A Hatfield director can put on a show at Christmas if the government roadmap is achieved - meaning he can bring his long-awaited family musical to the stage after developing it for 10 years.
From humble beginnings at the Barn Theatre in Welwyn Garden City and Breaks Manor in Hatfield, Aidan Bell has travelled Europe doing everything from the Rock Horror Picture Show to Hair.
And now, after directing shows in the north of England, he is working a little closer to home in Hatfield while taking care of his elderly mother.
"It's been really hard and quite sad during the year for theatre," he told the WHT. "Theatre has so far been an afterthought at the end when entertainment has kept so many people going through the pandemic.
"I've been one of the lucky ones. I have financial support through the self-employed grant.
"I'm staying at my mum's, who is in her 80s and is shielding so she owns her own house and it means I don't have to worry as much.
"If my musical can employee 70 people, who have been out of work due to pandemic, for a few days in December that would be a lovely reason for my concert to work."
He has been working on Santa Santa!, a large-scale new musical for the whole family, in the vein of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mary Poppins and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.
It tells the tale of young Colin whose mother can't be found anywhere, and it seems that she has been accidentally kidnapped by Jack Frost. Santa needs Colin's help to rescue her, and so begins a fantastic adventure into the world of magic that will capture the heart, according to Aidan.
"It's not high drama. It's a comedy," the 56-year-old added. "I have been working on this for 10 years.
"And you know Wicked? Stephen Schwartz was working on that for more than 10 years so I take a lot of comfort from that."
He has raised £2,000 so far to pay for the orchestra and staging the play through Go Fund Me here gofundme.com/f/help-fund-a-santa-santa-orchestral-concert.
And hopes it will hit the big stage in December 2021 after he finds a venue. For more see santasanta.co.uk.
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