Full cast line up for Peter Pan panto announced!

Published: 30 October 2019

It’s just a matter of weeks until Peter Pan flies into Derby Arena for Christmas 2019. Derby LIVE and Little Wolf Entertainment are really excited to be hosting the annual pantomime for the third year running, from Saturday 7th December to Saturday 4th January.

This year’s talented cast include Best Dame nominee Morgan Brind, Emmerdale and Coronation Street’s Bill Ward and Katrina Bryan from CBeebies’ Nina and the Neurons and Molly & Mack.

Bill Ward will be rocking the seas of the Derby Arena stage as the evil Captain Hook, who everyone will love to hate. A professional actor for 20 years, Bill has built himself a huge career across theatre, TV and film and has won numerous awards for his work. Bill is no stranger to playing the villain, after appearing on screen in two of the country’s top soaps; the sadistic, evil character of Charlie Stubbs in Coronation Street and in over 700 episodes as James Barton in Emmerdale.  Bill’s other television credits include; Silent Witness; True Crime; Casualty; Doctors; The Bill; Robin Hood; Midsomer Murders; Heartbeat; Cold Blood; Fallen; Holby City; EastEnders; Swag; Severn Stories; Jonathan Creek; Footballers’ Wives; Rose and Maloney; In Deep and Make My Day.

The role of much loved Tinker Bell will be performed by Katrina Bryan, well known for her work on the CBeebies channel. Beginning in 2007, she played Nina in the award winning series Nina and the Neurons. She currently plays the role of Alice in another hit show, Molly and Mack. Other CBeebies shows include Thumbelina, The Nutcracker, A Christmas Carol, Peter Pan and Strictly Cinderella.

For the past two years, Morgan Brind has entertained Derby Arena audiences as the loveable panto Dame in Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Jack and the Beanstalk (2018). Morgan is back for a third year running as Auntie Hilda: the odd looking one that refuses to grow up!

Derby born Morgan is the co-founder of Little Wolf Entertainment, whose productions this season include Jack and the Beanstalk (Loughborough Town Hall) and Robin Hood (Core Theatre, Solihull).  This season actually marks the seventeenth pantomime he will have written and co-produced.

Alongside Bill, Katrina and Morgan, making his panto debut here in Derby, Peter Pan will be played by Thomas Grant. Thomas trained with the National Youth Theatre and The Royal Academy of Music.

After successfully completing training, Thomas went on to perform in many theatre shows including the popular Cabaret (Bristol Bierkeller), Get Your Sh*t Together (Landor Theatre), Moulin Rouge (Secret Cinema, Intemperance (New Vic Theatre), Exiles (The National Theatre), The Cereal Café (The Other Places) and The Dreamers (Abbey Road). Some audience members may recognise Thomas from his television appearances, which include; Midsomer Murders (ITV); Gil Mayo (BBC) and Murder Prevention (C5).

Abigail Finley will be playing both Mrs Darling and the Mermaid. Abi trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama. She first came to the public’s attention on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit BBC Television show How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? reaching the Semi Finals. Following the show Abi had the great honour of working with Sir Tim Rice, taking the lead female role of Fiona in his revival of Blondel (Pleasance Theatre, London).

Rebecca Brierley will be soaring alongside Thomas as our young and not so innocent Wendy. Rebecca trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and has been involved in numerous theatre shows such as LV in The Rise and Fall of Little Voices (Derby Theatre); The Sound of Music and The Railway Children (London’s King Cross Theatre).

Returning to Derby Arena, after playing Simple Simon in last year’s panto Jack and the Beanstalk (Little Wolf Entertainment), Richard Brindley will appear as Quick Draw Macaw.

Roddy Peters will appear as Starkey this year. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier award and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Roddy has worked with Little Wolf Entertainment before when playing Mervin in Sleeping Beauty at Loughborough Town Hall. His other theatre credits include Captain Flinn and The Pirate Dinosaurs (Southbank Centre) and in the popular BFG (Bolton Octagon).

It is not too late to buy for panto goers to buy Peter Pan tickets, but be quick; the croc is ticking!

Peter Pan will be on stage at Derby Arena from Saturday 7 December 2019 until Saturday 4 January 2020, tickets priced from £14.75 with concessions, group, school and family tickets available.

Tickets can be purchased from the Sales and Information Centre on 01332 255800 or book online or in person on Riverside Chambers, Full Street.

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