I'm In The Mood For Panto at Theatre Royal with Maureen Nolan

The show was officially launched at the Hilton Hotel in Liverpool City Centre, the full cast stopped passersby in their tracks as they paraded in sumptuous costumes for the invited media and photographers.

Pop legend and West End star Maureen will play the Wicked Queen while Emrhys, who is currently appearing on TV screens as Corrie’s Rowan Cunliffe, will take on the role of Prince Fredrick in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which comes to St Helens from Saturday, November 30 to Sunday, January 12 2025.

They will be joined by the fairest cast of them all, panto royalty Leanne Campbell who is appearing digitally as the Magic Mirror, outstanding newcomer Chantelle Morgan as Snow White, and St Helens’ favourites Lewis Devine as Muddles and Richard Aucott as Nurse Nelly.

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 superb 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.

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.

Actor, singer, dancer and filmmaker Emrhys Cooper plays Prince Fredrick. Emrhys can currently be seen as cult leader Rowan Cunliffe in Coronation Street. His other screen appearances include, Vincent Wright in CSI: NY, Richard in Desperate Housewives, Young Greer in Person of Interest, and Alistair in Emmy-nominated drama series Vanity, alongside big screen appearances in Bright Young Things. Dreamcatcher and smash hit movie Mamma Mia!

Before moving to Hollywood, where he spent 15 years, a young Emrhys appeared in Aladdin in Maidstone, while his stage credits also include We Will Rock You, Fame the Musical, As You Like It, Entertaining Mr Sloane and The Boys in the Band. As a dancer he has worked with stars like Madonna, Pussycat Dolls, Christina Auguilera and the Sugababes.

And as a writer and director, his credits include the short film Trophy Boy (Official Selection at Cannes Film Festival) and his award-winning feature film directorial debut The Shuroo Retreat (released in over 35 countries and available on Prime).

Leanne Campbell returns in digital form, thanks to amazing state-of-the-art audio-visual technology, after appearing magically as the Genie in the Mirror in last Christmas’s Aladdin.

Leanne started her acting career at the age of 10, with early roles including Annie at the Liverpool Playhouse and an award-winning performance as young Helen in the much-loved Twopence to Cross the Mersey. She went on to play many leading roles in musicals and plays including Me and My Girl, Carousel, The Sound of Music and Scrooge. She was also cast as Pam in ITV’s Children’s Ward.

In 2020 she wrote and starred in the successful comedy play Pete Price is Dead at Liverpool’s Royal Court, other recent productions include The Salon and Achy Breaky Bride. Her many high-profile panto appearances include five years at the Liverpool Empire and six consecutive years at the city’s M&S Bank arena.

She currently presents the regional Breakfast Show on Hits Radio alongside Joel Ross.

The hilarious Lewis Devine is Muddles. Lewis most recently appeared as Silly Billy in Goldilocks and the Three Bears at St Helens. His other roles for Regal Entertainments include French Frank in Beauty and the Beast, Wishee Washee in Aladdin, Chester the Jester in Sleeping Beauty and Buttons in Cinderella.

Coming from a talented performing family, Lewis won the first ever Kids Stars in Their Eyes as Donny Osmond and is part of a comedy show band called Schooner with his father Terry. Away from the stage, he runs The Devine Theatre Company to develop Merseyside youngsters in the entertainment industry.

Nurse Nelly is played by Richard Aucott who also returns to the Theatre Royal after appearing as Widow Twankey in Aladdin at St Helens last Christmas. His other roles have included Dame Gertie in Goldilocks, Potty Polly in Beauty and the Beast and Ugly Sister Borisina in Cinderella.

Richard first set foot on stage aged 13 as the back end of a pantomime horse in Toad of Toad Hall. Starting at the bottom he made his way up the ladder until at 18 he played his first Dame. Since then, he has appeared in almost 30 pantos up and down the country, mostly as the Dame. He also makes most of his own stage costumes. His other theatre credits include Malvolio in Twelfth Night, Mr Woodhouse/Mr Elton in Emma, and Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van as well as roles in The Importance of Being Earnest, Much Ado About Nothing and The Herbal Bed.

Chantelle Morgan will play the titular role of Snow White, who was chosen out of 150 hopefuls to join the unmissable panto’s starry cast after open auditions were held at the theatre.

Chantelle trained in Musical Theatre at The Urdang and Emil Dale Academy and has been very fortunate to share the stage with some very well-known artists including Welsh star Luke Evans on BBC’s Luke Evans Show Time. Other credits include Jill in Jack and the Beanstalk (2023), Maid Marion in Robin Hood (2022), Cinderella (2021), Kylar in Bring It On: The Musical (2021), Sister Mary Roberts in Sister Act (2018), and performing alongside Gareth Malone at the opening of Soho House.

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.”

PLEASE NOTE: Leanne Campbell, Johnny Vegas, Joel Ross, Pete Price, Philip Regan, Craig Phillips, Louis Emerick and John May are not due to appear in person.