- Snow White is the 2026 Arena Panto at SETU Arena
- The show runs from 12 to 30 December
- Cliona Hagan, Richie Hayes, Michael Sands and Holly Ryan lead the cast
- More than 80 young performers from the South East join the production
- Last year’s panto generated more than €950,000 for Waterford
Richie Hayes has announced Snow White as the 2026 Arena Panto, with the production coming to SETU Arena in Waterford from 12 to 30 December. The show follows the success of last year’s Jack and the Beanstalk. An all-star cast led by Cliona Hagan, Richie Hayes, Michael Sands and Holly Ryan will join more than 80 emerging young performers from across the South East.
Cliona Hagan leads the cast as the wicked Queen Draganella. The Dancing with the Stars finalist and former All Ireland Talent Show finalist makes her Arena Panto debut. Waterford’s own Holly Ryan returns as Snow White after starring as the Fairy in last year’s Jack and the Beanstalk. Richie Hayes appears as The Man in the Mirror. Cork theatre favourite Michael Sands plays Dame Nanny Nora. Evan O’Hanlon takes the role of the Prince and choreographer. Alex Kavanagh, aged 20, plays The Spirit of the Panto.
Last year’s Jack and the Beanstalk attracted just under 12,000 people to SETU Arena, with audiences travelling from all over Ireland and overseas. The production generated an estimated economic impact of more than €950,000 for Waterford through visitor spending, local investment and production expenditure. The team behind the Arena Panto is increasing audience capacity and bringing bigger sound, more lighting, enhanced staging and more production magic to this year’s show.
Richie Hayes shared “Last year was a very special moment for me. I’ve spent 25 years performing pantomime all over Ireland, England and the USA, but finally bringing my own Arena Panto home to Waterford was something I had dreamed about for a long time.”
