CONNA TAKES FIRST PLACE AT HOLYCROSS DRAMA FESTIVAL

The good news on the drama festival front this week is Conna Dramatic Society’s win in the confined section at the Tipperary festival (Holycross) which was held in Cashel this year due to renovations at the Holycross venue.

This was Conna’s final throw of the dice being their third and final festival. What a shame it was that they were unable to secure another festival or two which would have given them the chance to chalk up another win that might well have seen them through to the All-Ireland finals that are being held this year in nearby Ballyduff.

But as those in the business know, getting the wins can be a difficult task. That said, congratulations are well in order for Assumpta Mangan and her group. Assumpta won the best producer award in Tipperary, Emer Martin took best actress and Niamh McAuley best supporting actress. Well done all!

With just four festivals left to decide (Newry, Scarriff, Rathangan and Bangor), we can confirm that local groups, Brideview Drama and The Palace Players, both in the open section will sadly, not make it through to the All-Ireland finals in Athlone this year.

The Palace Players have completed their seven festivals securing one second place and two thirds. Brideview Drama will take to the stage for their final outing in Scarriff on this Friday night and we wish them the best of luck.

The groups that are safely through to the All-Ireland finals in Athlone include Shoestring (‘A Night In November’) 4 wins, Bunclody/Kilmishall (‘The Wake’) 5 wins, Estuary (‘The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot’) 4 wins, Kilmeen (‘The Kings Of The Kilburn High Road’) 4 wins and Bradan Players (‘Faith Healer’) 3 wins.

It looks like the fight for the last four places will be between Theatre 3 Newtownabbey (‘Plaza Suite’), Nenagh Players (‘Tuesdays With Morrie’), Silken Thomas Players (‘Equus’), Lifford Players (‘The Black Stranger’), Bangor (‘True West’), Wexford (‘Holy Day’) and possibly Kats (‘The Pillowman’) and Balally Players (’The Great Hunger’).

BALLYDUFF GEARS UP FOR ALL-IRELAND CONFINED FINALS

The line-up for this year’s All-Ireland confined finals will be known on Sunday evening following the draw which will assign the various nights to the qualifying groups. The West Waterford venue of Ballyduff has been given the task of hosting this year’s final and knowing their track record, they will do a first class job.

As it stands, five groups are definitely through to the All-Ireland, they being Kilmuckridge (‘Juno & The Paycock’) with no less than eight wins from eight festivals, Compantas Lir Claregalway (‘Johnny Belinda’) 5 wins, Droichead Nua ‘(The Lonesome West’) 4 wins, Sillan Community Players (‘Carthaginians’) 3 wins and Bridge Drama (‘Same Old Moon’) with 2 wins and 5 seconds.

The battle for the four remaining places looks like being between Lislea (‘Arsenic & Old Lace’), Ardagh (‘The Quiet Moment’), DADS Dunmore (‘Conversations On A Homecoming’) and Pomeroy (‘Pools Paradise’), but the aforementioned Doonbeg could still come through with ‘The Honeyspike’ to unseat one of the above.

A great line-up in store for patrons of the All-Ireland in St Michael’s Hall, Ballyduff which gets under way on April 17. Full details next week.

NORTH CORK DRAMA FESTIVAL CONCLUDES IN CHARLEVILLE

The North Cork Drama Festival concluded in Charleville on Saturday night with Kilmeen (‘The Kings Of The Kilburn High Road’) and Ardagh (‘The Quiet Moment’) taking first place in the open and confined competitions respectively.

In the open section of which there were six plays, Kilmallock came second (‘The Shape Of Metal’) with The Palace Players in third place with ‘The Weir’. Doonbeg came second in the confined with ‘The Honeyspike’.

The various award winners were as follows: Open section - best production Kilmeen (‘The Kings Of The Kilburn High Road’); best set & presentation - Thurles (‘Making History’); best actor Denis O’Mahony (Git in Kilmeen’s ‘Kings’); best actress Cora Fenton (Nell in Friar’s Gate’s ‘Shape Of Metal’), best supporting actor Johhn Murphy (Jim in Palace Players’ ‘The Weir’), best supporting actress Rachel O’Connell (various parts in Brideview’s ‘Beauty In A Broken Place’).

Confined: best production Ardagh (‘The Quiet Moment’), best set & presentation Doonbeg (‘The Honeyspike’), best actor Ger Lisden (Dad in Ardagh’s ‘The Quiet Moment’), best actress Rita McInerney (Breda Claffey in Doonbeg’s ‘The Honeyspike’), best supporting actor Charlie Killeen (Dickybird in Doonbeg’s ‘The Honeyspike’), best supporting actress Geraldine Condren (Maryjohnnie in Sliabh Aughty’s ‘A Skull In Connemara’).

