Over the All Ireland Drama Festival, Athlone Art and Heritage joins in with fringe events offering two workshops and two exhibitions.
From Saturday May 3, an exhibition of photographs recalling the history of the drama festival will be on display on the lower ground level of the Luan Gallery while Athlone Castle visitor centre will welcome the installation of Emotion: a collaborative collage between the students and staff of Athlone Institute of Technology.
Emotion is an expression of artistic release, brought together by the Photography and Visual Art Society and the Design Department at AIT.
Also on May 3 Jessica Traynor will deliver a three-hour scriptwriting for stage course in the Luan Gallery. Jessica is a writer and dramaturg who works as literary reader at the Abbey Theatre, reading and responding to hundreds of plays per year. She runs creative writing courses through the Big Smoke Writing Factory and the Irish Writers Centre in Dublin.
Participants will cover some of the basic tenets of playwriting and generate ideas for a new play by looking at characterisation, structure, and dialogue. This course is ideal for beginners, or those returning to playwriting and looking to kick-start their creativity.
Another exciting workshop will take place on May 8 covering the topic of on-stage combat with Ciaran O’Grady. Ciaran is an actor, stunt performer, stage combat instructor, and fight choreographer. He has trained with the Irish Dramatic Combat Academy and the Society of American Fight Directors. He currently teaches stage combat at the Gaiety School of Acting and the Lir Academy of Dramatic Art and has choreographed fights for various stage and screen productions throughout Ireland.
Places for workshops are limited and cost €10 per person; pre-booking is required on (090 ) 6442154.
