Beauty and the Beast - David Pendlebury

DAVID PENDLEBURY
(Ensemble/u/s Cogsworth)
After gaining a BA (Hons) degree from Leicester University and becoming an Associate of the London College of Music, David's professional theatrical career began with the national and international tour of the musical Chess, directed by Anthony Van Laast.

Following this he appeared as a member of the Ambrosian Opera Chorus in Aïda at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham. He then went on to create the roles of Winston and Beverley in a workshop production of a new musical entitled Edmund Kean: Child of the Sun at the King's Head Theatre, Islington.

In 1992 David appeared in two different productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, firstly playing Priest in the 20th Anniversary Concert Spectacular tour starring Paul Nicholas, and then playing Annas at the Civic Theatre, Chelmsford. Also in this year he created the role of Verochio in a new musical called Leonardo, A Portrait of Love at the Old Fire Station, Oxford; followed by a return to the Ambrosian Opera Chorus in Carmen, starring José Carreras, in Dortmund, Germany.

1993 marked David's West End debut, playing the Religious Fanatic in Kiss of the Spiderwoman at the Shaftesbury Theatre, directed by Hal Prince, followed by a run in City of Angels at the Prince of Wales Theatre. During this period he also worked on a new musical based on Guy Fawkes, and appeared in three shows as part of the Discover the Lost Musicals on Sundays season at the Barbican Centre in London: Dubarry Was a Lady, Carnival, and Music in the Air. Further appearances in Carmen in Zurich, Switzerland and Munich, Germany punctuated the end of the year and the start of 1994.

David has recorded for both radio (BBC 2 Arts Programme) and television (The Laurence Olivier Awards 1993 and 1998), The Prince's Trust Royal Gala 1997, and was also responsible for producing a charity gala of "Being Alive": A Celebration of the Genius of Stephen Sondheim, starring Danny La Rue, Claire Moore and Maria Friedman at the Opera House, Manchester. After a season in Showstoppers at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre in Eastbourne, David joined the London company of The Phantom of the Opera, understudying and performing the role of Monsieur André.

In addition, he has recorded a demo album of a new show called Jumpin' the Tracks by Mark Steyn, and has been responsible for helping to organise Phantom's and Beauty's involvement in West End Cares/Crusaid. He is an original cast member in Disney's first stage production, Beauty and the Beast, playing the role of Monsieur D'Arque and understudying and playing the role of Cogsworth, and appears on the original London cast recording.