Other awards: stage management: Doonbeg; outstanding moment of theatre: Tinkers’ entrance in Corofin’s ‘Sive’; most promising young actress: Doireann Hanrahan as Sive in ‘Sive’; best costume: Thurles (‘Making History’); most entertaining production: ‘The Honeyspike’.

LISMORE DRAMATIC SOCIETY

We have a veritable feast of entertainment laid on for our patrons at the end of the drama season. Over five nights on the May bank holiday weekend, we will be staging a musical extravaganza featuring four highly popular musicals.

Aislinn and her band of exuberant supporters have been coaching, cajoling, teaching and training a band of mainly teenagers to a peak of perfection. Some “not so teenagery” will be also featured and we will ensure that all our patrons are thoroughly entertained.

‘MOBY DICK’ FOR KILWORTH AND KILMALLOCK

Internationally acclaimed Cork actor, Conor Lovett performs the stage version of Melville’s classic, ‘Moby Dick’ with the world premiere taking place in Youghal on this Wednesday and Thursday.

The play then moves to various theatres around the country over the next two months, coming to Kilworth on Thursday, April 16 and to Kilmallock on the following night.

Gare St Lazar Players, renowned for their Beckett prose productions such as ‘Molloy’ and ‘First Love’, will tour ‘Moby Dick’ by Herman Melville which follows the exploits of Captain Ahab on his journey of revenge against the great white whale Moby Dick as told by the young adventurer Ishmael who signs up on Ahab’s ship ‘The Pequod’.

Conor Lovett, directed by Judy Hegarty Lovett, will perform the piece which together they have adapted for the stage. Booking for the Kilworth show on 025-32227 or 087-6492514.

‘THE MARIETTAS’ IN KILMALLOCK

On this Friday, April 3 at 8pm, The Five Lamps Theatre Company presents ‘The Mariettas’, an exciting new comedy with a real showband feel by Niamh Gleeson at Friar’s Gate Theatre, Kilmallock.

‘The Feloree Fever’ On Sunday, April 5 and Monday 6th at 8pm, St Patrick Players, Cloverfield will present ‘The Feloree Fever’, a two act comedy by Pat O’Dea.

Booking and enquiries on 063-98727 or www.friarsgate.ie

LISMORE CHOIR TO PERFORM HANDEL’S ‘PASSION OF CHRIST’

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, and to help get the parish in the right frame of mind to celebrate this liturgical season, Lismore Choir will perform Handel’s ‘Passion of Christ’ in the parish church on the evening of Palm Sunday at 8pm.

This sacred oratorio covers the events of the Passion of Our Lord, bringing the familiar readings and texts to life in a very musical and dramatic way. The evening will be a very special one because Majella Cullagh, the internationally renowned Soprano will join the choir and a full orchestra, leader Eithne Willis, for the performance.

On hand also will be tenor, Robert Craig and bass, Gordon Garde, singing the parts of The Evangelist and Jesus respectively. The musical director and conductor will be Colin Nicholls.

The first half of the evening will see the choir and soloists perform a number of well known sacred pieces, including ‘Panis Angelicus’, ‘Ave Verum’, ‘Laudate Dominum’ and the orchestra will play the air from Bach’s ‘Suite in D’.

The Passion of Christ will take up the second half of the evening. This is an opportunity to begin Holy Week in fine musical style, Handel’s glorious music helping us to meditate on the sequence of events that make up the week ahead. It is also a welcome opportunity to help raise funds for our parish, as profits from the event will be donated to parish funds.

Lismore Choir hope to see many old friends, made over the last twenty five years of music-making in the area, present on the night.

Tickets, priced at €15, are available from Lismore Heritage Centre (058 54975) or any choir member (e.g. Ann Hanley, Donal Kennefick or Philip McCloskey).

STAINER’S ‘CRUCIFIXION’ IN CLOYNE

The Castlemartyr Choir (conductor Tomas O Tuama) will present ‘The Crucifixion’ by John Stainer at Cloyne Cathedral on this Saturday, April 4 at 8pm.

The choir will be joined by soloists Robert Craig (tenor) and Gordon Garde (baritone), with guest organist Colin Nicholls. Tickets €15 (concessions €10) are available from choir members, or at the door.

Proceeds to Cloyne cathedral.

P J AND JOHNNY IN KILWORTH

‘Pat Murphy’s Meadow’, ‘My Father’s House’, ‘Horses And Plough’ and ‘Hard Times’ are just a few of the many hits recorded by P J Murrihy.

PJ joins forces with trumpet supremo, Johnny Carroll for a concert at The Village Arts Centre, Kilworth on this Sunday night, April 5.

Booking - The Avondhu office, Fermoy (025-32227); Hyland’s Bookshop, Mitchelstown (025-24528), Cotter’s Bar, Kilworth (025-27109) or on 087-6492514.