{"id":121,"date":"2016-01-30T16:35:56","date_gmt":"2016-01-30T16:35:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/?page_id=121"},"modified":"2026-03-04T10:43:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T10:43:15","slug":"2016-festival","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/?page_id=121","title":{"rendered":"2016 Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/image002.jpg\" rel=\"lightbox[121]\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-146 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/image002.jpg\" alt=\"image002\" width=\"123\" height=\"92\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/image001.png\" rel=\"lightbox[121]\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-145 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/image001.png\" alt=\"image001\" width=\"98\" height=\"84\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><em>2016 County Tipperary\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Drama\u00a0 Festival<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0 Holycross<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span lang=\"en-GB\"><b>Adjudicator <\/b><\/span><span lang=\"en-GB\"><i><b>: <\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-GB\"><i><b>Pat Nolan A.D.A.<br \/>\n<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,serif; color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span lang=\"en-GB\"><b>No booking<\/b><\/span><span lang=\"en-GB\"><i><b> : <\/b><\/i><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-GB\">Nightly Admission \u20ac12 : Concession \u20ac8 Season Ticket Available \u20ac60<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> <span lang=\"en-GB\"><b>Information<\/b><\/span><span lang=\"en-GB\"><i><b>:<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><i><b> <\/b><\/i><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span lang=\"en-GB\"><i><b>(086) 257 51 59<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/em><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><em>Friday 11<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0 to\u00a0 Saturday 19<sup>th<\/sup> March 2015<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000;\">OVERALL<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(P)<\/span> HANNIFIN CUP (Entertaining Play) \u201cBlithe Spirit\u201d Listowel D.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(A)<\/span> GALLAGHER AWARD for most promising actor\/actress \u2013 Joanne O\u2019Neill \u2013 Holycross\/Ballycahill<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(P)<\/span> DR.MORRIS MEMORIAL CUP [ Tipperary Group) \u201cMiracle Worker\u201d Nenagh D.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(A)<\/span> BEST SET OVERALL[Josie Slattery Perptual Trophy] The Far Off Hills \/ Kilrush D.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(C)<\/span> 1st ADJUDICATOR AWARD: Dan &amp; Breda Gallagher for Attendance<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(C)<\/span> 2nd ADJUDICATOR AWARD :Greta Murphy- Thurles D.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000;\">CONFINED<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(A)<\/span> BEST ACTOR : Kris Cowming-\u201cThe Graduate\u201d Curtain Call Productions- Dungarvan<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(A)<\/span> BEST ACTRESS .. Trisha Lowry-\u201cThe Thrill of Love\u201d \u2013 Holycross\/Ballycahill<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(B)<\/span> BEST SUPP.ACTOR: Kevin Barry \u201cBlitheSpirit\u201d Listowel D.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(B)<\/span> BEST SUPP. ACTRESS: Imelda Dowling Garvey \u201cBlithe Spirit\u201d \u2013 Listowel D.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">3rd<\/span> \u201cThe Graduate\u201d \u2013 Curtain Call Productions &#8211; Dungarvan<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">2nd<\/span> \u201cBlithe Spirit\u201d \u2013 Listowel D.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(P) 1st<\/span> Tipperary Star Cup \u201cThe Thrill of Love\u201d Holycross\/Ballycahill D.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(A)<\/span> BEST PRODUCER : Claire Ryan \u201c The Thrill of Love\u201d \u2013 Holycross\/Ballycahill D.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000;\">OPEN <\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(A&amp; P)<\/span> BEST ACTOR (Matthew Bourke) ) Sean Aherne as JPW King \/The Gigli Concert\/Palace T.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(A)<\/span> BEST ACTRESS . Kirsty Burns as Annie Sullivan \/ The Miracle Worker \/ Nenagh D.G. Players<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(B)<\/span> BEST SUPP.ACTOR \u2013 : Brendan Dunlea as Irishman \/ The Gigli Concert \/ Palace T.G,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(B)<\/span> BEST SUPP.ACTRESS.. Denise O\u2019Brien as Angela \/The Belfry \/ Brideview D.