A Wake In The West – Spring 2013

westtitle

The Playwestcross

The plot centers on the wake of Tom Healy, a man who was known to be ‘fond of a drop’. Tom’s controversial last request threatens to humiliate his family and make them the laughing stock of the small fishing village in which they live. “Not exactly an avid church-goer”, Tom’s dying wish flies in the face of traditional religious ceremony in 1970?s Ireland. The priest and doctor need to be consulted, as does Tom’s son Martin who is returning from New York for the funeral. His return is eagerly awaited by neighbour Joan who has held a candle for Martin since his departure to the States. When conniving old neighbour Rose calls to pay her respects, the mayhem really develops and her antics set in motion a sequence of hilarious events.

The Cast

Kate McNally as Rose
Tom Kearney as Martin
Peter Simon as Fr. Cassidy
Barney Farrelly as Barney
Dave (Dr. Dave) Branigan as Dr. John
Robert Fox as Tom Healey
Yvonne Ambrose as Margaret
Sabrina Mangan as Joan
Taryn McKenna as Mary
Larry Coughlin, Director
Glenna Hennessy, Asst. Director

Philadelphia Here I Come – Fall 2012

A Tragi-Comedy
By Brian Friel     Directed By Vera Kelly

The Play

Philadelphia, Here I Come! centres on a young Irishman, Gar O’Donnell, on the eve of his departure for Philadelphia. Gar is presented to us as two individual characters, played by two different actors, representing his Public and Private selves. Public Gar is the man who is seen and who interacts with the other characters in the play. Private Gar represents Gar’s inner thoughts and feelings and he can interact only with Public Gar. As the evening unfolds and through a series of flashbacks, memories and present action, we learn of his conflicting feelings about leaving Ballybeg, which represents for him both that which he detests and that which he loves.

The Cast

Vera Kelly, Director
Kate McNally as Madge
Tom Kearney as Private Gar
Mike Azarkiewiczas as Public Gar
Barney Farrelly as SB O’Donnell
Kathleen Donoghue as Kate Doogan/Mrs. King
Peter Simon as Senator Doogan
Bob Reidy as Master Boyle
Maggie Murphy as Lizzy Sweeney
Larry Coughlin as Con Sweeney
Liam Briik as Ben Burton
Eamonn McDonagh as Ned
Shawn McPartland as Tom
George Skrobuton as Joe
Bob Fox as Cannon Byrne

Try Anything Twice – Spring 2012

A Comedy
By William Rocke     Directed By Bob Fox

The PlayTryAnythingTwice-Spring2012

When vivacious forty-something Josephine McGowan wins a Glamorous Grandmother Contest and brings home suave, womanising TV actor Clive Cartwright as a prize she upsets more than her gone-to-seed husband Michael… ‘Try Anything Twice! Is a saucy comedy, full of very clever one-liners which the cast throw at each other with wicked good fun… Josephine seems to enjoy her nights out with romantic Clive. But when glamorous reporter Paula Smith arrives to Interview her husband, he sees a way to prove he still has ‘it’ with hilarious results!

The Cast

Barney Farrelly as Michael McGowan
Christina Garrivan as Josephine
Kate McNally as Granny
George Skrobuton as Charlie Saville
Marty Donovan as Clive Cartwright
Jacqueline Ashcraft as Paula Smith
Glenna Hennessy as Betty
Bob Fox, Director
Tom Kearney, Assistant Director
Dave Branigan, Producer

The Beauty Queen of Leenane – Fall 2011

A Drama
By Martin McDonagh     Directed By Barney Farrelly

The Play

The play centers on the life of Maureen Folan, a 40-year-old spinster who takes care of her selfish and manipulative 70-year-old mother Mag. Maureen’s sisters have escaped into marriage and family life, but Maureen, with a history of mental illness, is trapped in a seriously dysfunctional relationship with her mother.

The Cast

Katie Flynn McKirdie as Maureen Folan
Kate McNally as Mag Folan
John Devitt as Pato Dooley
Mick Kenna as Ray Dooley
Barney Farrelly, Director

The Castlecomer Jukebox – Spring 2011

A Drama
By Jimmy Murphy     Directed By Larry Coughlin

The Play

When the President of America visits Ireland-what better way to entertain him than a showband from the good old days! The members of the Castlecomer Jukebox are ready to reform, its been years since they dusted off their instruments and took the house down. Can they pull it off and shine in the limelight once more? or will past hurts, crooked politicians and greedy business dealings strike a sour note and send the bad crashing down…? Tune in in the Spring to find out!

The Cast

Robert Reidy as Hitler Lynch
Bridget Christianson as Asti
Mick Kenna as Ginty
Dave Denham as Dixie
Meek Azarkiewicz as Horse
Barney Farrelly as Val
John Devitt as Shaymo
Phillyis Bierdiz as Rio
Larry Coughlin, Director
Kate McNally, Asst. Director
Myra McWilliams, Stage Manager

The Last Rose – Fall 2010

A Drama
By Anne Dunphy     Directed By Lisa Krueger

The Play

Life is grand at the rest home. But, when Bridie dies, and her son finds out the truth about her past, the lives of those involved will never be the same.

