Cast of Thurles Musical Societies “Titanic The Musical,” to be staged from Tuesday March 19th to Saturday March 23rd inc.
Reporter Noel Dundon (Thurles Musical Society PRO.)
Thurles Musical Society will stage “Titanic The Musical,” in the Premier Hall, Thurles from Tuesday March 19th to Saturday March 23rd, in what is anticipated to be a spectacular piece of theatre.
A company of more than 70 strong have been preparing for the hit show since just after Christmas and have worked very hard under the watchful eye of Director Peter Kennedy and Musical Director/Chorus Mistress Mary Rose McNally. With music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and a book by Peter Stone, the show opened on Broadway in 1997. It won five Tony Awards including the award for Best Musical.
Titanic is set on the ocean liner RMS Titanic which sank on its maiden voyage on April 15, 1912. The discovery of the wreckage of the RMS Titanic in 1985 attracted Yeston’s interest in writing a musical about the famous disaster.
“What drew me to the project were the positive aspects of what the ship represented,” states Yeston.
Humankind’s striving after great artistic works and similar technological feats, despite the possibility of tragic failure.
The dreams of the passengers on board: 3rd Class, to immigrate to America for a better life; 2nd Class, to live a leisured lifestyle in imitation of the upper classes; 1st Class, to maintain their privileged positions forever. The collision with the iceberg dashed all of these dreams simultaneously, and the subsequent transformation of character of the passengers and crew had, it seemed to me, the potential for great emotional and musical expression on stage.
The high cost of Titanic’s set made it impossible for the show to have traditional out of town try-outs. Titanic’s previews began at Broadway’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 1997 with major technical troubles: ironically, during previews the model ship on-stage would not sink. These difficulties were mostly resolved by opening night, but the show received mostly negative reviews.
During the previews, the cast had feared the show would close. Nevertheless, the show became a surprise hit. Many credit at least part of the show’s success to former talk show host Rosie O’Donnell who championed the show, featuring members of the original cast on her daytime talk show and giving away tickets to members of her studio audience. The show got a further boost when it won the 1997 Tony Award for Best Musical among other awards. The release of James Cameron’s film Titanic in December 1997 helped fuel worldwide interest in the disaster.
There were seven Tipperary people on board the Titanic including a man from Thurles – Denis Corcoran who was a fire man. And, one of the Titanic survivors Katie McCarthy from Ballydrehid, just outside Cahir has a number of descendants on stage with Thurles – an amazing twist to a truly amazing story.
Among the main role players in this production, which is a Premier County premiere, are John Scott (Captain Smith), Cathal O’Donoghue (Andrew), Frank Tuohy (Ismay), Michelle O’Connell (Kate McGowan), Danielle Martin (Kate Murphey), Catherine Britton (Kate Mullins), Barry Derby (Bride), John Hayes (Barrett), Gary Dempsey (Murdoch), Geraint Fyler (Fleet), Damian Sweeney (Hartley), Pat Hayes (Etches), Donal Taylor (Edgar Beane), Maria McElgunn (Alice Beane), Noel Dundon (Charles Clark), Cathy Keane (Caroline Neville), Barry Cagney (Jim Farrell), Gerard O’Hagan (Isodor Strauss), Rosalie Butler (Ida Strauss), Sarah Keane (Mrs Astor), Breda Byrne (Charlotte Cardoza), and Leonie Wettengel (Mademoiselle Aubert).
The show brings a huge challenge to the doors of the Thurles Society with particular emphasis on the Set and Stage Design team led by award winning Manager Tommy Sweeney – the sinking of the ship is worth seeing alone and will leave audiences in amazement at the work undertaken.
The opening night of this production is a Charity Night in association with the Thurles Lions Club with the proceeds going towards the “Trabolgan Holiday Project.” All tickets on this night will cost 15 Euro with a cheese and wine reception beforehand to help set the scene.
Tickets thereafter will be €15 and €8 for children. There is a special OAP rate on Wednesday evening. And, this year we have introduced a special deal for anyone bringing a group of six adults for all performances (except Tuesday) where they will be charged just the price of five. Twelve adults will be charged the price of ten tickets and so.
Tickets can be booked at Hickey’s Pharmacy, Liberty Square, Thurles from Tuesday March 12th or over the phone at Tel – 0504 21423.
Don’t miss this chance to see a really fabulous show right here on your doorstep.
Ireland’s best-loved actor comedian Pat Shortt is back in the Source Theatre, Thurles, December 7th next, with his new one-man comedy show, which charts the life of one of his many character ‘Dixie Walsh,’ (Of ‘ Jumbo Breakfast Roll,’ & ‘Where Did My Money Go,’ fame) latter a solo lounge bar musician.
