It's impossible to think about Christmas pantos at the height of the summer but, unbelievably, tickets are already being snapped up for the show, which runs from December 12 to January 4.
Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs will have the former landlady Sharon Watts and Strictly Come Dancing star playing The Wicked Queen, Sooty and Sweep, plus their right-hand man, Richard Cadell, a big attraction for the tinies, with Letitia's brother, Stephen Dean, as dashing Prince Danilo.
It's something of a reunion for Letitia and Stephen who all appeared last Christmas in Cinderella at Ipswich.
Letitia is no stranger to the role of The Wicked Queen having played at at Northampton's Deco Theatre in 2006.
EastEnders favourite Letitia Dean is starring in the show alongside TV legend Sooty, accompanied by his right-hand man, Richard Cadell. Letitia's brother, Stephen Dean, is the handsome prince and West End favourite Laura Scott plays the fairytale heroine. Youngsters from the local Anne Gale School of Dance have also been recruited to play the show's dwarfs and chorus.
Producer Barrie Stead, who last year brought larger-than-life thespian Brian Blessed to town for its �500,000 inaugural panto, said the 2007 show in the new theatre had proved a learning curve.
"It was quite hard for us last year. We had a new theatre, it was hidden, there were no signs as to how to get here, the costumes went to the wrong place because the venue wasn't recognised by satnav, so we had an awful lot of problems.
"This year it's great. We are 25 to 30 per cent up on ticket sales already and the big marketing drive hasn't already started.
"We gave the theatre a good show last year and people enjoyed it. This year we are presenting a traditional panto.
"We have a dame, we have a comic character, we have the evil character, we have the sweet character and, of course, in the great tradition of panto, good will triumph over evil."
The press launch itself was a mini panto with reporters each receiving a red rosy apple before meeting up with the show's stars.Dame Donut, played by Andy Daye, turned up in red stripy tights, shocking orange wig, copious amounts of make-up and a gaudy dress, guaranteed not to win any style awards.He was followed by the chaste Scots lassie Laura, who has appeared in Singing In The Rain and A Chorus Line and has just completed a run of Gigi in London.
"She is a great actress with a wonderful singing voice and she makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end," said Barrie.
Richard, the show's director and joint producer, bounded into the press room wearning brightly-coloured dungarees looking like a stand-in for Rainbow's Geoffrey Hayes.With him was his constant companion, Sooty, 60 -years-old this year, complete with magic wand and water pistol, and, making a guest appearance, his great pal Sweep.
Letitia Dean, who recently won new fans in BBC's Strictly Come Dancing and in the West End with Disney's High School Musical, completed the line-up, sweeping into the room (accompanied by her stylist) every inch a panto baddie.Letitia started off playing Snow White but has matured into the role of The Wicked Queen.
Dressed in black and maroon and sounding more than a touch like her former EastEnders co-star, Babs Windsor, the voluptuous TV and stage star laughed and joked with everyone.
"As I'm getting older I really enjoy the camp parts," she gushed. "I quite like getting dragged up, it suits my personality."
Barrie asked: "How would you describe how you play your part as the Wicked Queen?" She replied: "Like Danny La Rue! It's such a fun part to play! I really love panto."
Taken from Youtube
Clip remains property of Luton Today
01 December 2008
By Anne O'Donoghue
Actress Letitia Dean will lend a helping hand
A celebrity line-up will be helping to switch on the lights on Dunstable's town Christmas tree this year. Former EastEnders favourite Letitia Dean and puppet superstars Sooty and Sweep will be taking part in the ceremony.
The actress and the famous puppets are among the cast of this year's Grove Theatre panto, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. On Friday, December 5, the stars will lend a helping hand to Dunstable mayor Councillor Tony Green at the tree lights switch-on.
As usual, the evening will begin with a torchlight procession of choristers to The Square, where the town carol service will begin at 7pm.
The celebrities are among the cast staging this year's Grove Theatre panto, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. And they joined Dunstable mayor Councillor Tony Green to help turn on the tree lights at the town's big outdoor carol concert.
Sooty and Richard Cadell put on a great mini show for the crowds, young and old, packing out The Square. Mischievous Sooty had them roaring with laughter as he squirted the mayor with a water pistol. But the town's first citizen had the last laugh when the naughty bear turned the water pistol on some of the giggling spectators, too.
With the mayor and the panto stars in place, the crowds roared out the countdown for the lights to go on � but oh no, they didn't. Undeterred, the spectators gave a rousing encore. Did the lights go on second time around? Oh yes, they did.
Drenching rain had been pouring down in the hours leading up to the outdoor carol concert. But happily, the downpours dried up in time for the event and did not put a dampener on the fun.
The evening began with a torchlight procession of the massed choirs of Dunstable, from the Priory Church to The Square, accompanied by the Salvation Army Band. Police stopped the traffic as the choristers made their way across High Street South.
Then the concert began, with lots of favourite carols for the children and grown-ups to sing. Father Christmas made a special appearance, and was keeping a close eye on cheeky Sooty.
5 years on, I finally have a photo with just me and Miss Dean (me in my Tish inspired hat!) and I love being the only Jolene she appears to know!
"Much love to Jolene, Letitia xx"
Spazztastic stuff... though the t's have since gone!
Click to enlarge either image