EVERYBODY has to start somewhere, as the saying goes. When the Rowntree Players last staged Babes In The Wood in 1984, who should play Robin Hood but Janet McTeer, then an aspiring actress from York, now a star of the West End, Broadway and Hollywood.

This year she won a Golden Globe, and received an Oscar nomination too, for her role as Mary Jo, a feisty if foolish mom from the American Deep South, in Gavin O'Connor's low-budget road movie, Tumbleweeds. Who knows where any of the Rowntree Players' cast for Babes In The Wood this Christmas may appear next?!

Rehearsals are almost over as the players prepare to take to the Rowntree Theatre stage next week, opening with a charity night for the Lord Mayor of York's charities on December 12. Children's societies are the recipients this year, so all proceeds are being split between the Lord Mayor's good causes and the Martin House Hospice appeal.

To kick off the Players' support for children's charities, a special rehearsal was held for Children In Need, at which all the cast wore fancy dress and £53.82 was raised.

Director Eileen Lavender says: "As our pantomime is very much a family affair and involves a cast which ranges in age from six to 60, it seemed a natural fit to support the Lord Mayor's charities, because they're helping children this year."

Delighted with the progress of the rehearsals, Eileen adds: "The cast of actors, dancers and chorus, together with a fantastic backstage crew, have worked extremely hard to put on a show which promises to be an entertaining evening to be enjoyed by all ages. We're very keen to have a sell-out show and are well on the way but tickets are still available for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, so please help us to help children."

Turning the focus back on the cast, more than 40 people are taking part, led by experienced hands Meike Jackson as Robin Hood, Roy Powell as the dame, Nurse Glucose, and Graham Bilton as Slipper Sam.

There are newcomers aplenty too, not least Rachel Drew as Maid Marion, Martin Durrant and Francesca Bilham as the Babes, and Louise Rigg in the role of the forest sprite, Alfred Acorn. The chorus is more than 20 strong, many of them new members.

Rowntree Players' Babes In The Wood runs from December 12 to 16 at 7.30pm nightly, plus 2.30pm next Saturday. Tickets: £6, concessions £4, from York Theatre Royal box office, tel 01904 623568.