Carlow Little Theatre Society announce jam packed Autumn Season of Events

Carlow Little Theatre have a busy few months ahead with no less than five productions currently in rehearsal, including a full-length, ‘Da’ by Hugh Leonard, and four One-Act plays. Amongst these is ‘ 3 Kings’ by Barry McKinley, which will compete in the Open section of the upcoming All-Ireland One-Act festivals circuit.  

Read Next: Local Carlow Garage applies for planning notice to add off licence to premises

The season kicks off with the society’s autumn One-Acts at the George Bernard Shaw theatre in Visual, Carlow on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd October.  Both evenings promise lots of drama and comedy, with four plays on offer.  In addition to the group’s festival play, both evenings will feature ‘In The Name of The Dog ' by Cavan writer Rachael Cullivan Elliott, the Best Irish and Best International winner of our 2024 International One-Act Playwriting Competition, which will be directed by well-known retired drama teacher Mary Doyle. Mary’s cast will include a mix of familiar and new faces to audiences: Pauline Hayes, Richard Duffy, Andrea Bolger, Joseph Hayden, Raymond Farrell and Luca Dolan Ruiz. 

There will also be two shorter plays, both directed by Little Theatre stalwart Marc Grogan: the comedy 'A Matter of Husbands ' by Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnar, translated by Benjami Glazer, which will star Audrey Cooper and Aisling O’Halloran and another, new piece 'Normal Schnormal ' by American Ian Patrick Williams, starring Harry Shorthose and Deirdre Colhoun. 

Performances start at 7.30pm, with tickets priced at €20 (€18 concession) (including booking fee). Tickets are available from the box office (059 917 2400 | boxoffice@visualcarlow.ie) or via:

https://visualcarlow.ie/whats-on/carlow-little-theatre-one-act-festival

The society returns to George Bernard Shaw theatre just over two weeks later with Hugh Leonard’s, hilarious, Tony-award winning memory play, Da‘’. 

‘Da’ explores the relationship of Charlie, a successful playwright, with his adoptive father. In this semi-autobiographical play set in 1960s Dublin, we find Charlie in his childhood home just after Da’s funeral. 

While he sorts through his father’s things, he is visited by Da’s ghost, who stubbornly refuses to leave the house or his son’s mind. As Charlie revisits his past, we get to share in the tender, frustrating and very funny moments that defined the complex relationship between father and son. Winner of the 1978 Tony Award for Best Play, New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play, and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Play.

This will be the second time the society has produced ‘Da’, having also done so in 1996, when it performed at the now defunct Bridewell Lane Theatre. Audiences may remember John Brady giving a memorable performance in the titular role, with Paddy Behan playing the role of Charlie. This time, Paddy will be in the director’s chair, with Rory Moran playing the role of Da, Garry McHugh as Charlie, the return of multi-award winning, legendary Little Theatre actress Jo O’Donovan to our stage in the role of Mother, joined by a talented cast of Scott Cooper, Evan McCormack, Paddy O’Byrne, Pauline Hayes and Zoë Hayden.  Set design is by Tadgh McSweeney, with lighting by Ann Nolan. ‘Da’ is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd.

Ticket and booking details via: 

https://visualcarlow.ie/whats-on/carlow-little-theatre-presents-da-by-hugh-leonard

Charlie Tynan - Garry McHugh

Oliver - Evan McCormack

Da - Rory Moran

Mother - Jo O’Donovan

Young Charlie - Scott Cooper

Drumm - Paddy O’Byrne

Mary Tate, The Yellow Pearl - Zoë Hayden

Mrs. Prynne - Pauline Hayes

Less than a week later, Carlow Little Theatre begin their All-Ireland, One Act Festival circuit run with ' 3 Kings', a new play written by acclaimed Carlow author and playwright, Barry Mckinley, which will be directed by Deirdre Fleming.

3 Kings is set against the backdrop of a wintry Montana. Three convicts plan to break out of a penitentiary by scaling a Christmas tree and jumping the prison wall.

Things don’t go according to plan during the breakout. The men realise that everything has changed and their ‘heroic’ escape on Christmas Eve has turned into a murder ballad. Only two men will survive in this frozen backcountry. But which two?

3 Kings keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, shifting seamlessly between laughter and heartfelt drama as the escaped convicts try to affect their escape and navigate the difficulties of life on the run.

The play will embark on what the society hopes will be a successful festival circuit run at 5 festivals, and eventual qualification for the finals in Naas in early December.

The five festivals are:

Goresbridge, Kilkenny  - Friday, 25th October 

Banor, Down  - Saturday, 26th October

Tallaght, Dublin  - Friday, 1st November 

Carrigallen, Leitrim  -  Sunday, 17th November 

Tubbercurry, Sligo  - Saturday 23rd November 

3 Kings Cast: 

Mover - Jamie Dockery

J.I - Paul Dunne

Big-Boy - Paul McManus

Gaurd - Paddy O'Byrne

Performance and ticket details will be announced in due course.

ENQUIRIES

Mark Cradock, President, Carlow Little Theatre Society: (087) 223 7198 | mcradock@maventm.com

Paul Dunne, PRO, Carlow Little Theatre Society: (085) 725 4280 | carlowlittletheatre@gmail.com