WILL New Earswick Musical Society actor Steve Padfield wear his cross-dressing costume from Sugar when he runs the London Marathon on April 25?

“Many of my fellow cast members are trying to convince me to do it for the run,” says Steve, who will be raising money for the Anthony Nolan Trust. “It’s a very worthwhile cause, but I can’t run 26 feet in high heels, let alone 26 miles, even if they doubled the sponsorship!”

Steve will play “the Tony Curtis role” in Sugar, a musical based on the film Some Like It Hot, which will require him to disguise himself as a woman to escape a tap-dancing gangster.

In recent weeks, he has had to combine training stints for the marathon with rehearsals for Sugar, switching from pounding out the miles in running shoes to spending several hours each week walking and dancing in high-heel shoes.

“It’s a novel way to work on my calf muscles but my feet are killing me afterwards,” says 42-year-old Steve. “I don’t know how women can wear high heels all day.”

Sugar will be staged at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, from next Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm, only one week before Steve’s marathon challenge. “Rehearsals and training are getting more intense – and I need to shave my legs for the show, but I’m hoping this helps me become more streamlined for the long run ahead!” he says.

Steve combines his performing role with his duties as publicity manager for New Earswick Musical Society, and he has certainly done his bit to drum up publicity for Sugar. “Although the numbers will be considerably fewer than those attending the marathon – expected to be over 36,000 runners this year – it would be great if we could encourage more people to come along to the show. I can guarantee a great evening’s entertainment,” he says.

Sugar tells the story of two unemployed musicians, bass player Jerry (Alex Papachristou) and saxophone player Joe (Steve’s role), who witness the St Valentines Day massacre in Chicago. In order to escape gangster Spatz Palazzo (Ollie Tattersfield) and his henchmen, they dress as women and join Sweet Sue (Jo Pears) and her Society Syncopaters, an all-female band about to leave town for an engagement in Florida.

Complications arise when Joe, now known as Josephine, falls for beautiful band singer Sugar Kane (Carol Richardson), who has a slight drinking problem that tends to interfere with her ability to choose a romantic partner wisely. More than anything, Sugar wants to marry a millionaire, prompting Joe to disguise himself as the man of her dreams. Meanwhile, wealthy and elderly Osgood Fielding Jr. (Ian Small) is pursuing Daphne, unaware she really is Jerry in drag.

“This is a fantastic show – with upbeat music, great songs, and plenty of comedy throughout – and it should appeal to all ages, but unfortunately it’s a lesser-known musical and therefore we’re struggling to sell tickets, so please, please book now,” says Steve.

Tickets are on sale at £8 to £11 on 01904 768182 or 01904 623568 (York Theatre Royal). To sponsor Steve on his run, visit his website, http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StevePadfield