The Cast

Stephen Heffernan as Father Ryan
Dave Branigan as Tom
Larry Coughlin as Sid
Barney Farrelly as Jim
Kate McNally as Bridie
Katie McKirdie as Betty
Phyllis Bierdz as Annie
Mary Kate Brophy as Bridie’s Ghost
Mick Kenna as Thomas’ Ghost
Lisa Krueger, Director
Tom Kearney, Assistant Director
Myra McWilliams, Producer

The Patrick Pearse Motel – Spring 2010

A Comedy
By Hugh Leonard     Directed By Tom Kearney

The Play ThePatrickPearseMotel-Spring2010

An upwardly mobile couple living in an upscale Dublin suburb, and their business partner are showing what real patriotism is all about-selling it in the form of hotels. Each room in the Patrick Pearse Motel is decorated with a portrait of a national hero. Unbeknown to her doting husband, the lady of the house is plotting a tryst with an old flame, a television commentator famed for his rudeness. Soon the stage is filled with mistaken identities, dropped trousers, a flimsy negligee and false accusations. On a rainy night at the Patrick Pearse Motel, the characters crisscross paths, threaten one another with a shillelagh and hide in convenient closets. An hysterical bedroom farce that will have you wondering how will all of this turn out and who will get out alive?

The Cast

Marty Donovan as Dermod
Kathy Holahan as Grainne
Stephen Heffernan as Fintan
Mary Kate Brophy as Niamh
Taryn McKenna as Miss Manning
Mick Kenna as James Usheen
Barney Farrelly as Hoolihan
Tom Kearney, Director
Georgina Chapman, Assistant Director

Craddock’s Well – Fall 2009

A Drama
By Michael Carey     Directed By Larry Coughlin

The PlayCraddocksWell-Fall2009

Young Margaret Finnerty returns to Cloonmore in Co Donegal from a time spent in America. She marries local farmer Patrick Finnerty and settles down to married life. However, her life becomes fragmented and dysfunctional, the reason for which she can’t explain. Could the existence of the nearby Craddock’s Well hold the key? The play touches on themes of loneliness and emigration in a rural way of life that’s both very humorous and still very innocent.

The Cast

John Devitt as Patrick Finnerty
Marty Donovan as Tom Ryan
Deborah Ryan Sampson as Margaret Finnerty
David O’Carroll as Tim Dalton
Martin Murphy as Brendan Finnerty Sr.
Kate McNally as Biddy Cassidy
Mary Zemaitis as Eileen Dykes
Janet Wittenmyer as Katie McGrath
Mick Kenna as Pateen Thatch
Tom Kearney as Brendan Finnerty
Georgina Chapman as Mary Morley
Brendan McWilliams as Young Brendan
Larry Coughlin, Director
Barney Farrelly, Assistant Director
Myra McWilliams, Producer

Attaboy Mr. Singe – Spring 2009

A Comedy
By Deirdre Kinahan     Directed By Georgina Chapman

The Play

The show must go on! And in the small town of Athboy, County Meath, the Athboy Players certainly hope so. With their 25th Anniversary looming, the group want to dazzle, shine and show off their artistic talents to their loyal and faithful audience. What better way to do this than to stage John Millington Synge’s masterpiece “Playboy of the Western World”. But alas…trouble is waiting in the wings!

Crew members are leaving at the last minute, actors are showing up late or not at all, the set is unfinished…where are the lights? The costumes? and why isn’t anyone learning their lines?!? What is a community theatre group to do? Can the sudden arrival of theatrical virtuoso Denis O’Byrne be the answer to the Players prayers? Surely someone with her talents and vision can only bring the Society to new heights? Ah…but Denise has plans of her own and will stop at nothing to see them realized!

Will the players fall prey to her whimsical notions..or will disgrace and shame befall them on the most important night of their lives…or will tradition and hard work see them through with their good name intact? If you really want to see what goes on behind the scenes of a theatre production, you have to see this show! Join us for a night of mad-cap antics both on and off the stage!

The Cast

Kate McNally as Margery
Bridget Christiansen as Flora
Barney Farrely as Raymond
Mick Kenna as Conor
Taryn McKenna as Denise
Georgina Chapman, Director
Tom Kearney, Asst. Director
Larry Coughlin, Producer

Da – Fall 2008

The Tony Award winning play
By Hugh Leonard     Directed By Larry Coughlin

The PlayDa-Fall2008

“Da” is set in 1960’s Dublin. After his Da’s funeral, Charlie returns to his childhood home only to find his father’s ghost stubbornly unwilling to leave the house. As the events of Charlie’s youth and Da’s troubled relationship with Charlie’s mother are replayed, we discover the darkly comic, bittersweet relationship that existed between father and son.

The Cast

Barney Farrely as Da
Mick Kenna as Charlie
Robert Emmett Reidy as Drumm
Mike Azarkiewicz as Young Charlie
Kate McNally as Mother
Tom Kearney as Oliver
Katie Flynn-McKirdie as Mrs. Prynne
Jacqueline Moran as The Yellow Peril
Georgina Chapman, Assistant Director
Dave Branigan, Producer