Curtain to raise on Cavan Drama Festival
The adage “the show must go on” may have been tested in the last couple of years, but Cavan Drama Festival are inching closer to celebrating their 75th Festival.
Having coped with every conceivable challenge since the first festival was staged back in 1946 the organisers have had to put up with delays to marking the three quarters of a century milestone.
Festival chair Rachael Cullivan is hoping that the first full blown festival held in three years will emulate the success of last November’s One Act Festival: “We were due to celebrate the 75th Festival this year but the cancellation at very short notice in 2020 due to Covid pushed that out. The circuit didn’t run again in 2021 for the same reason. We are now holding our 74th Festival this March, albeit with a much shortened programme. Our plans to celebrate the 75th in 2023 are on track!”
The organisers have had to make a few amendments to the programme. The number of performances is reduced from eight to four nights with only ‘Open’ groups competing: “This is due to a vastly reduced number of groups on the circuit this year,” Rachael explained, “Many have been unable to rehearse as members have contracted Covid or in some cases venues are not available. Other groups are struggling financially, having been deprived of performance earnings over the past two years.”
These factors have not diminished the appetite of audiences for live drama: “The Committee decided to go ahead and provide the Cavan audiences with four great nights of drama. We are delighted to be in the wonderful Town Hall Theatre from Sunday, March 20 to Wednesday, March 23.”
The adjudicator is another returnee: “The highly entertaining and knowledgeable Gerry Stembridge, writer, director and much more, will be the adjudicator. All of the groups are hoping for a place in the All Ireland Finals in Athlone in May.”
Those groups include familiar names from Carrigallen, Dalkey, Donegal and Newry. Rachael is hopeful the event the prove as popular as the One Act last November: “This is a fantastic opportunity to see excellent drama and support this incredible aspect of our culture in the wonderful Townhall Theatre which we have missed greatly over the past two years.
“We encourage everyone to come and see the amazing talent of these groups who are travelling to entertain us with an amazing four nights of live theatre,” she concluded.
Tickets can be reserved in person, by phone or online. The Townhall Box Office is open Tuesday to Friday 10.30am to 4.30pm and from 6.30pm to 8.00pm on show nights. The Box Office phone number is 049 4380494 or online bookings can be made at www.townhallcavan.com or www.cavanarts.ie by clicking on the TOWNHALL CAVAN button. The programme is run under the auspices of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland.