Staging Romeo and Juliet – A Seminar

De Luain Theatre present

Staging Romeo and Juliet

A half hour seminar on De Luain Theatre’s forthcoming production of Romeo and Juliet

De Luain Theatre are comprised 0f 24 young adults affiliated with Downs Syndrome Ireland. They have being preforming since 2008. Previous productions include Titanic, Grease, Moulin Rouge, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and A Midsummer Nights Dream.

Tonight in Players Theatre a few of the most experienced cast members will give a presentation on their forthcoming production of Romeo and Juliet which will be staged at the Classac Theatre Clontarf on June 17 at 8p.n.

Tonight’s presentation in Players Theatre is at 7.30pm

Community Outreach Program: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

This year will see A Midsummer Night’s Dream being brought to schools across Dublin as part of the Festival’s Community Outreach Program. Directed by Molly O’Cathain, the production will run throughout the Festival.

Shakespeare’s most hilarious and magical of comedies is re-worked for an Irish primary school audience. Meet Dublin’s teenagers, builders and urban fairies as they get lost on a summer adventure. The modern setting and fun, physical performance style creates a storytelling environment where children needn’t worry that they understand the bard’s language. The performance will begin with the arrival of a crazy and colourful travelling theatre company, whose antics and carry on sweep through our set up, the performance itself and finally into a workshop designed to include the kids in our infectious fun.  You can’t help but smile, laugh and shout along with A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Shakespeare Festival Media Launch

The cheese was sliced, the wine chilled, and the sun streamed through the windows. The preparations for the Trinity College Dublin Shakespeare Festival Media Launch were complete. Volunteers and committee members donned forest green t-shirts promoting the festival and waited nervously for the arrival of the media and The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Naoise O Muiri.

As photographers from various newspapers began to arrive a myriad of Shakespearean characters filtered in amongst the crowd. Romeo and Juliet were spotted feeding each other grapes in the shafts of sunlight, Lady Macbeth looked troubled as she muttered something about a man called Duncan, and a jester leapt about the room exclaiming at the modern dress the volunteers were wearing.

A hush then came over the room as The Lord Mayor entered and Festival Director, and Chairwoman of DU Players, Heather Walsh greeted him at the door. Also in attendance were Dr. Amanda Piesse, Dean of Students at Trinity Collge, Donal Mc Keating, Chair of the Central Societies Committee, and Paul Testar, former Chairman of DU Players.

When everyone had taken their seats, Heather Walsh was presented with a plaque from Donal Mc Keating on behalf of the CSC, recognising DU Players recent success at the ISDA Festival in Cork, where the society received 10 out of a possible 13 awards. Heather then spoke to the room about the Shakespeare Festival this year and how it plans to brings the work of England’s most famous playwright to the city Dublin. Over a series of 5 days, from the 3rd to the 8th of June, the festival will bring scenes from some of Shakepeare’s most famous plays to the streets of Dublin, free of charge. The outdoor scenes give the public the opportunity to interact with Shakespeare where they may not normally. Plays will also be brought to schools so that children get to experience first hand what a Shakeapearean play is like and participate in a workshop afterwards. As the launch drew to a close, the promotional video for the festival was premiered and really gave everybody a sense of what the Trinity College Shakespeare Festival is about. The afternoon concluded with photos with The Lord Mayor in the Long Room and even Senator Ivana Bacik joined in the fun and left with her very own Shakespeare Festival t-shirt.

Overall, the Media Launch was a success as it highlighted not just to the media, but to everyone present how important and fun it can be to bring Shakespeare to the masses. The fifth and final year of this Festival is surely not to be missed.

Shakespeare Festival Media Launch Confirmed

This year’s media launch is set to take place on Wednesday the 15nd of May at 1pm in the Long Room Library of Trinity College. The media launch will open with a photo call featuring our special guests posing with actors dressed as famous Shakespearean characters, as well as festival volunteers. This will be followed by a food and drinks reception at 1:30pm where Festival Director, Heather Walsh, will give a speech.