Hilarious comedies, heartrending drama, and a hell of a lot of fun; these were the headline items as Athlone Little Theatre launched its programme for the 2008/09 season on Monday September 8.
The programme runs from September to the end of April 2009, and features everything from classics of the stage to an evening devoted to nothing but side splitting comedy sketches.
Prior to the launch, chairman Paddy Martin was in the happy position to accept sponsorship from Ronan and Regina Bushell of Grovelands Childcare towards their striking new sign in the foyer.
Launching the programme, Paddy urged anyone who has ever thought about getting involved in theatre to make this their year. “If you’ve ever thought about making that leap, now is the time to do it. We have a bigger range than ever of events specifically geared towards people trying out theatre for the first time,” he said.
Last spring, Athlone Little Theatre began a new departure with the staging of special in-house ‘rehearsed readings’. Up to 30 people, many of whom were complete newcomers to drama, were involved in the various shows. So successful was the experiment that three of the shows - complete with original casts - will comprise the Little Theatre’s first full production for the 2008/09 season.
The three shows are The Proposal and The Bear by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Brian Friel, and Plaza Suite by American playwright Neil Simon. These insightful, hilarious comedies open at the theatre on October 9, running until October 14.
This is quickly followed by a very special event, as the visiting Haw Theatre Co perform their play, Last Train to Holyhead, for one night only on Saturday, October 18.
At the beginning of November, the theatre will repeat the experiment of the spring, again choosing scripts at random for selections of actors. The only difference is that this time, instead of plays, the actors will be given short comedy sketches to prepare for another in-house performance on November 14.
So, if you fancy yourself as an undiscovered Tommy Tiernan, Dermot Morgan, or Maeve Higgins, then you need to be in the Little Theatre on the night of Friday, November 7. The emphasis for these nights is on fun and having a laugh. You never know where it might lead - Hollywood perhaps?
This intriguing event will be followed by the second of the Little Theatre’s four main productions of the season. Mel O’Flynn will direct a new version of the timeless classic, The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, to run from December 1 to 6. Mel’s production of this heartrending and funny play is certain to be very special.
This will be followed by another of the theatre’s special events for members, where friends old and new are encouraged to come together for craic, banter, and a right old knees up. The annual quiz night is on Wednesday, December 10. Don’t worry if you don’t know the answers, the chances are nobody else will either.
New Year marks the halfway point in a very busy programme, with an Actors’ Workshop, conducted by a professional drama teacher, taking place the weekend of January 23/24. Such workshops are a great way to learn more about the tools and tricks involved in theatre, and are also unforgettable fun.
The third production follows on February 23, as Jason Gill directs a version of Willy Russell’s hilarious farce, One For the Road, to run until February 28. This is widely regarded as one of the funniest plays written in English in the last 30 years.
The programme officially ends with Paddy Martin himself taking the director’s baton for a modern twist on Dion Boucicault’s stage Irish classic, The Colleen Bawn. This show, which runs from April 16-21, will leave audiences gasping for breath, and is guaranteed to get you in the right mood for a summer that surely, surely has to be better than the last one.
For further details, or if you are interested in becoming part of Athlone Little Theatre’s exciting plan for 2008/09, visit www.athlonelittletheatre.ie, call into the theatre at St Mary’s Place, or call (090 ) 6474324.
