Cast & Creatives
Wendy Errington Writer/Producer
Since 2017 Wendy Errington has had four short plays performed at Alphabetti Theatre, Live Theatre, Theatre Space NE, and ARC Stockton Arts Centre. She’s also had two audio plays produced by Coracle Productions. And one play produced by Workie Ticket Theatre Company.
She wrote and co-produced Meggie Magicia in 2021 in association with Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle. And in the October it had seven sold-out shows at Alphabetti. It is her debut family show.
She was still tour producer for Meggie Magicia in 2022, under the banner of Pen Gwyn Productions. Carole Wears of CaroleW Productions is acting as Producer Mentor.
Natasha Haws Director
Natasha Haws is a Director and Actor from South Shields.
She also works with communities across the NE with a focus on music and creative writing and mentors new career playwrights.
Her credits include: Director - Mr Incredible (Alphabetti Theatre) Janet (Circ Motif); Familiar (Alphabetti Theatre); Is This Your Story (North East Tour/STSGB);
Tender: Loving Care (The Customs House). Associate Director at The Customs House Pantomime and Assistant Director, West End Girls (Live Theatre) ROAD (Northern Stage).
Charlotte Ryder Performer
Charlotte Ryder trained at Newcastle Theatre Royal’s Project A, graduating in 2017. She has been performing professionally since the age of 8, including in several musical productions for Andrew Lloyd Webber and Bill Kenwright. Since then she has worked in numerous stage and screen projects, as well as working successfully in voiceover and radio work.
Soon after graduating Charlotte was cast as Jill Ridley in Northern Stage’s touring production of War Of The Worlds directed by Elayce Ismail, for which she found herself as a finalist for ‘Best Performance’ in the Journal Culture Awards 2019. Charlotte has most recently played Robin in The Remarkable Robin (Alnwick Playhouse).
Other theatre credits include: Cecily in The Importance Of Being Earnest (Hangfire Theatre), Meggie in Meggie Magicia (Alphabetti Theatre), Edwina in Orville (On The Toon with Northern Stage), Clare in ROAD (Newcastle Theatre Royal), Katherine in The Taming Of The Shrew (Newcastle Theatre Royal).
Charlotte reprised the role of Meggie (and the other four characters) for the tour of Meggie Magicia in 2022.
John Rainsforth Lighting Designer
John's work over the years has taken him to destinations such as Shanghai, Paris, Milan, Barcelona, and Oslo - to name but a few!
Notable design work includes the recent UK Tours of Some Enchanted Evening (Everyman, Cheltenham & Barn, Cirencester) Speakeasy (Southpaw Dance) Tree (Alphabetti Theatre) New writing productions including The Dolly Mixtures the Musical and My Uncle Freddie (The Customs House & Ion Productions). Many credits with Guildford School of Acting including The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: A Musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella and recently Michael Le Grand’s Amour!
With upcoming productions including The Wizard of Oz & Robin Hood (The Customs House, South Shields) and The Pirate Queen and Holiday Inn (Guildford School of Acting). www.johnrainsforth.com
Lee Ward Production Designer
Lee Ward of Hollow Productions is a Teesside based production designer, scenic artist and creative director producing works for stage and screen, interactive theatre, and immersive commercial installations.
With a keen eye for detail, a wide range of practical skills and an understanding of visual communication, Lee is able to bring worlds and stories to life.
Ziad Jabero Musical Director
Ziad is a performing musician and composer. And founding member of the Newcastle band The Baghdaddies.
His recent work includes: Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Aladdin, and Peter Pan for The Dukes Theatre Lancaster; Spannan - as part of the Meeting Point programme, delivered by Arts and Heritage; and Magic Bus by Sian Armstrong.
Claire Tustin Songwriter
Claire Tustin wrote the song 'Alakabam' for the play Meggie Magicia.
She has also co-written songs for other shows; Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Aladdin (The Dukes, Lancaster), The Worst Princess, Man on the Moon, Hey Presto, (New Writing North), written lots of children's songs for Sage Gateshead, and she has an album for children called Dancing with the Bees available on all streaming platforms.
Claire used to be a musician and performer full time; she now works as a reception teacher. The children in her class do a lot of singing! When Claire isn't working she likes to walk in the woods with her dog, play violin, and swim in the sea.
Michael Grist Magic Consultant
Michael Grist trained as an actor at the Project A Actor Training Company, Theatre Royal Newcastle in 2016, and has been performing magic close up and on stage for over ten years. He also sells magic tricks at Tynemouth Market every weekend.
Michael is the magic consultant for Meggie Magicia – suggesting bright, visual magic tricks for children to watch and enjoy. He appeared at tour venues in 2022, after the show on week days, where he performed some magic tricks.
Full Team in 2022
Writer: Wendy Errington
Director: Natasha Haws
Performer: Charlotte Ryder
Lighting Designer: John Rainsforth
Production Designer: Lee Ward
Musical Director: Ziad Jabero
Songwriter: Claire Tustin
Voiceover: Steve Byron
BSL interpreter: Jenna Johnson
Magic Consultant: Michael Grist
Stage Manager: Becky Glendenning
Assistant Stage Manager: Matt Jamie
Photographer/Videographer: Matt Jamie Photography
Web Designer: Von Fox Promotions
Graphic Designer: Aimee J Design
PR & Social Media: Lucy Curry
Dramaturgy: Karen Traynor & Ali Pritchard
Illustrator: Lauren Osborne
Editor & Typesetter: Fingermouse Books
Tour Pack Designer: Liv Hunt
Creative Consultant: Caroline Pearce
Producer Mentor: Carole Wears
Funded by: JJ Williams Fund
Producer: Pen Gwyn Productions