Phoenix Productions are this year celebrating their 15th Birthday. Founded initially in 1998 to harness the unbelievable vocal & musical talent emerging amongst the youth of Thurles, this non-profit organization, through the use of professionals in choreography & musical direction, have succeeded in staging one musical production every year since its conception.
Funded only by the sale of tickets, an Arts Council Grant latter administered by Tipperary North County Council and local sponsorship, the Phoenix Productions company will this year undertake its most tasking production yet, the tragic love story that is the 1986 musical “The Phantom of the Opera,” with music by Tipperary resident Baron Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart. (Some lyrics influenced by Jim Steinman, Alan Jay Lerner & Richard Stilgoe.)
Just this year the rights to perform “The Phantom of the Opera” were released to non-professional groups for the very first time.
To give you just a taste of what is to come, listen to the gifted voices of Michael Ball and Sierra Boggess, as they perform possibly one of the best known and loved songs from this amazing musical, hereunder entitled “All I ask of you.” By the way, on Piano for this video performance is composer and impresario of musical theatre, himself, Baron Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Thurles Cast:
Sonny Dwyer (Phantom Erik,); Lucy Tobin (Christine Daaé,); Paul Browne (Raoul, Viscount de Chagny,); Róisín Heenan (Carlotta Giudicelli,); Andrew Whelan (Monsieur Firmin,); Ryan Grace (Monsieur André ), Stephanie Browne (Madame Giry ), Graham Maher (Ubaldo Piangi ), Emily Murphy (Meg Giry ) and Nathan Carroll (Joseph Buquet ).
Corps de Ballet:
Emily Murphy, Aoife Phelan, Irene Slattery, Ann Marie O’ Dwyer, Annie Blake and Billie Kelly.
Production Team:
Gerard O’ Brien (Producer,); Aisling Doyle (Director/Choreographer,); David Wray (Musical Director,); John O’ Donoghue (Set Design,) and Gerry Taylor (Lighting Design,).
Tickets: Cost €15, €20, Concession: €12 (Tickets will go on Sale on July 27th next at West Gate, Thurles, in the shop formally occupied by ‘Blake’s Butchers,’ and more recently ‘Rings and Things.’).
This is one show for music lovers which should not to be missed, so do make arrangements to view the splendour of a Paris Opera House here in the Premier Hall, Thurles and meet face to face a Phantom, shamed by his physical appearance and feared by all. But also experience the strong passion that this Phantom holds for his beautiful protégée Christine Daaé, that despite this physical affliction, even her heart cannot resist.
So “No more talk of darkness,” folks and for at least one night, do come listen to “The music of the night,” here in Thurles, running from August 7th to August 10th 2013.
Congratulations to Phoenix. Good to have them back entertaining the town in August. Looking forward to this.