The show takes on the guise of a tribute night to Dixie, where all his peers and friends, (In this case you the audience,) come to celebrate his successful career.
Until now the much loved Dixie Walsh was one of many characters who appeared in Pat’s previous sell out shows. Pat’s well known quirky interpretation of rural Tipperary & other Irish characters will bring to life Dixie’s mother, his teacher and other locals, who queue up to recall their daft & dippy memories of Dixie and his music. Now Dixie comes centre stage to tell his full life story and shares his inimitable style of music with you in Pat’s new show “I Am The Band,” taking a look at life on the back roads between Ireland’s dance halls and a tribute to one of this country’s supposedly true music legends.
NOTE: Not surprisingly, due to high ticket demand, a second date, in the Source Theatre has now been added and tickets can also be obtained for Saturday December 8th.
The ever popular Thurles Amateur Drama Club take to the stage of The Source Theatre, Cathedral Street, Thurles, on Monday night next. Directed by Liam Ryan, the club bring to the stage their very own production of the hilarious period comedy “The Constant Wife,” written by the English playwright, novelist, MI6 spy, short story & Hollywood script writer William Somerset Maugham.
The production runs from Monday 5th – Saturday 10th of Nov 2012′
This period comedy’s leading character is Constance Middleton, the calm, intelligent and self-possessed wife of a successful London doctor. Aware of her husband’s infidelity with her best friend Marie-Louise, Constance deliberately maintains the fiction held by her other friends, mother and sister, that she has no idea of the affair. Confronted now by Marie-Louise’s jealous husband, Constance reacts in a way that is not expected by her own husband, friends & same family members. Instead she shocks them by demonstrating a total lack of sentiment on the subject of matrimony. She explains that the modern wife is nothing but a parasite, “a prostitute who doesn’t deliver the goods.”
As is usual for Thurles Drama Club, with most of their very fine productions, Monday’s opening night is also a ‘Benefit Night,’ in aid of the Two-Mile- Borris Community and Development Group & tickets will cost €20.
This period comedy, which begins sharp at 8.00pm each night, is wonderfully directed by Liam Ryan & is a must for lovers of acting theatre.
Ticket: Except for the aforementioned Benefit Night, tickets cost €15 (€10 concession)
The Source Theatre & Arts Centre here in Thurles Co. Tipperary are pleased to announce their new website, which has now been fully launched.
The previous layout has been completely redesigned with simplicity and ease of use with customers in mind, as well as the option for all clients, for the first time, to choose their own seat On-line. When customers activate the ‘Buy Tickets,’ icon they are directed into an interactive seating plan.
Customers can now browse all upcoming events by clicking ‘What’s On.’ & by clicking through on the scrolling images or checking out the highlights on the home page.
Events and offers can also be found on the notice board twitter stream and there is now an option to Like or Share events on Facebook, thus increasing networking information.
Couple of pieces of understandable good business ‘housekeeping,’ information, worth noting on this ‘The Source Website.’ :-
All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges are allowed.
The maximum amount of tickets that can be purchased per transaction on-line is 10, so for larger group bookings, please do phone (0504) 90204.
Wheelchair users, do please phone The Source Box Office on (0504) 90204 to reserve your tickets, in the interests of public safety.
Concessions will apply to Students, Recipients of Unemployment Benefit, Assistance or Disability Allowance, Lone Parents and Pensioners. (Valid ID understandably will need to be produced in all such cases.)
One very tiny criticism – Why not display a digital drawing of this fine theatre’s numbered seating arrangements, to enabling those less daring & less IT literate, booking by phone, to choose their preferred seat, – just a thought.
Irish actor, David Kelly, dear to the hearts of so many Irish people worldwide, has passed away today, after a short illness.
Born in July 1929, David was in his 83rd year and began his acting career in 1951, playing everything from Samuel Beckett to William Shakespeare.
At home in comedy or serious character roles, David was a familiar face on our television screens during the 1970’s with a role as the one armed dishwasher Albert Riddle in Robin’s Nest, the builder Mr. O’Reilly in Fawlty Towers, as well as Emmerdale Farm in the 1980’s, Glenroe in the 1990’s, and the part of grandfather Reilly, in the 1992 Jim Sheridan film “Into The West.”
More recent work included “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “The Jigsaw Man,” and “Stardust.” However his older fans will possibly remember him best for his marvelous portrayal of the character “Rashers Tierney,” in the highly acclaimed 1980’s RTE TV mini series, James Plunkett’s Strumpet City, which also starred screen greats Peter O’Toole, Cyril Cusack and Peter Ustinov.
Recent Comments