Thurles Musical Society Committee 2010
Noel Dundon, senior reporter with the Tipperary Star Newspaper and PRO for Thurles Musical Society, posts this exciting community news.
Thurles Musical Society will premiere the hit show Jekyll and Hyde in the Premier Hall, Thurles from Tuesday March 23rd to Saturday March 27th, 2010 with the promise of great music, entertainment, song and dance.
With music by Frank Wildhorn and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse, Jekyll and Hyde has become one of the most popular musicals on Broadway and the West End and has packed theatres throughout the world.
The mammoth role of Jekyll and Hyde will be played by Michael McLoughlin, a well known and popular figure in Thurles who has starred in many previous productions. This is a huge role for Michael whose last outing was as Coalhouse Walker Junior in Ragtime – a role which earned him an AIMS nomination.
Linda Ryan plays the part of Lucy Harris; Joan Farrell is Emma Carew; Jonathon Gleeson plays John Utterson; John Scott is Sir Danvers Carew; John Hayes is Mr Simon Stride; Dixie Byrne – Lord Savage; Brendan Bailey, taking his first outing with Thurles Musical Society, is the Bishop of Basingstoke; Nina Scott is Lady Beaconsfield; Brian Gleeson is Sir Archibald Proops; Barry Derby is General Lord Glossop; Shane Willoughby is Spider; and Nellie is played by Michelle O’Connell.
Almost everywhere it has has been staged, Jekyll and Hyde has thrilled audiences with it’s passion, secrecy, darkness and of course single-minded desire.
Thurles welcomes back Director Tony Finnegan for this show. Tony has previously directed the society’s huge success Jesus Christ Superstar in 2009, and The Hot MIkado in 2000, which won Best Overall Show at the annual AIMS Awards. Tony will be ably assisted by Mary Butler as Assistant Director.
Mary Rose McNally is once again the Musical Director/Conductors chair while the Choreography is being looked after by Trisha McElgunn and Rosalie Butler. Tommy Sweeney returns as Stage Manager while Rita Callanan will be Stage Director.
The original stage conception for Jekyll and Hyde was by Steve Cuden and Frank Wildhorn. The music was composed by Wildhorn and the lyrics were written by Leslie Bricusse. Adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” Jekyll & Hyde tells the story of Dr. Henry Jekyll, a brilliant young doctor and research scientist who, distraught over his father’s mental illness, embarks upon a quest to isolate the dual elements of good and evil that are constantly struggling for supremacy inside every human being. However, when his experiment backfires, Jekyll inadvertently gives life to Edward Hyde, his evil alter ego, a murderous being who will let loose a reign of terror on the city of London and those who had ridiculed Jekyll’s research.
Jekyll & Hyde was originally produced in 1990 at the Houston’s Tony Award-winning Alley Theatre. An instantaneous success with audiences and critics alike, it went on to break box office records, and its original run was extended four times during that first summer. In 1995, the show was remounted by Houston’s Theater Under the Stars and Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater. Adding to the shows momentum, stars such as Liza Minnelli and The Moody Blues soon began to record songs from the show. Finally, on April 28, 1997, Jekyll & Hyde made its Broadway debut at the Plymouth Theatre. Another resounding success, this production was nominated for 4 Tony Awards. Robert Cuccioli (Jekyll/Hyde) won the Drama Desk award for Best Actor in a Musical. And Linda Eder (Lucy) won a 1997 Theater World Award for Outstanding Debut Performer in New York City. The show ran for 1,543 regular performances, closing on January 7, 2001 and is the longest-running show in the history of the Plymouth Theatre.
Tickets can be booked at the Booking Office in Hickey’s Pharmacy, Liberty Square, Thurles (0504 21423).
Note: Balcony seats cost €20 for adults and €10 for children. Tickets for downstairs are €15 for adults and €10 Euro for children. OAP’s will be half price on Tuesday and Wednesday’s only. Family tickets costing €50 for balcony and €40 Euro downstairs are now also available.
Watch this site for further news as TMS go into rehersals and remember to book tickets early to avoid disappointment.
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