With the 2018 drama festival circuit about to begin in three weeks’ time, the Athlone Committee of the RTE All Ireland Drama Festival are busy making plans for the finals, which take place at the Dean Crowe Theatre next May.
The festival promises to produce a wide variety of plays, including a mixture of well-known classics and a few contemporary works as well.
Corrofin Drama Group will be a serious contender with John B Keane’s Big Maggie, while Bunclody/Kilmyshall Drama Group will be touring the country with Rumours by the American king of comedy, Neil Simon.
Prosperous Dramatic Society never to cease to surprise, and their festival play is the quirky Sylvia by the US playwright, AR Gurney. Meanwhile, Bradan Players will present Irish Author Michael West’s 2014 play Conservatory, which got rave reviews when it ran in the Abbey Theatre.
The Athlone festival will also have a packed programme of fringe events, including the now traditional arts and food fair. As is customary, there will also be a range of art exhibitions, concerts, theatre performances and a few surprises thrown in!
The fifth Annual Schools Playwright competition is well underway, with a record 231 entries this year from transition year students from 13 different counties. This competition is growing into one of the flagship events of the festival.
The Athlone finals take place from Thursday to Friday, May 3 to 11, with the awards presentation taking place on Saturday, May 12. The final line-up will be known after the draw, which takes place on Easter Monday, April 2, and booking will open at the Dean Crowe Theatre Box Office from Thursday, April 12.
Further information on the festival’s events and activities will be published in the coming months. In the meantime, season ticket holders may wish to view this year’s season ticket policy, which is available on the festival’s website at www.dramafestival.ie
