Enda McGrath – Prince Charming
This is Enda’s first show with Ballinasloe Panto. Enda is also involved with Ballinasloe Musical Society and starred with them in a number of shows including ‘Honk!’, ‘Hello Dolly’ and most recently appeared in ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ as brother Daniel. Enda is a graduate of the Jacinta Keane school of dance and has toured the country with ‘Riverdance’. H has already wooed the cast with his princley role . Enda would like to wish the cast and crew the very best of luck with the show! – Ohhhh Enda your our HERO !!
Niamh Kelly – Cinderella
A native of Ballinasloe, Niamh is following in the footsteps of both her father and her grandfather by taking to the stage. Niamh is a 6th year student in Ard Scoil Mhuire, and has been a member of both the ‘In Step Stage School’ and ‘Centre Stage Stage School’. In 2008 she was awarded a scholarship to attend the A.I.M.S theatre summer school in Thurles and has on several occasions attended the Stagewise summer school in Dublin. She played the part of ‘The Cat in the Hat’ in the TY production of ‘Seussical the Musical’ and ‘Minnie Faye’ in Ballinasloe Musical Society’s production of ‘Hello, Dolly!’ in 2009. This is Niamh’s second performance onstage with Ballinasloe Panto Society having last year played Princess Jasmine in ‘Aladdin’. She is delighted to be playing Cinderella this year and would like to wish all the cast and crew the best of luck for this weeks show.
EVIL !!!
Niamh is a second year Science Education student in NUI Maynooth.She no stranger to the stage, being a member of Ballinasloe Musical Society
and Maynooth Community players and has starred in such shows as ‘Honk!’ and ‘Fame’ with them. Niamh attended the Performing Arts School in Galway and
starred with them in many shows including ‘Guys and Dolls’, ‘Oliver’ and ‘The Wiz’ where she played Aunt Em. Niamh is also a member of the
Jacinta Keane school of dance and is an experienced dancer. Niamh is looking forward to playing the ‘baddie’ for the first time and is excited
about taking part in this years pantomime…good luck everyone! Dont forget to boo and hiss everytime you see her !! Booooooooo
Mike Kelly – Gorgon (Ugly stepsister)
Mike is a native of Ballinasloe and has been involved in productions with Garbally College, Relay’s Drama Group, Ballinasloe Musical Society and Acorn Theatre Group. Mike’s first love has always been the stage, possibly handed down from his parents. “I have been lucky down through the years to work under many excellent directors, including Bishop Cassidy, Eamonn O’Donoghue, Liam Curley, Noel Henry, Fr. Declan Kelly and Barry Lally, and I have really enjoyed working for the second time under the direction Of Eoin Croffey”. With Relay’s, Mike has taken part in ‘The Hostage’, ‘Philadelphia Here I Come’, ‘I Do Not Like Thee Dr. Fell’, ‘One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’, and played the part of the Bull McCabe in ‘The Field’. Mike claims his favourite role with Relay’s was as Mike Glavin in ‘Sive’. With Ballinasloe Musical Society, Mike played Alfred Doolittle in ‘My Fair Lady’ and Bill Sykes in ‘Oliver!’ (where he scared all the kids!). Mike played the role of the likeable and bumbling Emperor in last year’s panto ‘Aladdin’. He would like to wish all the cast and crew, especially all the younger cast, the best of luck for the duration of this production of ‘Cinderella’. Mike hopes that everyone forgets the recession for the night and has a good laugh! This Year he takes on the part of an ugly sister ( Make up has such a job to do). He has been seen practicing his “high heal” manovers around some of the local establishments of Balllinasloe in the past few weeks – we’re not sure should you boo or laugh when you see him – maybe do both …..
Pat Vaughan – Zola (Ugly Sister)
Pat is a former member of Ballinasloe Musical Society where he played several roles including Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls, Captain Brackett in South Pacific, Ramon in Viva Mexico, and Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun. He was also a member of the very successful St Brigid’s Dramatic Society and played several roles in both One Act and Three Act Productions, for a number of years. His favourite roles were Simey in John B Keane’s The Highest House on the Mountain and Joxer Daly in O Casey’s Juno and The Paycock.
His love of music and drama came from his late father Billy, who performed on stage in the Town Hall in several productions for both Relays Drama Group and Ballinasloe Musical Society.
