Shaun Prendergast (born 1958) is an English actor and writer.
Contents
Career
Prendergast was born in North Shields and holds a BA (Hons) degree from Bretton Hall College. He was an actor and playwright in residence for Northumberland Theatre Company before joining the BBC Radio Drama Company, and subsequently became a founder member of Kenneth Branagh's newly formed Renaissance Theatre Company. Recognition for his work includes a Sony Award, a Writers' Guild Award and a Time Out Award. In 2020 he published his first novel, Benny Blue Eyes.
Selected TV credits
Prendergast has appeared in The Bill, EastEnders, Holby City, Hotel Babylon, The Lightning Kid, Heartbeat, New Tricks, Emmerdale and Collision by Anthony Horowitz. From 1988 to 1989, he voiced Sunshine, Zak and a buoy in TUGS. In summer 2010, he filmed an episode of Tracy Beaker Returns, which aired on CBBC Channel. As well as appearances in Casualty, Doctors, WPC 56, and Father Brown he plays the role of Robert Bain, the Head of Education for East Kilbride, in the drama series Waterloo Road. In 2020, he appeared in an episode of the BBC soap opera Doctors as Archie Matthews. He appeared again in 2021 as Doug Abbott. Finally, he appeared in the final episode of Doctors as Carson Black.
Selected film credits
The Stepdad
Henry V
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
In the Bleak Midwinter
Frozen
Wicked Part One as Shiz President
Stage credits
At Christmas in 2010 Prendergast played the role of Sarah the Cook in the pantomime Dick Whittington at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, directed by Steve Marmion. The production was given excellent reviews, with the Daily Telegraph declaring that Prendergast, in his pantomime debut, had created the "finest, funniest pantomime Dame in London". In early 2010 he played Mr Boo in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice by Jim Cartwright at the Vaudeville Theatre, London. The play was directed by Terry Johnson. Shaun was also involved in Glamour by Stephen Lowe, and directed by Bill Alexander at Nottingham Playhouse; and in Searching for Tom Hadaway for Live Theatre, which he also wrote and directed. Other appearances include:
Hamlet
Much Ado about Nothing
Twelfth Night
As You Like It (for Kenneth Branagh's Renaissance Company national tour and Phoenix Theatre, West End)
The Glee Club (Bush and the Duchess Theatre, West End)
Macbeth and the Sam Shephard season at the BAC
A Going Concern at Hampstead Theatre Club
Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre London
Other theatre credits include Grace, Twelfth Night, Candida, (NTC), Dracula, Spot the Lady, A View from the Bridge, Strippers, (Newcastle Playhouse), Twelve Tales of Tyneside (Live Theatre), Sisterly Feelings (Manchester Library Theatre), As You Like it (Nottingham Playhouse), and The Miser (Salisbury).
Radio credits
Westway
The Goldfish Bowl
Phoenix England
The Bee-keeper's Apprentice
The Little World of Don Camillo
My Uncle Freddie
plus more than two hundred individual plays
Writing credits
Television and radio
Multiple episodes of:
The Roman Mysteries
Rocket Man (BBC)
The Lightning Kid (BBC)
My Parents Are Aliens (ITV)
EastEnders (BBC)
Grafters (ITV)
Equinox (BBC)
Microsoap (BBC)
Soldier Soldier (ITV)
Film
Rebel Zone (BBC Films)
The Stepdad
Henry V
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
In the Bleak Midwinter
Frozen
Bye Bye Columbus
Harrigan
Stupid Cults
Rudolph & His New Friend Frosty
Mikey The Canary
Theatre writing
Potter's Wheel
The Firefawn Trilogy
A Fine and Private Place
Distinguished Service
Little Victories
The Green Eyed Monster of Ecrovid
The Witches' Kitchen
Twelve Tales of Tyneside
Poles Apart
Come and Make Eyes at Me
Karl Marx Live in Concert
The True History of the Tragic Life and Triumphant Death of Julia Pastrana, the Ugliest Woman in the World
The False Corpse
The Biggest Adventure in the World
In 2013 The True History of the Tragic Life and Triumphant Death of Julia Pastrana, the Ugliest Woman in the World was presented at the Brick Theatre in Brooklyn and the Tympanic Theatre in Chicago. Earlier that year, Julia Pastrana's body had been returned from Oslo to her birthplace in Mexico. An article in The New York Times credited Prendergast's play as being the inspiration for the campaign to have Julia Pastrana repatriated to her birthplace.
Adaptations
Cinderella
Beauty and the Beast
The Giant Prince
The Three Musketeers
The Canterville Ghost
The Day of the Triffids
Television
The Lightning Kid
Rocket Man
Soldier Soldier
EastEnders
Grafters
Equinox
My Parents are Aliens
Microsoap.
Radio
Open Mike
Kiss Me Quick
Only the Good Die Young
Phoenix England
A Fake's Progress
Travellin' Light
The Bee-Keeper's Apprentice
Spread a Little Happiness
The Goldfish Bowl
