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 Leading Tipperary Star reporter and Thurles Musical Society P.R.O. Mr Noel Dundon brings us up to date on the company’s next major Thurles production.
Thurles Musical Society will stage the fabulous “Calamity Jane,” in the Premier Hall, Thurles, from Tuesday March 27th -Saturday March 31st inclusive.
A wonderful show full of gaiety and frivolity, Calamity Jane was last staged by the Society back in 1970, and there is just one cast member surviving from those days with Michael Hickey all set to don his Stetson forty two years later. However, quite a few members of the Society from the Black Hills of Dakota days of the 70’s are still involved, with stage crew member Pierce Murphy doing exactly the same job now as he was back then – a remarkable feat.
Photo shows Jonathan Gleeson (Wild Bill Hikock) and Cathy Keane (Calamity Jane) star in Thurles Musical Society’s Calamity Jane which opens in The Premier Hall next week.
With music by Paul Francis Webster, the show was adapted for the stage by Phil Park and Ronald Hanmer. We happen upon two of Deadwood City’s most famous peace officers, Calamity Jane (Cathy Keane) and Wild Bill Hickock (Jonathan Gleeson) as they get involved in saving the neck of Henry Miller (John Butler), the local saloon operator.
It seems that “Millie,” has been promoting a beautiful actress named Frances Fryer (Brendan Bailey), but Frances turns out to be a boy, Francis. Millie’s attempt to cover up is soon unmasked by the angry miners, and only Calamity can cool the crowd with her trusty pistols. To keep the peace, Calamity sets out for Chicago to bring back the miner’s real heart-throb, Adelaide Adams (Maria McElgunn).
In Chicago Calamity mistakes Adelaide’s maid, Katie Brown (Michelle O’Connell ), for the actress and hauls her back to Deadwood. On stage Katie is greeted warmly, but breaks down and confesses that she is not the famous star. Calamity once more has to restore order and persuades the audience to give Katie a chance. They do, and she wins the heart of every male in town including Calamity’s dashing love hope, Lt. Danny Gilmartin (Frank Tuohy).
Calamity reluctantly overcomes her jealousy over losing Danny and discovers her true love for Wild Bill. Susan Miller is played by Fiona McCullagh, while Philip Egan (Rattlesnake), Jim Hanly (Doc Pierce), John Hayes (Joe), Geraint Fyler (Hank), Gary Dempsey (Peter) and Jim Kennedy (Colonel ) also play key roles in the plot.
There is great excitement amongst the company to be staging such a highly entertaining and comic show and Director David Heffernan has been busy collaborating with Musical Director Mary Rose McNally, Choreographer Debbie Kiernan and Dance Captain Trisha McElgunn to ensure that the stage really is set for the Deadwood Stage.
The Society has been very busy promoting the show and part of that promotion has seen a very innovative schools colouring competition, which has gone down a real treat. All participating school children will receive free entry to the show, but must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets are available from cast/committee members, at the door on the night, or through the Booking Office in Hickey’s Pharmacy, Liberty Square, Thurles. A special phone number for bookings is 0504 21423. Tickets cost €15 for adults with an €8 concession for children etc. Tickets for the Saturday night performance cost €15 with no concessions, as there will be a post show supper and live band to follow in the Premier Hall.
So, mark the dates in your diary and don’t miss this chance to see a great show – a great night’s entertainment guaranteed for all the family.
 Holycross Abbey 1841 Tipperary Drama Festival begins in Holycross tomorrow Friday March 16th and will run until March 24th, at the newly refurbished theatre in the village. Positioned beside the 13th century Abbey of Holy Cross, St Michael’s Community Centre now boasts modern comfortable seating, a superb balcony area and overall accommodation for some 500 patrons.
Every year this events brings together, here in Tipperary, nine great nights of top class theatre entertainment from all the performing groups, gathered from all over Ireland and who each night demonstrate their particular stage craft with true dedication and passion.
Curtain rises at 8.30pm each night during this festival, except for the final night, which will be 8.00pm.
