Who's who in this year's CBeebies Christmas Show -The Snow Queen.

The 2017 CBeebies Christmas Show has broken its own record for being the most popular ticket in town. CBeebies’ The Snow Queen has attracted 374,564 ticket requests across all three showings of this year’s show at Curve theatre in Leicester.

Last year 257,211 people applied for tickets to the panto but The Snow Queen beat this figure on the opening day, with a record breaking 262,000 people applying for tickets.

Kay Benbow, Controller of CBeebies said “We are thrilled by the year-on year increase in ticket applications and are absolutely amazed by this year's huge number. It really shows the popularity of the CBeebies Christmas show and just how much it means to our youngest audience and their families.”

Dr Ranj Singh, who joins the production this year to play Kai, added: “I’m absolutely blown away by how many people have applied to come to the CBeebies Christmas Show this year. It just goes to show how amazing our audience are, and how much the shows mean to them. I can’t wait to get onto that snowy stage... I’ve been singing my socks off already!

This year's cast of characters

The show pulls together many of CBeebies most popular actors and presenters with a few faces who are new to this year’s show:

• The Snow Queen – Rebecca Keatley – Let’s Play
• Gerda – Cat Sandion – Magic Door
• Kai – Dr Ranj Singh – Get Well Soon
• Grandfather – William Vanderpuye – Apple Tree House
• The Ravens – Andy Day – Andy’s Adventures & Steven Kynman – Justin’s House

• Reindeer – Justin Fletcher – Something Special
• Wise Woman – Maddie Moate – Do you know?
• Robber – Gemma Hunt – Swashbuckle
• Robber – Joseph Elliott - Swashbuckle
• Robber –Richard David-Caine – Swashbuckle

• Summer Witch – Jennie Dale – Swashbuckle

Ten children from Leicester are also joining the cast for the show this year. There were over 250 audition tapes sent in from local children all keen to appear on stage and show off their singing and dancing ability.

The CBeebies Christmas Show has rapidly grown in popularity over the years and last year it was the second most popular show behind Strictly Come Dancing.

Ticket applications through the years:

• Christmas Carol2013: 42,205
• Peter Pan 2014: 149,532
• Alice in Wonderland 2015: 184,279
• The Nutcracker 2016: 257,211
• The Snow Queen 2017: 374,564

Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said, “We’re delighted to host this year’s CBeebies Christmas show ‘The Snow Queen’ here at Curve in Leicester.

“We can’t wait to welcome so many children and their families through our doors to enjoy what is set to be a fantastic event with CBeebies to really kick start the festive season at Curve!”