Niall Laverty

Niall was a relative latecomer to musicals, debuting in 2001 in Fortwilliam’s Oklahoma!, which was rapidly followed by appearances in The Merry Widow (St. Agnes' Choral Society), the Northern Ireland première of Mack and Mabel (Bangor Operatic Society), and as The Plant in Little Shop of Horrors with the Ulster ... all in the same year!

He has since operated The Plant with Bangor Operatic, St. Mary’s University, with the Ulster again in 2006 and Rainbow Factory. Apparently, he is the only person small enough to fit inside the plant, strong enough to lift it, and stupid enough to take on the role again - and again - and again!

After playing a beggar in Ulster's Fiddler on the Roof, Niall became an overnight billionaire to play Daddy Warbucks in Fortwilliam Youth Group’s production of Annie.

He ignored the pain of a cracked rib (sustained during one of the onstage "fights") for the last six performances of our highly-acclaimed production of West Side Story – the show must go on!

For our 2008 production of West Side Story, Niall was happy to take on the much safer role of Glad Hand. He plays Mr Fulton in the N. Ireland amateur premiere of High School Musical 2 in August 2009

He has also played Jeff in Brigadoon (Fortwilliam) and Fixit, the jester, in our 2004 panto, Sleeping Beauty.

Niall has appeared in 17 TV quiz shows over the last two decades, including The Krypton Factor, Fifteen-to-One, Countdown, and The Weakest Link - where he left Anne Robinson speechless. He was the captain of the Northern Ireland team on BBC1's Your Country Needs You in 2007. He teamed up with two of his brothers and two friends to take part in Eggheads, which is due to be broadcast in late 2009.