2005
“Widows Paradise”
by Sam Cree (2005)
A farce in which five women travel to stay in a caravan in the Ards peninsula, some trying to get away from their male partners and others hoping to find some.
Performed by Craic
“The Musical”
(2005)
This Craic production was the culmination of many weeks of hard work and is a credit to all concerned and their families. The production was a stunning showcase for local talent and augers well for the future of the arts in the area.
The cast
* Old Deutoronmy: Jim McKeown
* Mrs Mistoffelees: Ciara Cassidy
* Jellylorum: Grainne Corr, Jade McGee
* Gumble Cat/Jennyanydots: Caroline Creggan
* Bustopher Jones: Odhran Darragh
* Jemima: Elizabeth Devlin
* Gus: Paul Donaghy, Nuala Burke
* Quaxo: Brendan Hughes
* Rumbelteazer: Joanne Kelly
* Demeter: Caoimhe Mallon
* Scar: Jarlath McCaughery
* Coriopat: Michael McGivern
* Razor: Mark McGuinness
* Grizabella: Louise O’Neill
* Jemima: Christine O’Neill
* Skimbleshanks: Micky O’Neill
* Munkustrap: John Ryan
* Rum Tum Tugger: Alex Watson
* Mungojerrie: Sinead Wylie
* Cat: Amy Carolan, Orlagh Quinn, Caoimhe Rafferty, Mairead Robinson, Saoirse Cassidy, Lauren Corr, Seaneen Donaghy, Catherine Duffin, Sinead Gates, Paula Grimley, Melissa Millar, Hannah Mooney, Keiley Maire O’Neill, Mairead O’Neill, Danielle Thomas, Mark Timlin, Ailise Whitehouse, Catherine Wylie
* Kitten: Aoife Coyle, Cliodhna Coyle, Christina Bradley, Niamh Burke, Orla Canavan, Donard Conway, Ciara Conway, Dylan Day, Aaron Day, Conor Dorman, Meave Dorman, Niamh Duffin, Emma Kelly, Hayley Kelly, Aron Kelly, Aoife Kelly, Aoife Lyttle, Alana Mackle, Michael McGrath, Ellen McGrath, Aoife McKenna, Emma McCann, Kathryn O’Neill, Louise O’Neill, Amy O’Neill, Kieran O’Neill, Eamon O’Neill, Fionnula Robinson, Eimear Wylie, Mairead Wylie
* Dancer: Stephanie Dolan, Riana Mallon
* Backing Vocals: Elizabeth Thomas, Bernice O’Neill, Simon Armstrong, Erin Graham, Aoife Graham, Maura McClure, Odhran Darragh
The crew
* Director: Jim McKeown, John Ryan
* Choreography: Sheena Kelly
* Dance captain: Caroline Creggan
* Lighting: Miren Zarautz Benegoetxea
* Sound: Irene Liarte Gimenez
* Set design: Clive Leonard, Micky Carolan, Paddy Gates, Brian Duffin, Jim Malliagh
* Set artwork: Nula Hagan, Fiona Hagan, Stephen O’Neill
* Publicity/Photography: Oliver Corr
* Make-up: Colleen O’Neill, Aisling O’Neill, Orla Bayne, Gillian McGrath, Teresita Dorman, Bronagh Conway, Christine Quinn, Rita O’Neill, Terri McNeice, Una Timlin, Lucretia Devlin
* Box office: Rosie Gates, Nicola Gates
* Front of house: Viktoriya Neimantaite, Kamile Zineviciute, Patricia McLernon, Kierna Corr, Michelle Carolan, Sinead Kohlbohm, David Day, Oliver McShane, Eamonn Duffin
Performed by Craic
“Family Affairs”
by Lecretia Devlin (2005)
A short play written for LILAC (Cancer Support Group Coalisland & Rural District)
The cast
* Micky O’Neill
* Orla Bayne
* Paul Coney
* Marian Molloy
The crew
* Director: Shane O’Neill
* Musical Director: Mairead Hogge
Performed by Craic
Tsumani Disaster Benefit Concert
“The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole”
by Sue Townsend (2005)
Adapted by the book’s author Sue Townsend, this comic play covers the first of the Adrian Mole diaries in which the anti-hero adolescent and undiscovered poet and intellectual tries to deal with his parents crumbling marriage, his spots, his school, his unrequited love for Pandora and the erratic behaviour of his dog. All this whilst trying to get his poetry accepted by the BBC! The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 is an unabashed, pimples-and-all glimpse into the troubled life of an adolescent.
