CAST & CREATIVE

Alan’s introduction to the theatre was as a member of Joan Littlewood’s youth group at the internationally known Theatre Workshop in Stratford, East London. He then went on to study stagecraft and directing at East 15 Acting School.

His stage play, Two Wise Monkeys, was adapted for television in 1973, and since then Alan has written extensively for television, radio, films and theatre. Credits include adaptations of Brighton Rock and Our Man In Havana by Graham Greene; Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D H Lawrence and many original plays. He created, wrote and co-produced the 12 part comedy/drama series Prospects for Euston Films and Channel 4, and wrote three films for BBC 2 on the lives of Prisoners Of Conscience; William Beausire, Vladimir Bukovsky and Nelson Mandela, while Mandela was still a prisoner in Robben Island. Further credits as a producer include two series of the sit-com Rude Health for Channel 4 and the television plays Rotten Apples; It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll; The End and Positively Negative. In 1985 he wrote the film Winter Flight for David Puttnam, and his screen adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm has been released around the world.

Alan co-wrote and produced the West End soul musical 125th Street, which played at the Shaftesbury Theatre during 2002/3 and he co-wrote and produced the hit Elvis musical, Jailhouse Rock, which ran at the Piccadilly Theatre until April 2005.

A late-night fan-based conversation in a London bar in 1988 led Alan to develop and write Buddy which was presented at the Plymouth Theatre Royal in 1989 before transferring to London’s West End where it ran for 14 years playing 6,000 performances, making it one of the longest-running shows in London theatre history. Buddy has toured the UK for a record- breaking 614 weeks playing 5,000 performances and the show has become a worldwide phenomenon, playing Broadway, seven US National tours, Canada, Sweden, Ireland, South Africa, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Austria and Denmark. Alan was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Musical, and internationally Buddy has received over 35 nominations and awards.

Adrian studied Theatre Design at Wimbledon School of Art and has worked extensively across the UK ever since. He was Head of Design at The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, but since leaving there, he has been freelance. His work has been seen in regional reps, such as Leicester Haymarket, York Theatre Royal, Plymouth Theatre Royal, The Churchill Theatre, Bromley and West Yorkshire Playhouse. His touring work includes Catherine Cookson’s The Fifteen Streets, Fame: the Musical, Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story and High Society. He has worked in the West End many times and also internationally.

Adrian has designed extensively for Pitlochry Festival Theatre, including designing the set for Chimneys, The Grapes of Wrath, Snake In The Grass, The Winslow Boy, The Hollow, The Queen Of Spades, The Shop At Sly Corner and Barefoot in the Park (co-production with Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh). And the set and costumes for Admirable Crichton, Treasure Island, Taking Sides, To Kill A Mockingbird, Arcadia, Wild Honey, What Every Woman Knows, The Servant O ‘Twa Maisters, Kiss Me Kate, Cinderella, My Fair Lady, See How They Run, Dear Brutus, White Christmas, Hello Dolly!, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Passing Places, Blithe Spirit, The Crucible, Miracle on 34th Street, Home and Beauty, Carousel, This Happy Breed (also at Yvonne Arnaud), Scrooge, High Society, The Ruling Class, Singin’ in the Rain, Travesties and Quality Street, The Crucible and Blithe Spirit.

In 2021 he was Design Associate for Faith as part of the RSC/Coventry City of Culture production.

Recent work includes the smash hit musical Footloose at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich and the premiere of an amazing new musical, Hen Night Horror at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow, before a small tryout tour.
Adrian is also thrilled to have designed the world premiere of Kitty Morgan’s The Highwayman.

As the producer and founder of Maple Tree Entertainment, Dean Elliott has toured his West End and international show The Simon & Garfunkel Story in over 50 countries worldwide. Other Maple Tree Entertainment productions in recent years include Neighbours – The Celebration Tour, Johnny Cash – The Official Concert Experience, Home & Away – The Early Years Tour, Respect: Aretha Franklin, The Official Concert Experience, ADHD Unmasked, Hollyoaks – 30th Anniversary Tour, The Life & Music Of George Michael and An Evening with Richard Dreyfuss.

The show Buddy holds a very special place in Dean’s heart as it was the first professional show he experienced as a boy in the early ’90s. In 2007, he was asked to play the lead role of Buddy Holly in the show in the West End, on tour and in Buddy Holly’s hometown of Lubbock, Texas, in front of and with members of Buddy’s close friends and family. Dean has always been a huge fan of both Buddy’s music and legacy and he is thrilled to be joining the show again.

Chris trained at The Oxford School of Drama. His theatre credits include; the role of Buddy in Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (30th Anniversary Tour 2019-20 & 2023 UK & Ireland Tour); Dean Martin in The Rat Pack: Live In Concert/The Rat Pack: Swingin’ At The Sands (UK Tour); Johnny Gustafson in Cilla the Musical (UK & Ireland Tour); Jamie in Catch of the Day (London – Red Fox Theatre), Ben in Bill (London – Red Fox Theatre); Guy Haines in Strangers on a Train (Frinton Summer Theatre).

