Aladdin
As played by Fergal Darcy
The hero of the hour, owner of the ring and the lamp and Widow Twankey’s youngest son. Prone to singing "Are we there yet?" at the drop of a magic carpet. All that, and a bag of chips.
Role: Lead practitioner of multi-ethnic youth vernacular. With sand. Lots of sand. Mighty!
Jasmine
As played by Niamh Kelly
The Emperor’s beautiful daughter and the object of Aladdin’s affections. A born trooper, then.
Role: To find a lad in (geddit?) a desert who will steal her heart and with whom she can live happily ever after. Possibly one for everyone in the audience.
Genie
As played by Pat Vaughan
Pat is making a return to the stage after a short little break of 20 years! He 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.
Pat's 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.
Pat plays the Genie in our first Pantomime, and in his very first Pantomime role! He may not be able to grant all of you the three wishes - but he may grant one of you a wish - or even two!
Magic genie who lives in the oil lamp and grants wishes to anyone who summons them.
Role: Formerly known as 'Celtic Tiger', our Genie turns something that would sit on your grandma’s hearth - a well of hair clips, holy medals and teeth - into a treasure worth having.
Widow Twankey
As played by Patrick Byrne
Pat is taking time out from his busy job in a laundrette, descended as he is from a long line of scrubbers! Patrick first started his stage career with the Ballinasloe Music Society in West Side Story, and, since then, he has been enjoyed by audiences in such roles as the Tin Man in The Wiz and Teeth in Sunshine In.
He has also dazzled crowds with his "Dance At The Gym" rendition in guinness slippers!
Patrick is a much sought after Michael Jackson impersonator (watch closely!) and has travelled worldwide to give preformances, recently just returning from the U.K after a five night run.
Patrick is delighted to have been given this opportunity to show his whiter-than-white talent in this, his first Panto, and is looking forward to entertaining you all, the young and the not so young!
Aladdin’s mother and the owner of the local laundry. A walking explosion of a Eurovision dress rehearsal. Mad into mascara.
Role: Not too sure, but we think it has something to do with her cactus legs. Or, in this case, his.
Emperor
As played by Mike Kelly
The powerful ruler of the known universe (Town Hall, B'Sloe) and Princess Jasmine’s father.
Role: He has to decide which of the many local men are suitable for the Princess’ hand in marriage. Plus, every good story needs a parent with a sense of urgency.
Jafar
As played by Nigel Salmon
Nigel is a Ballinasloe native, landing his first lead role at the tender age of six, playing the part of Joseph in his national schools production of the Christmas Nativity. He was surely set for stardom with at least one glowing review (cue trumpets):
"Ah would ya look at him up there, isn’t he lovely"?
Mary Sammon, Mother.
But with such adulation and praise heaped on young shoulders, and having peaked so early in his young life, Nigel retired to pen pastoral poetry aplenty. As you would.
In 2003, Nigel fell once again into the warm embrace of what we shall loosely refer to as 'show business' and hasn’t looked back since, performing hither and thither and yon. You can see him yon from the 15th December in the Town Hall, Ballinasloe, in the role of Jafar.
Aladdin’s false, evil uncle whose sole aim is to get his grubby hands on the magic lamp. Prone to restless lip syndrome and loud. A big, fat boo!
Role: The dark side of the moon. I mean, look at that face...
So-Shy
As played by Rachel Walker
Rachel is delighted to be in Ballinasloe Panto's inaugural production, Aladdin! A fifth-year student in Ardscoil Mhuire, Rachel loves performing. She has been to Stagewise Summer Drama School (run by Eamon and Freda O'Donoghue) on four occasions. Rachel was also offered a scholarship to the A.I.M.S. youth workshop and has great memories from the school production of Seussical, where she played the part of Thing 1.
Rachel also played the parts of Snow White, Captain Hook and Ma Spratt in three separate pantomimes with Centre Stage Youth Theatre; she was also a member of In-Step Stage School for six years and has many fond memories of her experiences with Ballinasloe Musical Society.
Confidante and companion of the Princess, a bit like Padme was in the (rubbish) Star Wars films. Not to be confused with the Kajagoogoo number One hit of the 1980s.
Role: The Princess' ... wingman ... wingwoman? Sidekick.
Wishee Washee
As played by Kevin Griffin
Wishee Washee is Aladdin’s long lost friend who bags himself a job at Widow Twankey’s laundry. A cheeky and loveable fellow whose heart is in the right place; there's very few of us left.
Role: Aladdin's wing man, a Stan Laurel, so to speak, to his Oliver Hardy. Ask your Grandma.