Apologies

Regardless of if anyone reads this blog I would like to apologise profusely for the lack of posts.

A quick update on where I am in life and theatrically:
I am on exchange in the University of California Santa Barbara, studying "theater" here. And it is amazing. Not only the place but the department and the people. It's paradise and I think I have found my place in life.

Stay tuned for some updates from the past few months.

All Blocked!

I am happy to say that with one week 'til opening night, we at Skytashe Dance Theatre are ready for a full run tomorrow morning of our show Bitter Youth. Every song is blocked. It has been a long, fun and painful road but we are almost there. I am terrified and excited to be a first time choreographer, having choreographed two dances for this production.

BITTER YOUTH

by Skytashe Dance Theatre

25th - 27th July

6pm

Colomban Hall, Sea Road, Galway

Tickets €10/8

See you there...

"No Way Out" Indeed

ThereisBear! are a Galway-based theatre company made of current and ex NUIG students and theatre practitioners. This Summer they produced No Way Out by Jean-Paul Sartre, a captivating, funny and bone-chilling exploration of the after-life. I was asked to work on the set for this piece and despite being off my feet with multiple jobs, saving for future projects I said yes. Once you love something like theatre you cannot escape it's allure.

Below are some picture of the unfinished set, courtesy of Photographer Dara O Donnell:

 Set constructor Jack Scullion, Director Conor Kennedy-Burke and LX Matt Burke.

 Set crew member Dylan McCormack

Actress Kori Kilduff

The idea of the set was to create a room, classy but not overly decorated, that wasn't to be overly pleasant or unpleasant. The room was to be square and at the end the 4th wall appeared and closed off the room, trapping it's inhabitants inside.

A Magical Story

In my youth my mother read to me a captivating book called Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie. In recent years I have tried to recover my copy of it with no luck. It was probably borrowed from the library. Some of its magical moments which played on words and beautiful imagery have haunted me ever since (In a good way).
I was only a few weeks ago when I was having a bad day after being at the endodontist and being told I need a root canal (yay) that I headed into Galway's Charlie Byrne's, the best second hand bookshop I've ever been in. It was in my gloomy daze that I happened upon a play adaptation of this fond memory.
Rushdie's tale brings advanced intellect and philosophy to the level of children. There is value in this story about the value of stories for all. It is a must read. It's heart-warming and it really gets you thinking.

I have been so inspired that I've decided to discuss this play and how I'd use Lecoq techniques (They just fit the fantastical world) to perform it for my final essay of second year.

First Post "ISDAs"

Let's kick this blog off with some triumph!

The aim of this blog is to explore theatre and the performing arts and the sharing of my art.

Below are pictures from Dramsoc NUIG's 2014 production of Alan Ayckbourne's Callisto 5 for which I received an ISDA nomination for best lighting. The production was also nominated for best costume and makeup along with winning best supporting actor (Joe Power) and best sound design (Ronan Gallagher et al).

 Joe Power as Damaris Paul O'Mahony Photography

 Joe Power as Damaris Paul O'Mahony Photography

The cast and crew of NUIG Dramsoc's Callisto 5 and the 2014 ISDA judges 

Paul O'Mahony Photography

I was also privileged to be the director of NUIG's Sweet Bird of Youth by Tennessee Williams which also represented Dramsoc at the 2014 ISDA festival, bringing home two nominations for best supporting actress, Hazel Doyle and Aoife Corry. Below are these ladies in action plus my two stars, Julie Breen and Ryan Hehir. This play, set in the late 1950's, explores the meaning of time to humans, depicting an array of characters who are all damaged in some way and who have all lost time and youth.

Scotty (Shane Egan), Chance Wayne (Ryan Hehir), Bud (David McEnroe) and Hatcher (Diarmuid Tierney) in Sweet Bird of Youth

Paul O'Mahony Photography

ISDA best supporting actress nominee Aoife Corry as Miss Lucy and Darragh Cooney as Stuff in Sweet Bird of Youth

Paul O'Mahony Photography

Julie Breen as Alexandra Del Lago and Ryan Hehir as Chance Wayne in Sweet Bird of Youth

Paul O'Mahony Photography

Ryan Hehir as Chance Wayne and ISDA best supporting actress nominee Hazel Doyle as Aunt Nonnie in Sweet Bird of Youth

Paul O'Mahony Photography

Here's our trailer for Sweet Bird of Youth, courtesy of NUIG Filmsoc:

Sweet Bird of Youth Trailer

Overall NUIG received thirteen nominations and won two awards. Well done to all at NUIG Dramsoc!

For more ISDA photos check out Paul O'Mahony's Facebook page here: Paul-OMahony-Photography