucas Button as Harry, Lawrence Hodgson-Mullings as Bobby, Sorrel Jordan as Claire and lead drummer, Zoe Lambert as Viper and villager one, Abigail Middleton as Puck, Mrs Granger and onstage understudy, Kate Milner-Evans as Joan, Perry Moore as Sunny and Vicar and Robert Wade as PC Hamer and onstage understudy.

Two trainee actors also form part of the cast with Owen Ellis will playing Bear and understudy PC Hamer and Lauren Lees as Luna and understudy Mrs Granger and Puck.

Let the Sun Shine! is directed by Rob Green and Lucy Thatcher. Rob Green is musical director, choreography comes from Lucy Thatcher and production design is by Charlotte Murphy.

Writer Helen Redcliffe says: “I wanted to create something that made the audience feel part of something special, a shared celebration of music, hope, laughter and togetherness. Joyful, funny, moving, and packed with well-known songs you’ll be humming all the way home, it’s a tribute to the people brave enough to dream.

“So gather your friends, don some tie-dye, and join us under the summer sky for a feel-good theatrical event that will hopefully stay with you long after the final encore.”

The production joins Kieran Lynn’s Outlaws: A Robin Hood Story which opened earlier this month.

Meanwhile families with children under eight are being invited to embark on a vibrant interactive adventure in the company Peter Pan in a walkabout show which runs from Tuesday, 28 July to Thursday, 13 August.

And finally, Jessica Swale’s Olivier Award winning Nell Gwynn comes to Grosvenor Park from Friday, 21 August to Sunday, 6 September in a co-production with Shakespeare North Playhouse and Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake. The fresh and acclaimed new staging is directed by Bryony Shanahan.

The Storyhouse in the Park festival site once again features the popular tepee bar, with a wider variety of food choices than ever before, craft beers and frozen cocktails.

And across the summer visitors can also enjoy:

Moonlight Flicks – the return of Storyhouse’s atmospheric open-air cinema

Live comedy evenings

Thrilling Murder Mystery events

Outdoor yoga sessions in the park

Rhyme Time and Library Craft sessions for families

For more details, including full dates and ticket prices, visit www.storyhouse.com