The first Rosemount Dramatic Society production was staged in 1937, with the production of The Eloquent Dempsey. The society has been very much alive and successful ever since, with most households in the parish being represented and new generations taking on roles. The current performance is a two act farce called Rumors by Neil Simon.
Neil Simon is one of the most successful playwrights in America and he excels in presenting the frustrations and vagaries of life with delicious humour. Rumors has been staged on Broadway more than 600 times. The play was recently performed by Rathcabbin Players only two weeks ago and was on in the Little Theatre in Athlone and also in Mullingar in the last couple of years. The play itself involves four Irish-American couples who are attending the tenth wedding anniversary of Charley and Myra Brock in their upper-class home in New York. The snazzily-dressed couples arrive at different times to discover their host Charley Brock has been shot and his wife Myra along with their servants are nowhere to be seen. A major disorganised cover-up follows in trying to protect their injured friend Charley who is deputy mayor of New York. The chaos and panic that can be seen is guaranteed to have audiences holding their sides in receipt of the high-voltage hilarity! As well as the main storyline, each of the couples have their own personal woes and everything is certainly not as perfect as it seems in the personal lives of each of the couples as many rumours of infidelities are argued about on stage. The 10 characters in the play are all very different and all very amusing in their own way which will keep audiences entertained and amused.
Rosemount Drama Group's last production was four years ago when they staged John B Keane's Sharon's Grave which was a huge success. This year has seen a host of new members join the group for their first time on stage namely Enda Murray, Helena Keenan, Aisling Boland, John Keenan, Carol O'Brien, and Stephanie Casey. Along with the experieced Hughie Slevin, Liz Keenan, Joe Farrell, and Eamonn Duffy. The play is being directed and produced by Jackie Madden who will be ensuring the cast are on their toes and ready to take the stage by storm! The cast have been very dedicated and are keen to ensure the play is a success. Such is the case that the play will be shown for six nights in total. The opening night is in Rosemount Community Centre on Friday February 26 and then again on Saturday February 27. The two-act farce will also run for four nights in Tuar Ard Arts Centre in Moate from Thursday March 4 through to Sunday March 7. All shows will start at 8.30pm. Rosemount Community Centre have been working with the drama group in erecting a whole new set including new curtains and an elegant framework.