Pat played the Genie in last years show and is delighted to be back again this year to work with such a talented director as Eoin Croffy and with so many talented young people. Pat this year has the part of the beautiful sister of the ever charming and
gorgeous Mike Kelly. Thanks to all in make up and costume you did a super job,
and the magic knickers really work!!!!
Brian Derrane – King Fairy
This is Brian’s first time in a panto….. “Oh No It Isn’t…. Oh yes it is!”…… and it is a cause for celebration! He hopes all members of cast “breaks a leg!”
Brian’s first foray onto the stage was as a junior chorus girl in Garbally Colleges “Fiddler on the Roof”. Other musical appearances include; Andrew Cairns – “Oklahoma”; Big Chief Sitting Bull – “Annie Get Your Gun”, (featured on RTE’s Bibi Show); Big Julie – “Guys and Dolls”; Mr. Bumble -“Oliver”; men’s chorus – “My Fair Lady”; The tap dancing Mikado in the “Hot Mikado”; Spats Palazzo – “Some like it Hot”; Rudolph Reisenweber – ”Hello Dolly”; and Mr. Bigsby in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.”
Brian is also a member of the Ballinasloe Relays Drama Group playing roles in; “Judgment in Carlingford” an RTE radio play; “I Do Not Like Thee Dr. Fell”, “Deeply Regretted”, “Philadelphia Here I Come”, “A Bolt From The Blue”, and as the sermonising Bishop in “The Field”. He also helped celebrate Portiuncula Hospitals 100th anniversary playing Canon Purcell in “Centenary”.
Eveanna Ryan – Fairy Godmother
Athough Eveanna has been involved in Drama in Ballinasloe much longer than she will admit!!! This is her 1st time to be on stage with the Ballinasloe Panto. Last year she was confined to a darkened room back stage applying blue primer onto the lovely Genie and St Tropez to Alladin!!! (and she loved every minute of it!!) Yes she was the local girl who became a film star acting alongside Colm Meaney in the war of the buttons ( we wont tell you what year ) This year she is playing the part of the wonderful Fairy Godmother but she is having a bit of difficulty getting her wand to work ……
Daniel Barrett – Dandini
The youngest member of the main cast at 17, Daniel is a first time participant in Ballinasloe Panto, but has taken part in two school musicals and two Centre Stage productions. His short ‘career’ in acting has taken a turn for the worse, as he has gone from the dizzying heights playing one of the main male parts in the musical Annie, to one of the main female parts in last year’s Centre Stage production of Babes in The Wood. He continues his stunning run of form here as Dandini. Daniel wishes to greatly thank everyone who played a part in the production of this panto, and hopes you all enjoy the show!!!
Mike O’Reilly – Barron Hard-Up
Mike is one of the best-known faces on stage in Ballinasloe; he continues to maintain an amazing enthusiasm for drama. He has been involved in a huge number of Relays productions, most recently The Field. Over the last fifteen years, he has also been actively involved with Ballinasloe Musical Society. The Wiz and Honk are just some of his more recent achievements with that award winning Society. He has also worked with the Acorn Theatre group, most recently with The Kings of the Kilburn High Road. He worked backstage at last year’s Panto and the stage manager insisted that he return to the acting end of things as soon as possible! Strange – this years director has already insisted he return to backstage ….
Fergal D’Arcy – Buttons
Born and raised in Ballinasloe. He has been involved in
drama from an early age with The Creagh Capers and numerous workshops. To date fergal has worked with numerous drama groups including Relays and DIT
drama society. In 1998, he won the Garbally Drama award for his role as ‘Gar’
Private in ‘Philadelphia Here I come’, in 2004 he won Best Comic Actor
for
his role as Death in ‘The Death of Love.’ Fergal also has an interest in
radio drama being nominated for the 2010 PPI social awareness and concern
award for self written ‘Split Seconds’
Last year Fergal played the role of Alladin in the pantomime, this year he looks forward to getting on stage, acting the mick and frightening the young lads. Fergal would also like to take this opportunity to let ye all know that he doesn’t wear LADIES CLOTHES OR TIGHTS…thats just a vicous rumour
that Pat vaughan started out of spite last year.
