Paul Ferris

Paul Ferris trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London and whilst there worked on many productions including Bernstein's Mass under the direction of Leonard Bernstein himself. He also worked on Bernstein's musical Wonderful Town and Verdi's opera Falstaff, both of which also performed at the Arts Theatre, Cambridge. He started his professional career by working on the musical 42nd Street at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1984 and on a Royal Variety Performance at the same theatre in 1985 in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at the same theatre in 1985 and featuring stars such as Stephanie Lawrence, Jean Simmons, Elisabeth Welch, Alice Faye, Martin Shaw, Ron Moody, Frankie Vaughan, Roy Castle, Sarah Brightman, Norman Wisdom, Joan Collins, Celeste Holme, Beryl Reid, Jose Carreras, Don Ameche and Lauren Bacall. .

Early work included a repertory season at the Connaught Theatre, Worthing, various productions at the Brighton and Edinburgh Festivals as well as London Fringe productions of Miss Julie directed by Alan L. Strong at the Cafe Theatre and The Rivals directed by Carole Todd at the Boulevard Theatre. He has also been involved in national and international tours of productions such as Blood Brothers, What The Butler Saw, Much Ado About Nothing, The Death of Arthur, The Dresser, Forty Years On, The Provok’d Wife, A Pageant, A Cricket Match, Move Over Mrs. Markham with the late Peggy Mount, Ray Cooney’s farce One For The Pot, Alan Ayckbourn’s play Affairs In A Tent, See How They Run, Birthday Suite by Robin Hawdon, Nobody’s Perfect by Simon Williams, Who Goes Bare? by Richard Harris & Leslie Darbon, The Game of Murder by Victor Leigh and a national tour of Hi-De-Hi! by Jimmy Perry and David Croft..

He has worked in France, touring with various productions as well as having worked on resident seasons in Paris. In the West End of London he has worked on productions of Lady Day starring Dee Dee Bridgewater at the Piccadilly Theatre, Anything Goes starring Elaine Paige and John Barrowman at the Prince Edward Theatre, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre as well as on an extensive tour of the UK


Work with dance companies including the Georgian State Dance Company at the Dominion Theatre, London and on a extensive national tour, The Moscow Classical Ballet with their acclaimed production of Swan Lake starring Vladimir Malakhov at the Sadler’s Wells and on tour, The Moscow Festival Ballet on tour and the English National Ballet at the London Coliseum, the Royal Festival Hall, London and on tours of the UK, Germany and Italy.

In 1992, Paul Co-Produced a national tour of the play Revenge with Fiona Fullerton and Patrick Mower which originated at the Theatre Royal, Windsor as well as producing various plays such as the Award winning Shimmer and Plaisirs D'Amour at the Mermaid Theatre, London, The Diary of a Provincial Lady at the King’s Head Theatre, London, the Edinburgh Festival and on tour, Redeeming Vices at the Orange Tree, Richmond and Nijinsky - Death of a Faun at the New End Theatre, Hampstead. He also produced the last ever tour of Dame Hilda Bracket which he also produced at the Players Theatre, London.

For five years Paul ran his own theatrical agency before becoming Associate Producer on pantomimes at Guildford (four years), Crewe (seven years), Redhill (six years), Poole (two years), Windsor, Hackney Empire and Barnstaple working with such artists as Wayne Sleep, Peggy Mount, Bob Carolgees, Robert Powell, Patrick Mower, Denise Van Outen, Peter Bowles, Kathy Staff, Letitia Dean, Kate O´Mara, Patrick Cargill, Dave Benson-Phillips, Wendy Craig, June Brown, Lorraine Chase, Sonia, Mark Curry, Barry Howard, Melvyn Hayes, Trevor Bannister, Gordon Kaye, Lisa Goddard, Geoffrey Davies, Jean Boht, Tim Brook-Taylor, Ken Morley, Paul Shane, John Challis, Michael Elphick, Rula Lenska, Dennis Waterman, Patti Boulaye, Robin Askwith, Mike Holoway and Louise English


As Assistant Producer, he has worked on West End productions of Dead Funny with Belinda Lang (Savoy Theatre, London); Thing’s We Do For Love with Jane Asher (Gielgud Theatre, London); Elton John’s Glasses with Brian Conley (Queen’s Theatre, London); The Invention of Love with John Wood (Theatre Royal Haymarket, London); Alarms & Excursions with Felicity Kendal (Gielgud Theatre, London); Copenhagen with David Burke, Matthew Marsh and Sara Kestelman (Duchess Theatre, London); Comic Potential with David Soul (Lyric Theatre, London); blue/orange with Bill Nighy (Duchess Theatre, London); Feelgood with Henry Goodman and Nigel Planer (Garrick Theatre, London) as well as national tours of Now You Know with Adam Faith, Silhouette with Stephanie Beacham, The Heiress with Frank Finlay, Arcadia with Sharon Maughan and Paul Shelley, Entertaining Mr. Sloane with Barbara Windsor, Marta, Josie and the Chinese Elvis with Belinda Lang, Straight & Narrow with Dora Bryan and Private Lives with Gemma Craven.

Paul spent eight years living in Spain, during which time he was Director and Editor of a magazine called Life & Style. He also presented shows at various venues including the film critic Barry Norman in Barry Normans Favourite Films and An Evening with Sir Donald Sinden.

Paul has produced three tours of Boycie & Marlene starring John Challis and Sue Holderness; The Stars Are Coming Out Tonight at the Fairfield Halls, Coydon with a cast featuring Gary Wilmott, Alvin Stardust, Kate O'Mara, June Brown etc. He produced Wayne Sleep in Precious Little Sleep on an extensive tour and also produced and directed Carnival of Dreams at the Grand Theatre, Blackpool with a cast of over 150 people featuring Gareth Gates, Jimmy Cricket, Dennis Nolan and Shine Bright Like A Diamond with Ron Moody, Mark Lester, Patricia Quinn, Robin Cousins and a cast of 340 at the Pavilion Theatre, Worthing.

More recently Paul has toured nationally with Bill Kenwrights production of Noel Cowards Fallen Angels starring Jenny Seagrove and Sara Crowe, Eric Chappell's Last of the Duty Free starring Keith Barron, Gwen Taylor, Neil Stacy and Carol Royle, Agatha Christies Murder On Air starring Tom Conti and Jenny Seagrove and Michael Attenborough's production of JB Priestley's Dangerous Corner with Michael Praed, Colin Buchanan, Kate Thomson & Finty Williams.