Following a two year pandemic enforced absence, the Dean Crowe Theatre will welcome the return of the RTE All-Ireland Drama Festival in May.
The hosting of the All-Ireland Drama Festival from May 5-13 will also mark the 70th occasion since the first hosting of this prestigious arts event.
Competition to achieve a coveted place on the Dean Crowe Theatre stage is in process, the amateur drama circuit comprising 33 festivals.
The amateur drama fare on offer this year is certain to prove popular amongst those in attendance during the week of the festival.
To mention but a few, ‘Chapatti’ Christian O’Reilly’s Dublin-set play is a two-hander which was last performed at the Galway Arts Festival and featured John Mahoney (RIP ).
David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, ‘Rabbit Hole’, will bring audiences on an emotional journey, while the chaotic ‘God of Carnage’ by Yasmina Reza makes a welcome return to the circuit.
The results which determine the nine plays which will achieve All-Ireland Drama Festival status in Athlone can be found on the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland website as they come in https://adci.ie/full-length-circuit/league-tables/open/.
First time adjudicator at the festival is Mr Michael Poynor, President and Chair of ADA. Trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, he has been artistic director in a number of theatres - currently at the Ulster Theatre Company. He was Chief Executive of the Millennium Forum in Derry and Head of Culture and Arts at Queen’s University, Belfast. He is also an award winning director and lighting designer.
“The RTE All Ireland Drama Festival committee are looking forward to welcoming back festival audiences to the refurbished Dean Crowe Theatre where they can meet up with old friends, make new friends and together once again experience the magic of live theatre in our lives,” Regina Bushell, festival director, commented.