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">3rd<\/span> \u201cThe Miracle Worker\u201d Nenagh Players<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">2nd<\/span> \u201cThe Far Off Hills\u201d Kilrush D.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(P) 1st<\/span> TIPP FM TROPHY \u201cThe Gigli Concert\u201d Palace T.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(A)<\/span> BEST PRODUCER: (Frank Gleeson Award) Liam Howard \u201cThe Gigli Concert \u201c Palace T.G.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Schools Drama:WINNER :Presentation Convent,Thurles : Bog Oak-Scoil Na Trioda Naofa,Doon<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\">\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<strong>\u00a0Plays For 2016<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Friday 11<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0 March<\/span> <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">(Confined)<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Separate Beds\u00a0 By Sam Cree<\/strong>\u00a0 :\u00a0 <strong>Mullagh\u00a0 Entire D.G.\u00a0 Co. Clare<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Brief History of the Group:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Mullagh\u00a0 Entire Drama\u00a0 Group\u00a0 was\u00a0 founded in 2001. This is our\u00a0 15 th\u00a0 production .\u00a0 We have performed plays\u00a0 by\u00a0 John B Keane\u00a0 Jimmy Keary , Brian Friel, Michael Joe Ginnelly , Bernard\u00a0 Farrell and Sam Cree We\u00a0 have been on the circuit\u00a0 for the past 4 years <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Synopsis of the Play:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0A romantic comedy set in the home of\u00a0 Arthur Marshall whose\u00a0 daughter\u00a0 is about to get married it explores the world of\u00a0 love and divorce <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Saturday 12<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0 March<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> (Open)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Far Off Hills By Lennox Robinson\u00a0 :\u00a0 Kilrush D.G, Wexford<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Brief History of the Group:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Kilrush Drama Group celebrated their 50<sup>th<\/sup> Anniversary in 2014 with current director, Mick Byrne who was the founding member of the group still at the helm. During the 51 years of Kilrush DG, they have produced over 70 plays and appeared in the 3 Act Confined All Ireland Finals on 17 occasions. The group finally won the Premier Award in the 2015 Confined All Ireland with their production of \u2018Poor Beast in the Rain\u2019. In August 2015, Kilrush DG presented a summer play for the first time, performing \u2018Our Day Out\u2019.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Synopsis of the Play<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Set in a sleepy town in rural Ireland, where the far off hills are green, everything is set to change in the lives of Patrick Clancy and his three daughters, Marian, Ducky and Pet. The oldest daughter, Marian, feels duty bound to postpone her entry to the convent until her father has his long-awaited cataract operation. Marian rules the household strictly, much to the dismay of Patrick and her more fun-loving younger sisters Pet and Ducky. Harold Mahony, one of the greatest moaners in Ireland has his sights set on the blissfully unaware oldest daughter. All is set to change however, with the arrival of the energetic young and devilishly handsome, Pierce Hegarty. Feeling left out in the cold by Marian\u2019s admirers, the two younger girls hatch a plan to get rid of their older sister which ends with unexpected results.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Sunday 13<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0 March<\/span>\u00a0 <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">(Confined)<\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0The Graduate\u00a0 By Terry Johnson\u00a0 :\u00a0 Curtain Call Productions , Dungarvan<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Brief History of the Group<\/strong><strong> : <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>CurtainCall Productions Dungarvan was founded in April 2014. Our first production was \u201cOne Flew Over the Cuckoo\u2019s Nest , followed by \u201cSteel Magnolias\u201d I October 2015 we staged theIrish Premier of \u201cThe Graduate\u201d for six nights in Dubgarvan , followed by three nights in Garter Lane, Waterford. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>In our first three productions we have introduced sixteen new people to performing in drama.