Tipperary Drama Festival Programme
Fri Mar 16th: The Memory of Water, by Shelagh Stephenson – Holycross/Ballycahill D.G.,
Sat Mar 17th: The Two Loves of Gabriel Foley, by Jimmy Keary – Shannonside D.G.
Sun Mar 18th: Dancing at Lughnassa, by Brian Friel – Conna D.G,
Mon Mar 19th: Jeruslem, by Jes Wutterworth – Silken Thomas,
Tues Mar 20th: The Weir, by Conor McPhearson – Doonbeg D.G.
Wed Mar 21st: The Seafarer, by Conor McPhearson – Thurles D.G.
Thur Mar 22nd: Dr Jeckyl & Mr Hyde, by Jeffery Hatcher – Nenagh D.G.
Fri Mar 23rd: Who is Afraid of Virginia Wolfe, by Vintage Albee – Haulbowline T.G.
Sat Mar 24th: By the Bog of Cats, by Marina Carr– Bunclody D.G.
 Lara's Doodle 4 Google Congratulations to Tipperary school girl, Lara O’Dwyer, from Dundrum, Co.Tipperary who has been selected for the public voting stage of the “2012 Doodle 4 Google” competition.
Lara is in Senior Infants grade and currently attending Knockavilla, National School, Dundrum, Co. Tipperary .
Lara’s submission is entitled “The Best School,” and states “My doodle is about teaching. I have a big pencil in my picture. I have a child in my picture too. We have the best school.”
Next time you go doodling Lara, perhaps you could compose a picture for Thurles.Info. God knows we badly need one.
So you folks out there, spend a minute of your surfing time to congratulate the work of this budding talented young artist, by voting for her selected prize entry.
To vote for Lara’s picture simply click Here and vote.
 Rosie and the Marquess of Headfort Highlights of the May 2012 “Irish Art Sale,” by Sotheby’s Auction House in London, will go on view in Dublin at No 16 Molesworth Street, on April 24th and 25th and will include two portraits by Dublin born, Sir William Orphen, Ireland’s if not the world’s greatest portrait painter.
Interestingly both of these portraits in this auction have strong Thurles associations to this very day. The portraits are of the glamorous music-hall star Rosie Boote and a Co Meath aristocrat, Geoffrey Thomas Taylour, 4th Marquess of Headfort DL, JP, FZS (1878 – 1943) both of whom were to enthrall and scandalised Edwardian society in 1901.
Rose Boote, (1878-1958) or ‘Miss Rosie Boote,’ latter her later stage name, was the only daughter of Charles Boote, a comedian and while little is known of her mother, it was believed she was a straw hat sewer.
Rose however was sent to the Ursuline Convent School in Thurles in the 1890’s to be educated. The Ursuline Convent then, as now, had a high reputation in educational circles, renowned for their proficiency in turning girls into young, well educated ladies, who could take their place even in the highest society.
Having left the Ursuline Convent School in Thurles, Rose, possibly through connections of her father, was introduced to George Joseph Edwardes, (1855–1915) an English theatre manager, born ‘George Edwards,’ a native of Co Wexford, Ireland. George had introduced a new era into musical theatre on the British stage.
George now introduced Rose to the stage as one of his ‘Gaiety Girls,’ where she achieved great acclaim. Gaiety Girls were the chorus girls of Edwardian musical comedies, which had its beginning earlier in the 1890s, at the Gaiety Theatre, on the Strand, London. The sudden popularity of this genre of musical theatre depended, mainly on these beautiful dancing troupes of “Gaiety Girls” appearing onstage in bathing attire and in the latest fashions from London and Paris.
Gaiety girls were considered polite, educated, well-behaved young women, unlike those corseted actresses from London’s earlier musical burlesque shows. They became a popular attraction and a symbol of ideal womanhood, soon attracting the attention of aristocratic young men, known as “Stage Door Johnnies.” These young men would often wait outside the rear stage door in the hope of escorting one of these young ladies to dinner. Rose’s mentor, Edwardes had arranged with Romano’s Restaurant, on the Strand, for his girls to dine there at half-price. It was good exposure for his girls and made Romano’s Restaurant the embodiment of London’s night-life.
Continue reading Thurles Gaiety Girl Rosie Boote Scandalises Edwardian Society
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