As part of the Drama League of Ireland One-Act Play Festival circuit, Kilcumney Players (based in Ionad Dara, Goresbridge ) are hosting Goresbridge Drama Festival 2010 on Thursday November 11, Friday 12, and Saturday 13.
This is the first one-act festival to be held in Co Kilkenny and the winners in Goresbridge will go on to compete in the All Ireland finals in Dublin in early December.
The festival committee members were delighted to receive 17 applications for Goresbridge Drama Festival, and from these applicants, nine have been selected and will compete over the three nights. The competing groups will travel from counties Dublin, Waterford, Wicklow, Kildare, and Cork. The adjudicator for the festival will be Imelda McDonagh, ADA (Association of Drama Adjudicators ).
The competition has two sections. Groups who have already won an All-Ireland will compete in the open section, six groups will participate in this competition. The three remaining groups will compete in the confined competition. Confined groups have not yet won an All-Ireland or may be new to competition. A wide range of plays will be presented from Irish, American, and English playwrights. In one-act festivals, plays must not exceed 55 minutes. Most of the plays in Goresbridge are 40-45 minutes in length.
Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third places in the open section. Prizes will also be awarded to first and second places in the confined section. The top award will be a perpetual cup for the overall winners (Best Play in the Festival ) which will be the Blue Riband of Goresbridge Drama Festival. Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director awards will also be chosen from all nine entries.
Finally, two further awards may be given at the adjudicator’s discretion — perhaps for lighting, costumes, or stage management.
As part of offsetting the considerable costs involved in running a festival the organisers are inviting people and organisations in the community to become Friends of the Festival for a contribution of €25. A programme for the festival is being prepared and all Friends of the Festival and sponsors will be fully acknowledged and will receive two complimentary tickets for each of the three festival nights.
