The finest amateur drama talent in the country will head to Claregalway from tonight (Thursday ) March 10 when the Claregalway Drama Festival gets under way at the local leisure centre.
The event which will run until Friday March 18 will see nine of the best amateur drama groups in Ireland take to the stage in the battle for points on the All-Ireland drama circuit.
The community centre in Claregalway was this week completely transformed into a comfortable theatre with tiered seating, free refreshments, and wonderful entertainment for the duration of the event.
Tickets for the festival can be purhcased at the door each night. Admission is €10 and €5 for OAPs. Season tickets for €60 are available also, representing tremendous value for someone who wants to see nine plays in nine nights.
Chairman Seamus McNulty told the launch last week that the festival is a remarkable event that is made possible by the sterling work of a dedicated committee. He said that the festival has made an enormous contribution to the development of amateur drama in the region.
The festival kicks off tonight (Thursday ) with the local drama group Compántas Lir taking the stage with their production of the classic play The Loves of Cass Maguire. There is considerable Galway interest in the festival as four groups in total stage their productions. DADS from Dunmore stages Christian O’Reilly’s The Good Father on Saturday night; Glenamaddy Players perform Dancing At Lughnasa on Monday night, while Knocknacarra’s KATS stage Marina Carr’s Portia Coughlan on Tuesday next.
The full programme is:
Thurs March 10 — The Loves of Cass Maguire by Brian Friel. Performed by Compántas Lir
(Confined )
Fri March 11 — November by David Mamet. Performed by Prosperous DS (Open )
Sat March 12 — The Good Father by Christian O’Reilly. Performed by DADS (Confined )
Sun March 13 — The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh. Performed by Garrymore DG (Confined )
Mon March 14 — Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel. Performed by Glenamaddy Players (Confined )
Tues March 15 — Portia Coughlan by Marina Carr. Performed by KATS (Open )
Weds March 16 — The Righteous Are Bold by Frank Carney. Performed by Corofin DS (Open )
Thurs March 17 — Say Cheese By Bernard Farrell. Performed by Doonbeg DG (Confined )
Fri March 18 — Moonshine By Jim Nolan. Performed by Shoestring Theatre Co. (Open )
