This Friday night, March 3rd will bear witness to the opening of the Kerry Drama Festival at the Ivy Leaf Art Centre here in Castleisland at 8pm.
The festival has been held in the Ivy Leaf since it was revived in the spring of 1988 after lapsing for almost two decades when its natural home was Killarney from the time it was founded there in the early 1940s.
It is impossible to think of the drama festival and the Ivy Leaf without remembering people like: Danny Broderick, Jean Horgan, Joe Martin, Lil McCarthy, Gabie Keane, and many more, and they elbow deep for the whole week in the excitement of it all.
Island Players founder member and Kerry Drama Festival Director Jerome Stack is looking forward this year rather that over his shoulder after the set-backs of the last couple of years.
This, the 35th and 2023, Kerry Drama Festival will be held at the Ivyleaf Art Centre, Castleisland from Friday, March 3rd. to Saturday, March 11th.
The Six Night Menu
Under the auspices of Amateur Drama Council of Ireland, the opening night play of the festival on Friday, March 3rd will be provided by the Harvest Moon Theatre Group with Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage.
Saturday, March 4th. Prosperous Dramatic Society will stage Oleanna by Davic Mamet.
Sunday, March 5th. Holycross / Ballycahill Drama Group will present Martin McDonagh’s A Skull in Connemara.
Monday, March 6th. Corofin Dramatic Society presents Stolen Child by Bairbre Ní Chaoimh and Yvonne Quinn.
Wednesday, March 8th. it’s the turn of Kilmeen Drama Group with Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward,
Friday, March 10th. Brideview Drama Group will bring The Father by Florian Zellar.
Saturday, March 11th. St. Patrick’s Drama Group will put on Dear Frankie by Niamh Gleeson.
Adjudication and Trophies Night
This is also final adjudication and presentation of trophies night. Adjudicator: Ailbhe Garvey Hughes, ADA
Shows nightly at 8pm. Admission is €10 nightly and season tickets are €60. Booking Services on: 086 1054515
Co. Galway native Ailbhe Garvey-Hughes is this year’s adjudicator
Ms. Garvey-Hughes has been involved in theatre for most of her life. She holds a Fellowship from the London College of Music and a Licentiate from Trinity College.
Her experience began as an actor in amateur drama, where she won the ‘best actress’ award playing Jill Tanner in ‘Butterflies are Free’ at the All Ireland Finals in Athlone: Later playing in many productions in An Taibhdearc – The Irish Language Theatre – in Galway. She played with the internationally renowned Druid Theatre Company in many successful productions including those in the Dublin and Edinburgh Theatre Festivals.
She has worked as a professional actor, director, adjudicator and teacher for over thirty years and has been a member of the Association of Drama Adjudicators since its inception.
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