THE ROYAL THEATRICAL FUND
ANNOUNCES NEW PODCAST SERIES
ACTORS NEVER RETIRE
The Royal Theatrical Fund today announces Actors Never Retire, a new podcast series celebrating the lives, careers and behind-the-scenes stories of those working across stage and screen. The RTF provides financial support to those that are unable to work due to illness, injury, in their twilight years or in times of crisis.
Hosted by actress Molly Hanson, the six-episode series will feature candid conversations with performers whose careers have spanned decades on stage and screen. The guests are David Alder, Colette Kelly, Hayward Morse, Barbara Rhodes, Myra Sands, and Elizabeth Seal, alongside a special introduction from RTF Chairwoman Samantha Bond and RTF President Robert Lindsay, and original music by Stefan Bednarczyk.
From backstage disasters and career-defining moments, to reflections on longevity in the industry, each episode offers an honest and entertaining insight into the realities – and enduring joys – of a life in the entertainment industry.
The first episode will be released on Friday 12 June with the remaining five episodes released every Friday thereafter. For further information, please go to https://trtf.com/.
Stefan Bednarczyk is a musical director, cabaret performer and actor. His theatre credits include Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Sondheim Theatre), Semi-Monde (Lyric Theatre), The Games of Love and Chance (National Theatre), The L.A. Plays (Almeida Theatre), Five O’ Clock Angel (Hampstead Theatre and King’s Head Theatre), The Killing of Mr Toad, The Grand Duke (Finborough Theatre), and Christmas Spirits (The Other Palace). As a cabaret performer his credits include Coward & Friends (Menier Chocolate Factory), Noël Coward’s Christmas Spirit (The Other Palace), Stefan Bednarczyk: King of Cabaret (Jermyn Street Theatre), and An Evening of Flanders and Swann (The Pheasantry and Jermyn Street Theatre).
Samantha Bond’s theatre credits include The Lie (Menier Chocolate Factory), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Savoy Theatre), Passion Play, Arcadia (Duke of York’s Theatre), What The Butler Saw, An Ideal Husband (Vaudeville Theatre), Donkey’s Years (Harold Pinter Theatre), Rubinstein’s Kiss, A Woman of No Importance (Hampstead Theatre), The Vagina Monologues (Wyndham’s Theatre), Memory of Water (UK tour and West End), Amy’s View (National Theatre, Aldwych Theatre and Ehtel Barrymore Theatre), The Winter’s Tale (RSC), Much Ado About Nothing (UK tour and Phoenix Theatre), Romeo and Juliet. Her television credits include The Marlow Murder Club (as series regular Judith Potts), The Inheritance, Dreamland, Silent Witness, Moving On, Election Spy, Murdoch Mysteries, Home Fires, Downton Abbey, Outnumbered, Playhouse Presents, Midsomer Murders, New Tricks, The Queen, Heartbeat, Marple, Lark Rise to Candleford, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Distant Shores, Hotel Babylon , Fanny Hill, Donovan, NCS Manhunt; and for film, Hounded, The Stranger in Our Bed, Downton Abbey: A New Era, The Kindred, Schools Out Forever, Cold Blood Legacy, A Bunch of Amateurs, Blinded, Die Another Day, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, and The World Is Not Enough.
Molly Hanson presents. Her theatre credits include POSH (Pleasance Theatre), A Christmas Carol, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It (Windsor Castle), and First Episode (Jermyn Street Theatre). For television her credits include Father Brown, The Coroner, and Jack Ryan.
David Alder’s theatre credits include A Tale of Two Cities (Charing Cross Theatre), TheKissing Dance (Jermyn Street Theatre), The Villains’ Opera, Honk! The Ugly Duckling (National Theatre), Annie (Victoria Palace Theatre and UK tour), Scrooge – The Musical (Bristol Hippodrome), She Loves Me (Savoy Theatre), Leonardo (Novello Theatre), Me and My Girl (Adelphi Theatre), Call Me Madam (Victoria Palace Theatre), and Salad Days (Duke of York’s Theatre and UK tour). His television credits include The Bill and Ooh La La!; and for film, Decadence and Riff-Raff.
Colette Kelly’s stage credits include Ballroom (Waterloo East Theatre), By the Bog of Cats (Wyndham’s Theatre), Salad Days (Duke of York’s Theatre), Hair (Shaftesbury Theatre), and Grease (Gillian Lynne Theatre).
Hayward Morse’s stage credits include Butley (Criterion Theatre), What The Butler Saw (Sondheim Theatre and UK tour),The Mousetrap (St Martin’s Theatre), 84 Charing Cross Road (Cambridge Arts Theatre), Shylocks Revenge (UK tour), Stage Struck, Relatively Speaking, Don’t Misunderstand Me, London Suite (English Theatre Hamburg, English Theatre Frankfurt, and UK tour), Eden’s Empire (English Theatre Hamburg), Weapons of Happiness, Portraits, Magnificence, The Melting Pot, But It Still Goes On, Beast on the Moon (Finborough Theatre), The Reluctant Debutante, Barefoot in the Park (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre),and The Canterbury Tales (Phoenix Theatre). His television credits include Reacher, Accused, Autopsy: The Last Hours of, Footballers’ Wive$: Extra Time, Screen Two, The Great Detective.
Barbara Rhodes’ theatre credits include My Fair Lady (Adelphi Theatre) and No, No Nanette (Theatre Royal Drury Lane). Her opera and ballet credits include Falstaff, Turandot, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker (all Royal Opera House); and for film, Pride and Prejudice, Hamlet and Carrington. Rhodes trained at the Royal Ballet School and was awarded the Solo Seal and Adeline Genee Bronze Medal.
Myra Sands’ theatre credits include Evita (Prince Edward Theatre), Funny Girl (Menier Chocolate Theatre, Savoy Theatre and UK tour), Sweeney Todd, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Cats (Gillian Lynne Theatre), Acorn Antiques: The Musical (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Marilyn!, Me and My Girl (Adelphi Theatre), Dear Anyone (Cambridge Theatre), The Baker’s Wife (Phoenix Theatre), Grease (Dominic Theatre and Cambridge Theatre), Candide, Summerfolk, Money, The Villain’s Opera, Honk (National Theatre), Follies (Southbank Centre), Carnival!, New Girl in Town, One Touch of Venus (Barbican Centre), The Boy Friend and Gigi (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), By Jupiter, Du Barry Was A Lady; and for film, Funny Girl.
Elizabeth Seal’s theatre credits include The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees (London Coliseum), Salad Days (Duke of York’s Theatre and UK tour), Chicago (Cambridge Theatre and Sheffield Theatres), The Corn Is Green (Lunt-Fontanne Theatre), and Irma La Douce (Lyric Theatre, Gerald Scheonfeld Theatre, and Alvin Theatre – Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical). Her television credits include My Son, My Son, Supernatural, Z Cars, The Misfit, Softly Softly: Task Force, and Route 66; and for film, Headlock Security, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, Mack the Knife, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life.