Mick Lally, probably best known for playing Miley Byrne, latter for which he won a Jacob’s Award in 1979, passed away this morning after a short stay in hospital, at the age of 64.
Born in November 1945 in Tourmakeady, Co Mayo, Mick was the eldest of a family of seven children; five sisters and one brother. He was educated at the local national school in Tourmakeady and went from there to St Mary’s College in Galway. He later studied History and Irish at UCG going on in 1969 to teach History and Irish in Tuam for approximately six years.
This Mayo born teacher, later turned actor appeared in numerous TV shows including ‘Glenroe’, ‘Ballykissangel’, ‘Bracken’, and the ‘Ballroom of Romance’. He also featured in Oliver Stone’s ‘Alexander’, ‘Ros na Rún’ and ‘The Secret of Kells’ and was also cast in Tyrone born Brian Friel‘s ‘Translations’ back in 1980. He went on to become a member of the Field Day Theatre Company and co-founder of the much lauded Druid Theatre Company with Garry Hynes and Marie Mullen, as well as treading the boards in many of John Millington Synge‘s plays.
No stranger to Thurles town, Mick regularly appeared at the Source Arts Centre where in recent months he performed opposite his Westmeath born and ‘Glenroe’ co-star Mary McEvoy in J.B. Keane’s ‘The Matchmaker’ and with George McMahon in ‘Caught in the Net’.
A fluent speaker of the Irish language, Mick confessed and classified himself as an atheist and regarded religion as the stuff of nonsense and “codology”, but his love of studying local characters and his passion for all things Irish was for ever evident in his unique stage performances.
In July last he launched ‘Tuar Mhic Éadaigh: Stair agus Seanchas’, a new book on the history and folklore of the Tourmakeady area by Fr Pádraig Standun.
One of Irelands most loved actors of his generation, Mick will be dearly missed by the public and by his many colleagues both in theatre and television. His national and international reputation truely earned him the deserved status of an icon of Irish theatre.
Thurles would like to express their sympathy to his wife Peige, their children Saileog, Maghnus and Darach and to his parents.
Spring Awakening comes to The Helix September 16th to 25th
Described by many critics and writers as the musical that will define this generation, the groundbreaking ‘Spring Awakening’ is merely weeks away from its highly anticipated Irish premiere in the Helix Theatre in Dublin.
National Youth Musical Theatre will present Spring Awakening from September 16th to 25th with director John Donnelly at the helm of what promises to be one of the definitive Irish musical experiences of the year.
Winner of 8 Tony Awards on Broadway, including best new musical, Spring Awakening won the 2010 West End musical of the year and has thrilled audiences and critics alike, the world over.
Set in 1890’s Germany, but with a contemporary rock soundtrack, Spring Awakening is like nothing you’ve ever seen before.
This is one show true music lovers in Tipperary really can’t afford to miss.
As stated, Spring Awakening runs from the 16th to the 25th of September 2010 at the Helix DCU. Tickets are on sale now priced at €20 from the Helix box office, Tel:(01) 700 7000 or visit the Helix online here
Note: There are also a limited number of on-stage seats available for every performance at just €15.
The recipe for any outstanding musical performance, guaranteed to pack a theatre every night, is really quite simple.
Ingredients:
1 X Aishling Doyle (Director/Choreographer). 1 X David Wray (Musical Director). 1 X Gerard O’Brien (Producer). 1 X Trevor Killeen (Production Manager). 1 X Gerry Taylor (Lighting Designer). 1 each X Siobhan King and Mairead Hackett (Dance Captains). 1 X John O’Donoghue (Stage Design). 1 each X Alan Butler and Jack Rossiter (Stage Managers). 1 X Star Systems (Sound). 60 X 1 X Talented Youngsters (Cast)
Directions:
Mix the above ingredients together into a fine paste.
Sprinkle with a fine mixture of locally trained, talented and dedicated Make Up Artists, Stage Constructors and clever General Go – Fors, and stirr well and continuously for six weeks. Cook’s note:
The result is an outstanding musical theatre production called “Oliver” worthy of playing in London’s West End or on New York’s Broadway.
Our video above, prepared earlier, demonstrates a few of the personalities and highlights and out sincerest congratulations to all those talented individuals involved.
Phoenix Productions Present "Oliver" - 4th - 8th Aug
Why is there a red double-decker London bus Parked in Liberty Square, Thurles, we here you ask? Has Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II decided to visit her ancestral home we hear you query?
Here is a clue: What has Red Buses, London, the West End and Theatre got to do with the Town of Thurles in the coming days?
Yes you have guessed correctly, the answer is of course “Oliver Twist“. Now while Queen Elizabeth II may be visiting Thurles in the not too distant future, one thing is certain “Oliver” will go on stage in the Premier Hall Thurles this August 4th to the 8th inclusive, God willing.
But why the Red Bus I hear you say? It’s simple – the late and much lamented Mr Matty Ryan, who departed, regrettably from our midst on January 24th last, made arrangements for Phoenix Productions to use his Red Bus to promote the classic musical “Oliver” with the proceeds of one performance going to the charity to which he was so devoted, namely North Tipperary Hospice.
To honour and respect both his memory and his wishes it was decided to keep faith and so as he requested, his bus, which was a cherished birthday gift, is over the next few days, being used as a ‘Ticket Booking Office’.
So have you got your ticket? They are getting as scarce as rocking horse manure. Move quickly – Phoenix promise you a show to remember for a very long time.
Following last February’s sell out cabaret in The Source Theatre, Phoenix Productions here in Thurles are already hard at work on their next project, the timeless classic that is ‘Oliver’.
It’s been some eleven odd years since Lionel Bart’s famous musical adaptation of the Dickens’s classic ‘Oliver Twist’ last played to Thurles audiences and it has been greatly missed.
‘Oliver’ will take to the stage in the Premier Hall, Thurles, this August 4th to the 8th and sees the stalwart cast of teenagers and young adults of Phoenix joined for the very first time by a new upcoming group of young performers who will make up the infamous pickpocket’s of Fagin’s gang.
Oliver will be Phoenix’s twelve musical production in the town and follows on from successful recital’s of ‘The Hot Mikado‘, ‘Jesus Christ Superstar‘, ‘Guys and Dolls‘, ‘High School Musical‘ and ‘Seussical The Musical‘ to name but just a few.
The lead rolls for this show have been cast as follows:-
Olivers: Gavin Murphy and Philip Ryan – Artful Dodgers: Darren O’Sullivan and Darragh Byrne – Nancy: Katie Lawless
Fagin: Frank Tuohy – Bill Sykes: Jack Rossiter – Mr. Bumble: Shane Willoughby – Widow Corney: Deirdre Ryan
Mr. Sowerberry: Graham Maher – Mrs. Sowerberry: Emma Jane Purcell – Noah Claypole: Nathan Carroll – Charlotte: Fiona O’Sullivan.
Tickets for this timeless classic will be available from the middle of this month, so make sure you book early folks because we forecast, this one is going to be a definite sell out.
Recent Comments