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Synopsis of the Play :<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>A cult novel;a classic film ; a quintessential hit of the 60\u2019s. Benjamin Braddock has just finished college in New York , and has just returned to his parents house in California. He has excellent grades, very proud parents,and, since he helped Mrs. Robinson with her zipper, a very bright future\u2026.behind him. What began as fun tryst turns rather complicated when he falls for the one woman Mrs. Robinson demanded he stay away from\u2026her daughter Elaine.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Monday 14<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0 March\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"> (Confined)<\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Blyth Spirit\u00a0 By Noel Coward\u00a0 :\u00a0 Listowel D.G.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Brief History of the Group:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0Listowel Drama Group was founded in 1944 by Bryan MacMahon, who joined forces with Michael Kennelly and Paddy O Connor, with \u201cthe objective to discover talent in our town and to make patent that which is latent and to offer our citizens something of which they may grow proud\u201d<em>. <\/em>Now 71 years in existence, we are one of the oldest drama groups in Ireland and remain true to our motto, \u201cThe stage will never die\u201d. Past highlights for the group have been winning the All Ireland One Act Competition in 1954 with George Fitzmaurice\u2019s <em>The Magic Glasses <\/em>and winning the All Ireland Three Act Competition and the Esso Trophy in Athlone in 1959 with the world premiere of <em>Sive<\/em> by John B. Keane. Over the intervening years, true to our objective, we have directed and performed plays written by our own members, including Bryan MacMahon\u2019s <em>The Bugle in the Blood<\/em>,<em> The Honeyspike <\/em>and<em> The Master<\/em>, and John B. Keane\u2019s <em>Sive <\/em>and <em>The Field<\/em>, among others. We return to the drama festival circuit this year following a 36-year gap.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Synopsis of the Play:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>This smash comedy hit of the London and Broadway stage offers up fussy, cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine, remarried but haunted (literally) by the ghost of his late first wife, the clever and insistent Elvira, who is called up by a visiting &#8220;happy medium&#8221;, one Madame Arcati. As the (worldly and un-worldy) personalities clash, Charles&#8217; current wife Ruth is accidentally killed, &#8220;passes over&#8221;, joins Elvira and the two &#8220;blithe spirits&#8221; haunt the hapless Charles into perpetuity.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Tuesday 15<sup>th<\/sup> March<\/span>\u00a0 <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(Open)<\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Belfry\u00a0 By Billy Roche<em> :\u00a0 <\/em>Brideview D.G.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Brief History of the Group:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0Brideview Drama began competing in the both the One-Act and Three-Act All Ireland Festival Circuit in the early 90\u2019s beginning with \u2018The Year of the Hiker\u2019 by J.B.Keane. They went from strength to strength, winning the Confined Three-Act All-Ireland in 2005 with \u2018Moonshine\u2019 by Jim Nolan. Competing in the Open Section since 2006 they have won a number of festivals and awards, coming close to qualifying for the All-Ireland Final with \u2018Pied a Tierre\u2019 in 2010 and with \u2018Same Old Moon\u2019 in 2012. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Synopsis of the Play:<\/strong> \u2018<strong>Belfry\u2019 is an intense emotional production which centres around Artie O\u2019Leary, a bell-ringing sacristan who has, in a sense, shut down from the world around him. The local priest, Father Pat, is having serious doubts about his vocation and finds pitiful solace in alcohol, while the young altar boy craves security and love. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Artie is filled with turbulent passion and emotion for the first time in his life when he finds love with a married woman. The break-up of this affair sends this meek and mild man spinning into a brutal rage. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>A striking, dramatic piece of theatre by Billy Roche where every character is in search of something, all trying desperately to find their way in life. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Wednesday 16<sup>th<\/sup> March<\/span>\u00a0 <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(Open)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Miracle Worker\u00a0 By William Gibson\u00a0 :\u00a0 Nenagh D.G. Co.Tipperary<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>History of the Group:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Nenagh Players group was founded in 1943 and has been very active every year since. They won the All Ireland Confined Finals in 1998 with \u201cFlight to Grosse Ile \u201c by Jim Minogue and again in 2000 with \u201cApril Bright \u201c by Dermot Bolger. They moved into the Open section in 2002 and have won many individual awards since then. They have qualified for the Athlone finals on seven occasions, most recently with their production of \u201cThe Outgoing Tide\u201d by Bruce Graham.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Brief Synopsis:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>In Tuscumbia, Alabama,1880\u2019s,\u00a0 an illness renders infant Helen Keller blind, deaf, and consequently mute. Pitied and badly spoiled by her parents, Helen is taught no discipline and grows into a wild, angry, tantrum-throwing child in control of the household. Desperate, the Kellers hire Anne Sullivan to serve as governess and teacher for their daughter. After several fierce battles with Helen, Anne convinces the Kellers that she needs two weeks alone with Helen in order to achieve any progress in the girl\u2019s education. In that time, Annie teaches Helen discipline through persistence and consistency and language through hand signals, a double breakthrough that changes Helen\u2019s life and has a direct effect on the lives of everyone in the family. This play is based on actual events.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Thursday 17<sup>th<\/sup> March<\/span> <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">(Open)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Portia Coughlan\u00a0 :\u00a0 Thurles D.G. , Co.Tipperary<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Short History of Group<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Thurles Drama Group has been competing on the festival circuit since 1987. They have reached the All- Ireland finals in Athlone on numerous occasions: <em>Prisoner of <\/em>Second<em> Avenue <\/em>:\u00a0 Neil Simon (1988), <em>Dancing at Lughnasa<\/em> : Brian Friel (1996), <em>Someone Who\u2019ll Watch Over Me<\/em> :\u00a0 Frank Mc Guinness (1997), <em>Faith Healer<\/em> :\u00a0 Brian Friel (1998), <em>The Enemy<\/em> <em>Within <\/em>:<em>\u00a0 <\/em>Brian Friel (2003),\u00a0 <em>The Seafarer:<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 Conor Mc Pherson (2012),\u00a0 <em>All My Sons<\/em> :\u00a0 Arthur Miller (2013), <em>A View from the<\/em> <em>Bridge<\/em>: Arthur Miller (2014). As well as a festival production the group presents an Autumn play in November and a soiree of theatre pieces in May at the Source Arts Centre in Thurles.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Brief Synopsis:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Haunted by the singing ghost of her dead twin brother fifteen years previously, Portia Coughlan remains at odds with the world around her.\u00a0 She is on the road to self \u2013 destruction.\u00a0 Portia despises her husband Raphael and is not a natural mother to her three young children whom she cannot trust herself to care for.\u00a0 She feels the life being sucked from her by her dysfunctional family and the society that she lives in.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The play is set in the Irish Midlands in the 1990\u2019s and is populated by uncivilised characters.\u00a0 Portia\u2019s sexually charged relationships leave her cold.\u00a0 Her life has been rendered incomplete by her twin\u2019s drowning in the local Belmont River and she is consequently obsessed with him.\u00a0 A figure of mythic force, Portia drinks too much and displays the hallmarks of depression.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The play is a study of Portia Coughlan\u2019s severe disturbance.\u00a0 It highlights the \u201cunhappy, unholy family\u201d in the process of tearing itself to pieces.\u00a0 It is a brutal and passionate drama of\u00a0 family relationships, damaged people and personal disintegration.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">N.B.\u00a0 This play is not suitable for children.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Friday 18<sup>th<\/sup> March<\/span> <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">(Confined)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Thrill of Love\u00a0 By Amanda whittington\u00a0 :\u00a0 Holycross\/Ballycahill D.G.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Group<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Holycross-Ballycahill Drama Group are in existence for almost fifty years. They are based inthe picturesque village of Holycross, alongside the well know Holycross Abbey.