SHOWBOAT THE MUSICAL FOR MITCHELSTOWN
The musical juggernaut that is the definitive musical ‘Showboat’ is due to dock in Mitchelstown on Tuesday, February 16.
The choice of ‘Showboat’ for this year’s Mitchelstown Musical Society production is due to many requests by people familiar with the genre to do a show with recognisable music and songs.
Since its inception the society has concentrated on the more unusual shoes – ‘Jack the Ripper’, ‘Viva Mexico’ and ‘Big Al’ – all performed with great aplomb by our new society. The entire company has been busy since last October learning dance routines, solo songs, dialogue and great choruses like “Ol man River, ‘Can’t help lovin that man of mine’, ‘Bill’, ‘Only Make Believe’ and more.
The words and music of “Showboat” were written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern, so the quality is assured. The two artistic geniuses, Mick Finn and Mick Treacy, have been burning the midnight oil – designing, building and painting sets and backdrops into a setting portraying the ‘Showboat’, the theatre and all the various stages to create the ambience in keeping with this fabulous production.
Throughout rehearsals Therese Horgan and Aine O’Sullivan have been examining and measuring the various characters in the show and sourcing costumes and props suitable for different roles. The final result of their work and talent will be spectacular.
Direction and choreography is under Margaret Carlisle and Christopher Hennessy. The final result will be a tribute to their stagecraft, musical and choreographic expertise and great experience in theatrical productions.
Society officers, Joe McMahon and Jim Flynn, are doing the rounds of local businesses canvassing their support. Mitchelstown Business people have been unstinting in their support and it is hoped that, not withstanding the present recession, they will continue where possible. Their support provides the financial nuts and bolts for our annual show and gives MMS a wonderful morale boost during our five months rehearsal campaign.
Finally, our thanks to the management, staff and club members of CBS, St Fanahan’s College and the Town Hall for making those premises available, also to the clubs who altered their schedules to accommodate the society’s programme.
The show will run from Tuesday, February 16 to Saturday, February 20 at 8pm nightly at the CBS. Tickets are now available at Jim Hyland’s, Lower Cork Street.
If past experience is anything to go by tickets will be like gold dust, so order yours right away!
Published:
Thursday 28th January 6:26pm
