Curve in Conversation | Carly Mercedes Dyer, Susan McEniff and Chelsea Halfpenny

The final Curve in Conversation episode of 2021 is out now, featuring interviews with A Chorus Line star Carly Mercedes Dyer, Charity Link Director Susan McEniff and stage and screen favourite Chelsea Halfpenny.

Hosted by former BBC Radio Leicester presenter Martin Ballard, the podcast from Leicester’s Curve theatre gives audiences insights into the work that takes place both on and off its stages with exclusive interviews.

Earlier this month Curve’s Christmas production of A Chorus Line opened to rave reviews, described by The Telegraph as ‘world-class’. The musical’s run continues until 31 December and in this episode, Martin Ballard speaks to Carly Mercedes Dyer about the show and her own experiences as a performer.

“I think it’s a great message for the world even outside of musical theatre because that’s what theatre does, it opens our eyes and educates [us about] other people’s lifestyles”, Carly says about the musical’s themes of overcoming hardships and celebrating individuals pursuing their dreams. “As much as someone would think, “Oh A Chorus Line, it’s just a musical”, it’s doing so much more.”

Carly returns to the theatre’s stage following acclaimed performances in Made at Curve productions of The Color Purple – at Home and West Side Story. Speaking about playing the iconic role of Cassie, the performer who returns to chorus line auditions following a failed attempt to ‘make it’ in Hollywood, Carly tells Martin, “I feel like a lot of the time in our industry you get put into a box. Even in my career I felt like people saw me as a dancer…whatever happens you feel like a chameleon, the more I do of one thing, I’m more of that.”

A Chorus Line runs at Curve until 31 December. Find out more and book now here.

This Christmas, Curve is once again partnering with Charity Link to offer free tickets to local children and families in need.  Supported by Pukka Pies, Curve will share a special performance of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s The Smeds and the Smoos, a Tall Stories production in association with Curve.

Susan McEniff, Director of Charity Link, explains how the organisation’s ongoing partnership with Curve began in 2018 from a desire to, “add an extra special gift at Christmas but also to enable families – and particularly children – to access a space that they wouldn’t have the opportunity to do so [otherwise].”

Susan also describes the “extraordinary” difference the performance makes to the children and families supported by Charity Link, with attendees thanking her for months after the events.

A tale of star-crossed aliens, The Smeds and the Smoos runs at Curve until 31 December. Find out more here.

Finally in this episode of Curve in Conversation, Martin speaks with Casualty and Emmerdale star Chelsea Halfpenny, who made her West End debut in 2019 in the Dolly Parton musical 9 to 5. Chelsea will be appearing on stage at Curve 24 – 29 January 2022 in smash-hit musical Waitress as Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of finding the perfect recipe for happiness.

“It’s super uplifting. It’s a rom-com -and who doesn’t love a rom-com – but it’s also super empowering”, Chelsea says of the show. As Jenna, Chelsea leads the production alongside Sandra Marvin as Becky and Evelyn Hoskins as Dawn. With an all-female creative team, Waitress has a book by Jessie Nelson, music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and is directed by Diane Paulus.

Tickets for Waitress at Curve are on-sale now. For more information, click here.

Listen to this episode of Curve in Conversation in full and subscribe now, via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google and Soundcloud.