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The group have reached the All-Ireland Confined finals on many occasions, and have won numerous acting, directing and set awards, not only in the country\u2019s festivals, but also in the All-Ireland itself.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u201cSive\u201d by John B. Keane; \u201cRun for Your Wife\u201d by Ray Cooney; \u201cWoman and Scarecrow\u201d by Marina Carr and T.S. Eliot\u2019s \u201cMurder in the Cathedral\u201d are among the great variety of critically acclaimed productions that the group have performed around the country. We have even travelled to Germany, by special invitation from the American forces based there, to stage our award winning play, \u201cThe Beauty Queen of Leenane\u201d by Martin McDonagh.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>In the 1950s, London was swinging after the difficult war years. Men frequented exclusive clubs for fun, and the women there looked after them, in a variety of ways. Those women looking for even more fun, and a way to make themselves known, frequented the \u201cCamera Club\u201d where they could have their picture taken, in a variety of poses!!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>A divorcee with a young child to care for, Ruth Ellis does both. Having had her pictures taken in the \u201cCamera Club\u201d she moves on. She works in the kind of nightclubs where there\u2019s more than just a drink on offer. The girls word hard and play hard, and dream of a movie-star life.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0Then Ruth meets the wealthy David, a racing driver with whom she becomes obsessed. Fame comes, but not in the way Ruth could ever imagine. Their relationship ends in murder with Ruth pleading not guilty but while she offers no defence, neither does she show remorse.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0The Thrill of Love dramatizes the true story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, and takes a fresh look at the woman behind the headlines<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Saturday 19<\/span><sup><span style=\"color: #800000;\">th<\/span><\/sup><span style=\"color: #800000;\"> March<\/span><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> (Open)<\/span> @ 8.00PM<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Gigli Concert\u00a0 By Tom Murphy\u00a0 :\u00a0 Palace T.G., Fermoy , Co.Cork<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>History of the Group.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Palace Players first took to to the festival circuit in 1989 with Bernard Farrell\u2019s I do not Like Thee Dr.Fell,winning all three festivals entered in Ballyduff, Charleville and Castleisland.They have contested the festival circuit every year since, moving up to the Open section after winning the Confined All Ireland in Enniscorthy in 1994 with \u201cOne Flew Over the Cuckoo\u2019s Nest\u201d. Having contested the All Ireland finals in Athlone on a number of occasions, 2015 brought them the ultimatehonours, winning the RTE trophy with Tom Murphy\u2019s \u201cConversations of A Homecoming\u201d. This year they bring another Tom Murphy masterpiece to the festival circuit in the \u201cGigli Concert\u201d.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Synopsis of play<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">J.P.W. King is holed up in his Dublin office cum living quarters.He is in prsctice as a<strong> Dynamatologist, offering his services as a practitioner promising spiritual healing\u00a0 and \u201cthe ultimate is self realization\u201d. For King, the recurring question is how is he going to get through each day. There is a knock on the door \u2013 he has a client \u2013 an Irishman who wants to sing like the Italian tenor, Gigli. While we only get to hear of Helen, the unattainable love of his life, we do get to meet Mona his mistress.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2016 County Tipperary\u00a0Drama\u00a0 Festival\u00a0 Holycross Adjudicator : Pat Nolan A.D.A. No booking : Nightly Admission \u20ac12 : Concession \u20ac8 Season Ticket Available \u20ac60 Information: (086) 257 51 59 &nbsp; \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Friday 11th\u00a0 to\u00a0 Saturday 19th March 2015 &nbsp; &nbsp; OVERALL (P) HANNIFIN CUP (Entertaining Play) \u201cBlithe Spirit\u201d Listowel D.G. (A) GALLAGHER AWARD for<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/?page_id=121\" class=\"more-link themebutton\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":38,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-121","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=121"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":333,"href":"https:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/121\/revisions\/333"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tipperarydrama.ie\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}