Panto Team
Thomas O’Leary
Writer / Director
Thomas has been Artistic Director for Wexford Pantomime Society since 2003. He has directed their last twenty-four productions and has written twenty-two of these shows.
Starting in the chorus in 1991, Thomas went on to play many parts with Wexford Pantomime Society before dipping into script writing in 2000 and taking on the mantle of director for the society in 2003.
Thomas is the founder of onceuponapanto.com, where all his scripts are available to be used by groups. Thomas’ scripts have been performed throughout Ireland and in Canada, America, England, Scotland and Australia.
Thomas has also directed for Wexford Drama Group. In 2011 he directed their production of Doubt – A Parable by J.P. Shanley, which reached the RTÉ Amateur Drama Finals of Ireland. Other productions directed include - Translations, Moonshine, The Seafarer, Juno and the Peacock, The Playboy of the Western World, The Last Apache Reunion and their 2018 summer production of The Plough and the Stars by Seán O’Casey. Thomas has also written for the ‘One Voice Festival’ in Wexford Arts Centre and recently returned to the stage in Wexford Drama Group’s October production of The Weir by Conor McPherson.
In the world of musicals, Thomas first directed Oyster Lane Theatre Group’s 2013 production of The Wizard of Oz. He also directed The Addams Family (2022) and most recently, A Christmas Carol (2024) which won third best musical in the country at the AIMS Awards. He has directed for WLOS in 2019 for their production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and was in the middle of directing Titanic (2020) when Covid interjected. He returned again with WLOS, directing The Pirates of Penzance (2021) and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (2022).
He is the writer and director for Wexford Pantomime Society’s upcoming 2027 production, the brand new and original - ‘The Snow Queen - a Frozen Adventure’, coming to the National Opera House 10th - 17th January 2027.
Suzanne O’Leary
Choreographer
Suzanne has choreographed, produced or directed over 200 shows to date. A lover of Musical Theatre and Ballets, she is most at home when working on the stage or behind the scenes. This is why she chose a career that leads her from one amazing project to another.
Suzanne’s dance training began at the age of three with the Wexford School of Ballet and Modern Dance; by age ten, she had started RAD major training in Dublin and at fifteen had moved to England where she completed her RAD Ballet, ISTD Modern and National Dance majors. While there she gained invaluable stage and TV experience performing with many well-known celebrities. Suzanne has received a RAD Ballet teaching certificate, an anatomy degree, a degree in the history of dance and an ISTD associate diploma & 6 levels of Dance Education Syllabi.
Suzanne returned to Wexford in 1988 and started teaching in Wexford, with her students receiving the highest results in Ireland. Suzanne’s students also won many awards and scholarships, 3 of them travelling to the Kirov Ballet School in Russia. Suzanne’s past students have been accepted into English National Ballet School, English National Ballet Company, Rambert Ballet, Laine Theatre Arts, Doreen Bird, Performers, Arts Ed, PPA, Laban London, Elmhurst, Northern Ballet, Morea Performing Arts and many more prestigious colleges in London. Many of Suzanne’s students have written their own success stories, dancing professionally abroad and opening their own dance schools.
Suzanne has a passion for hard work and achieving only the best in the individual. A firm believer in discipline and preparation, but also a true believer in the love of dance and all the fabulous attributes it brings to a young person. Suzanne runs the Wexford School of Ballet and Performing Arts in Wexford, Enniscorthy and New Ross. Suzanne has been resident choreographer with Wexford Pantomime Society since 1989, and has received an honorary award for years dedicated to the society. She is also an honorary and founding member of the Oyster Lane Theatre Group for which she choreographed over 25 shows, directed and choreographed two and directed their 25th Anniversary production of Grease. She also choreographed the Irish Premieres of The Wedding Singer, All 4 One and Evita. Suzanne was the choreographer for the AIMS Best Overall Production of Michael Collins - a Musical Drama in 2018. She is an AIMS Award Winner for her choreography of Hairspray and was an AIMS Adjudicator for the year 2021-2022 when she travelled around Ireland adjudicating many wonderful musical societies.
But her main focus is WSBPA and providing her students with a solid and disciplined dance training while witnessing them enjoy the many fabulous opportunities which are made available to them while forming lifelong friendships in the school.
Yvette White
Musical Director
Yvette has always had a love for music, coming from a very musical Wexford family - the Sutherlands. From an early age, Yvette has been performing both as a vocalist and instrumentalist. Yvette is currently a vocalist with ‘Some Like it Hot Orchestra’ and has been involved in the recording of musical programmes for primary schools.
Yvette’s stage credits include Rizzo in Grease with Enniscorthy Musical Society, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance with Gorey Musical Society, Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar, Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray, Vivienne in Legally Blonde, Player 1/Bridget in Michael Collins - a Musical Drama, all with Oyster Lane Theatre Group, Deloris in Sister Act, for which she was nominated for Best Actress in the AIMS Awards, Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the Rain and Fanny Brice in Funny Girl all with New Ross Musical Society.
Yvette has also been on the production side of many shows including Musical Director with Enniscorthy Pantomime Society, Chorus Mistress with Rathangan Variety Group and Chorus Mistress with Wexford Pantomime Society.
Yvette has been Musical Director with Wexford Pantomime Society for the past five years, having taken over from Vicky Barron.
Mark Redmond
Set Design / Lighting
Mark’s involvement with the stage began with the stage crew of the Wexford Pantomime Society where he was first coached in lighting by the late Kevin Doyle. This first interest in lighting eventually developed into an interest in the overall visual effect of the stage and led him into set design and construction. What started as a hobby was swapped for something more serious in 1998 when he set up his business Stage It! Both scenery and lighting have taken Mark to work with many societies and groups including Enniscorthy, New Ross, Kilkenny and Newbridge Musical Societies and Innovation Stage School based in Gorey and Arklow, to name a few. Closer to home, some of his most memorable productions were with Billy Roche’s Amphibians, and Paul O’Brien’s The Bower Wall. In recent years, Mark has gained an AIMS nomination in the Best Technical category with Enniscorthy Musical Society’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar and several Best Set Awards on the Drama Circuit with Wexford Drama Group’s productions of The Mai, Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, Holy Days and the national finalist challenger By The Bog Of Cats. One of his proudest achievements to date has been as set and lighting designer for Billy Roche’s Tales From Rainwater Pond, including the original production at Wexford Arts Centre, on tour in Ireland and the off-Broadway run as part of the 2009 First Irish Festival in New York.