Some of Chris’s music credits include: Frontman for The Bluejays, The Thundertones, The Fabulous Hurricanes, The Big Three, The Lucky Dogs and The Runaround Kids. Guitarist for Anton and Giovanni: Together Again. Bassist for Jay Osmond. Session Singer with guest spots in excess of 20 million streams, including the soundtrack to the Academy Award Nominated film La Memoria Infinita.

His radio credits include: Will in For the Time Being (BBC Radio 4); Edward Wells in The Martian Invasion of Earth (Big Finish); Captain Edward Sackville-Smythe in The Face In The Storm (Big Finish); Sydney Tafler in Dearest Joy (online).

Having worn the glasses himself for two incredible tours, Chris is delighted to be looking after the music, passing on the Strat to the next generation and helping keep this incredible show alive. He knows first hand that Buddy reaches heights that other shows just can’t, and is deeply jealous of the man in the spotlight tonight!

Pete has been involved with Buddy for almost 30 years and has successfully designed productions in Europe, Canada, the United States, Australia and the Far East. In 1996 he co-founded the Thames Audio Group, a busy sound equipment rental company. For the last 29 years, he and his team have been providing both sound design services and equipment for all manner of productions and events. thamesaudiosystems.co.uk

Jamie is returning to Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story having been the Head of Lighting on the previous UK Tour (2023). His professional touring credits include: Head of Lighting and Video for Bat Out Of Hell (2025 Tour), Deputy Head of Lighting and Video for Shrek: The Musical (2023/24 Tour) and Head of Lighting for Gangsta Granny (2021/22 Tour).

Jamie’s lighting design credits include: Assistant Ld/Programmer for Legat ‘A Moment in Time’ (Congress Theatre, Eastbourne, 2025), Joseph and His Technicolour Dreamcoat (Eastbourne Devonshire Park Theatre, 2024), The Ballad of Me and My Friends (Bath Fringe, 2017), Bodysoc Main Show (Bath University, 2017), Pippin (Bath University Student Musical Society, 2017), Dick Whittington (Bath University Student Theatre, 2016), Much Ado About Nothing (Bath University Student Theatre, 2015).
Other Professional credits: Crew Chief for Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Experience in Montauban (2024, France), Programmer and Production Electrician for The Interview (Park Theatre, 2023), Production Manager for I Will Still Be Whole at the Bunker (2019), Lighting Assistant for Garsington Opera, 2019 (Bartered Bride, Fantasio, Don Giovanni and The Turn of the Screw) and 2021 (Der Rosenkavalier, Eugene Onegin, Le Comte Ory and Amadigi).

Miguel is delighted to return as Choreographer on the Buddy 2025/26 UK tour, and to be performing two of his favourite roles in the show – Ritchie Valens and Tyrone Jones. A mixed race Latin Caribbean actor raised in NYC, he now calls London home.

Credits include Midnight Tango starring Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmond, La Cage aux Folles, A Chorus Line, West Side Story, Pirates of Penzance, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Genie of the Lamp in many Aladdin pantomimes, Dandini in Cinderella with Peter Duncan and an appearance on the television series Pennyworth. Miguel also performs as a guest entertainer on Cunard, P&O and other cruise lines in The Flyrights, a popular trio singing Motown hits.

Richard has worked in commercial theatre management for the past 40 years.

West End productions include: Me and My Girl (Adelphi Theatre); High Society (Victoria Palace); The Rink (Cambridge); Rowan Atkinson’s New Revue (Shaftesbury); Unforgettable (Garrick and three tours); A Saint She Ain’t (Apollo); The Full Monty (Prince of Wales) and Jailhouse Rock – the Musical (Piccadilly).

He has also been Manager of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Her Majesty’s Theatre, the London Palladium and the Aldwych Theatre. Richard was Chief Executive of the Theatre of Comedy Company between 1999 and 2003. As well as being responsible for programming and overall operation of the Shaftesbury Theatre, for the company he produced Simon Day’s Spike (Nuffeld Theatre, Southampton) starring Richard Briers; Amy Rosenthal’s Sitting Pretty (UK tour) starring Maureen Lipman, and the world premiere of Alan Plater’s Only a Matter of Time (Watermill, Newbury).

He formed Richard Porter Ltd. in 2004 and is a freelance general manager and consultant.

Matt has worked in the theatre for over 40 years and has visited the US, Canada, New Zealand, mainland Europe, the West End and throughout the UK with trade shows, conferences, theatre, pantomimes, ballet and opera productions. He has been a stage hand, electrician, carpenter, Assistant, Deputy, Stage and Company Manager, actor, Producer and Director.

Matt continues his long involvement with Buddy having worked on the show since it opened in 1989 and is thrilled to be part of this 2025/26 tour.