Adrian Mole and his secret diary will appeal to theatre-goers young enough to relate and old enough to remember.
Performed by Bruiser Theatre Company
www.bruisertheatrecompany.com
“Family Plot”
by Darragh Carville (2005)
Family Plot is a story about letting the past go and moving on.
They didn’t get on in life and they certainly don’t get on in death. Inside their family grave, three generations of Kerrs are dead and buried but condemned not to rest. They continue to battle out the arguments of their lifetimes, until the youngest member of the family arrives in the grave a fourth generation and the last of the line.
It is only with Emer’s arrival that the family begin to realise that they must accept the cost and consequences of how they lived before their story of forgotten love and shocking betrayal can finally be resolved and they can find some kind of peace.
What begins as a darkly comic exploration of the families absurd predicament develops into a gripping and terrifying portrayal of lives damaged by secrets and lies.
Performed by Tinderbox Theatre Company
www.tinderbox.org.uk
“The Session”
by Brian Moore (2006,2005)
“The performers are wonderful, lively and imaginative” Daily Ireland
Malachy Flanagan has just come home to the pub to meet his old friend, Dessie, who has lately returned from America. In the pub the musicians are gathering for a session. A session of traditional music – jigs, reels and hornpipes.
Malachy does indeed meet Dessie but he also meets up with Helen, a girlfriend of one of the musicians, and later Rebecca, a visitor from the USA. The four of them talk and drink and, of course, sing. They talk about everything under the sun – war and peace, life and death, and why the barman has taken such a dislike to Malachy.
Meanwhile the musicians are flaking out the jigs and the reels and such is the liveliness of the music that the quartet has no choice but to get up and dance. The laughter and the talk continue with more misunderstandings, misconceptions and disagreements. But then there’s always another song, another tune and another dance.
Gallery
Performed by Dubbeljoint Theatre Company
www.dubbeljoint.com
Big Daddy’s Blues Stories
Ronnie Drew
Johnny McEvoy
Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll
by Eric Bogosian (2005)
Directed by Peter Quigley.
This play delivers a gallery of characters to comment hilariously yet subtly on the larger issues that define our time. The relations between men and women; cheating; man’s vision of the world and future; self delusion, anxiety, hatred. The context is America but it could be downtown anywhere, even Coalisland!!!
Performed by C21 Theatre Company
FRACAS
Charlie Donnelly Winter Literary School
Poems & Pints (2005)
Join a traditional session with Tommy Sands.
The 3rd Annual Charlie Donnelly Winter School was held in Tyrone Crystal Visitor Centre on Saturday 26th February. The winter school explores the legacy of the Dungannon soldier poet who fought and died in the Spanish Civil War in Jamara in February 1937.
This theme of the literary school was “Colonialism: The legacy”. The school discussed Colonialism in both and National and International contexts as well as new forms of Colonialism. e.g. the current situation in Iraq. Dr. Robbie McVeigh a human rights activist and accomplished researcher is the keynote Speaker at the event, lectured on the long debated issue of Colonialism.
A panel discussion took place on the Saturday afternoon and was chaired by Susan McKay (Journalist and Author) with: Anna Lo (Chinese Welfare Association), Nell Mc Cafferty (Journalist and Playwright).
Charlie Donnelly Biography
Charlie Donnelly was born in Killbrackey outside Dungannon, Co. Tyrone and was educated at the Christian Brothers’ School. He went on to study at UCD where he founded the Student Vanguard, an anti-fascism.
In 1934, he left UCD to devote himself to politics and was arrested for picketing a factory. He then joined the Republican Congress where he became a member of the National Executive.
In 1935, Donnelly was once again arrested for partaking in a factory picket and on his release he went to London where he formed the London Branch of the Republican Congress. He also founded the newspaper the ‘Irish Front’ whilst working as a journalist on Fleet Street. When the Spanish Civil War broke out, Donnelly formed an Irish Brigade to fight in Spain.
On 27th February 1937, at the age of twenty-two Charlie Donnelly was killed at Jarama, Spain.