Blackpool's Maureen Nolan announced as villain in St Helen's Christmas Pantomime
One of Blackpool’s most famous residents, Maureen Nolan, has been announced as the panto villain at a new Christmas show this year.
Singer Maureen Nolan is set to head a stellar cast in St Helens Theatre Royal’s festive family show this Christmas.
Pop legend and West End star Maureen will play the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which comes to St Helens from Saturday, November 30 to Sunday, January 12 2025.
The show was officially launched this week at the Hilton Hotel in Liverpool City Centre as the full cast stopped passersby in their tracks as they paraded in sumptuous costumes for the invited media and photographers.
What is Maureen’s career history?
Maureen Nolan is a member of the legendary Nolans girl group of singing siblings who took the charts by storm in the 1970s and 80s with their hits including the top 3 floor filler I’m in the Mood for Dancing. She has worked in the industry for six decades and has appeared alongside a host of major stars from Frank Sinatra to Motorhead.
Her many theatre credits include Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers, a role she played for two years in the West End. In fact, no fewer than four Nolan sisters have played Mrs Johnstone – winning them a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Other stage appearances include Vi Moore in Footloose and Ruth in Calendar Girls, along with Mum’s The Word, Menopause the Musical, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and The Eva Cassidy Story – Over the Rainbow. She’s also no stranger to panto, having appeared in more than 20 including Robin Hood and Babes in the Wood at the Liverpool Empire and, most recently, the Wicked Queen in Snow White at Stafford.
What has been said about Maureen’s casting?
Panto director and St Helens Theatre Manager Chantelle Nolan says:“I’m really excited to welcome the wonderful Maureen Nolan to the Regal Entertainments panto family. She was due to appear in our production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears at Easter 2020, but unfortunately, we all know what happened then. It’s great that she is finally able to join us for some festive fun.
“She’s joined by Corrie’s Emrhys Cooper who I know is going to be a brilliant Prince, while we’ve also got some real St Helens’ favourites in our cast again this Christmas. And then there are our amazing Dwarfs, created by leading West End costume makers and voiced by some of our best-loved stars from closer to home.
“With a brilliant soundtrack, colourful costumes and a stunning stage set, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs promises to make this Christmas the fairest of them all.”
Who else is in the cast?
Soap star Emrhys Cooper, who is currently appearing on TV screens as Corrie’s Rowan Cunliffe, will take on the role of Prince Fredrick
They will be joined by the fairest cast of them all, panto royalty Leanne Campbell who is appearing digitally as the Magic Mirror,
Newcomer Chantelle Morgan will then play Snow White, and St Helens’ favourites Lewis Devine and Richard Aucott will play as Muddles and Nurse Nelly respectively.
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Regal Entertainments Ltd, which stages the hugely popular seasonal shows at the theatre, has also enlisted the help of some very special local legends to voice the roles of the Dwarfs – with the magnificent seven comprised of Johnny Vegas, Joel Ross, Pete Price, Philip Regan (Queen of Scotty Road), Craig Phillips, Louis Emerick and John May.
All of those lending their voices are donating their fees to their chosen charities.
The cast will be joined by a supporting company of future West End stars from Nazene Danielle’s School of Dance – Dance Dynamix and canine performers Doggie Delights also return after being a hit in the Easter Panto.
Regal Entertainments Ltd has been bringing top quality and star-studded productions to the North-West for more than 20 years.
It is run by the theatrical powerhouse mother and daughter duo of Jane Joseph and Chantelle Nolan who produce top quality drama, comedy and panto productions which continue to break box office records.
It produces four pantomimes – at Easter, Christmas and in the February and October half term holidays, with tens of thousands of theatregoers enjoying the fantastic family-friendly fun each year.