Kilkenny's 'West End'
FANS of musical theatre are in for a treat this spring as not one, but two local groups are staging productions from the West End: Kilkenny Musical Society is bringing Oliver! to the Watergate Theatre from April 4-10, and Starlight Stage Productions is bringing Jesus Christ Superstar to the Set Theatre on April 8 and 9.
Having started rehearsals in January, Kilkenny Musical Society officially kicked off preparations for its show with a launch in City Hall last week. The evening was complete with porridge and a rendition from the young Alan Hayes, who is playing the title role – both of which left those present "wanting some more".
The cast and crew feature some well-known faces and voices, including director David Heffernan, Fionn Gardner (The Artful Dodger), Kevin Reade (Fagin), Brendan Corcoran (Bill Sykes), Matt Berry (Mr Bumble), Niamh Dooley (Widow Corney), Fergal Miller (Mr Sowerberry), Dee Gibney (Mrs Sowerberry), Ciaran Dunphy (Noah Claypole), Emma Shore (Charlotte), Se Nicholson (Dr Grinwig), Laura Fitzgerald (Bet) and Catriona Codd (Mrs Bedwin).
They'll be complemented by an chorus of some 30 adults, plus a dozen young people in 'Fagin's Gang'. And the opening of the show – that most memorable orphanage scene in which Oliver dares to utter the words: 'Please, sir, I want some more' – will be performed by the talented youngsters of Jesters Stage Academy.
"So we have nearly 100 on the stage this year," says Seamus Reade, KMS treasurer and stage manager for the show. Music will be provided by a 14-piece orchestra under the direction of Patrick Clancy, and the set has been designed by John O'Donohue, who also created the set for the recent Carrick on Suir production of Sweeney Todd.
It is a credit to Kilkenny Musical Society that so many want to take part, and many have done so on several occasions as the society has staged a production every year since being founded in 1973. (Interestingly, this includes Kevin Reade, who played Oliver in the society's 1997 production and is now in the role of Fagin.)
"That is really an incredible achievement, being a large voluntary group," city mayor, Malcolm Noonan said in tribute to Kilkenny Musical Society, about which he added: "They don't do average productions".
They'll be taking to the Watergate stage from April 4-10, with performances at 8pm nightly and matinee shows on April 4 and 10 at 2pm. (Tickets can be booked on 056 7761674.)
As a preview of what's to come, the Kilkenny Musical Society also has a float in the city's St Patrick's Day parade next Wednesday.
Starlight
Another young cast is meanwhile getting ready to tread the boards with Starlight's Jesus Christ Superstar on April 8 and 9 in the Set Theatre, followed by dates in Carlow's GB Shaw Theatre.
Jesus Christ Superstar celebrates its 40th anniversary this year has been performed professionally in hundreds of cities all over the world as well as countless amateur productions. Originally released as a concept album, the show became a massive stage hit and also has been filmed twice. Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera tells the story of the last seven days in the life of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ Superstar was the first musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice to be produced for the professional stage. The show opened on October 12, 1971 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre in New York with the London production opening on August 9, 1972 with Paul Nicholas, Stephen Tate and Dana Gillespie. By the time it closed, after some eight years and 3,358 performances, it had become the longest-running musical in West End history. The recording of the score of the show, with Ian Gillan (Jesus), Murray Head (Judas) and Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene), topped the American album charts three times.
The most recent West End revival staged at the Lyceum Theatre in 1996 starred Steve Balsamo as Jesus, and there have been many rumours circulating that there will be another revival in the not so distant future.
The show was performed in Kilkenny six years ago by Kilkenny Musical Society, and one KMS cast member will make a return to the role in which he was highly acclaimed. Stephen Murphy from Kilkenny was well known as a local rock singer and was asked to perform as Judas in the Kilkenny Musical Society production in 2004; he accepted and became the talk of the show with his passionate portrayal of Jesus's right-hand man turned betrayer. His voice was perfect for the role and Starlight was delighted to acquire his services to return to the stage in their production.
Playing opposite Stephen in the title role is his former CBS Kilkenny school friend Jason Paul Ryan, who has played leading roles in musicals both at home and abroad. Jason has starred as Galileo in We Will Rock You, Donny in Puppy Love, Thomas Barnardo in The Likes Of Us and Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
The whole Starlight cast is very experienced and have all played their roles in this show before. Castlecomer's Sharon Molloy plays Mary Magdalene, Carlow's Jonathon Casey is King Herod, Kilkenny man Danny Moloney is Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate is played by Eoghan Fingleton from Laois.
The score of the show has hit after hit with chartbusting songs such as I Don't Know How To Love Him, Everything's Alright, and Superstar, along with memorable chorus numbers such as Hosanna, Christ You Know I Love You and the comical King Herod's Song.
Jesus Christ Superstar will be performed at the Set Theatre, Kilkenny on April 8 and 9 at 8pm each night. Tickets are on sale from The Set on 056 77 65133 and online at www.set.ie. Group bookings can be made through Starlight by contacting 085 2022038. The show opened on October 12, 1971 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre in New York with the London production opening on August 9, 1972 with Paul Nicholas, Stephen Tate and Dana Gillespie. By the time it closed, after some eight years and 3,358 performances, it had become the longest-running musical in West End history. The recording of the score of the show, with Ian Gillan (Jesus), Murray Head (Judas) and Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene), topped the American album charts three times.
The most recent West End revival staged at the Lyceum Theatre in 1996 starred Steve Balsamo as Jesus, and there have been many rumours circulating that there will be another revival in the not so distant future.
The show was performed in Kilkenny six years ago by Kilkenny Musical Society, and one KMS cast member will make a return to the role in which he was highly acclaimed. Stephen Murphy from Kilkenny was well known as a local rock singer and was asked to perform as Judas in the Kilkenny Musical Society production in 2004; he accepted and became the talk of the show with his passionate portrayal of Jesus’s right-hand man turned betrayer. His voice was perfect for the role and Starlight was delighted to acquire his services to return to the stage in their production.
Playing opposite Stephen in the title role is his former CBS Kilkenny school friend Jason Paul Ryan, who has played leading roles in musicals both at home and abroad. Jason has starred as Galileo in We Will Rock You, Donny in Puppy Love, Thomas Barnardo in The Likes Of Us and Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
The whole Starlight cast is very experienced and have all played their roles in this show before. Castlecomer’s Sharon Molloy plays Mary Magdalene, Carlow’s Jonathon Casey is King Herod, Kilkenny man Danny Moloney is Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate is played by Eoghan Fingleton from Laois.
The score of the show has hit after hit with chartbusting songs such as I Don’t Know How To Love Him, Everything’s Alright, and Superstar, along with memorable chorus numbers such as Hosanna, Christ You Know I Love You and the comical King Herod’s Song.
Jesus Christ Superstar will be performed at the Set Theatre, Kilkenny on April 8 and 9 at 8pm each night. Tickets are on sale from The Set on 056 77 65133 and online at www.set.ie. Group bookings can be made through Starlight by contacting 085 2022038.
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Monday 21 May 2012
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