A HUGELY ambitious Northside tenor has so much faith in a musical he has written that he has mortgaged his home to get it on stage.
Paul Redmond, from Ballyboughal, is so optimistic about
‘The Promise’ that he believes it will do for North Dublin what the Titanic has done for Belfast.
The romantic period musical melodrama is set in Ireland’s turbulent past.
It tells the story of three men’s lives after their paths collide on an Irish battlefield in the 1800s.
‘The Promise’ goes on to chronicle one man’s struggle to keep his word to his dying father, another man’s craving for respect and the need to protect terrible secrets from his past, and a third man’s lust and pursuit of revenge.
‘The Promise’ also weaves together four very different love stories: a story of a love that is made in heaven, another love of youthful passion, a love that is based on a lie, and a fourth that is doomed from the very start.
Mr Redmond said the nine years that he has put into creating the musical has culminated in something he believes will become extremely popular on an international scale.
“I worked as a fireman for 20 years, but I had to retire early,
? he told Northside People.
“I’ve always had the urge to make my own musical and
‘The Promise’ is something that I’m really proud of.
“I honestly think it will increase North Dublin’s popularity among tourists and create a large number of jobs.
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Mr Redmond told how he has already spent
?¬50,000 of his own money on the project to date, with another
?¬200,000 needed to get it on stage.
“People think I’m crazy mortgaging my home, but when you’re so passionate about something you just have to follow it.
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However, he said he would love if investors came on board to support the project.
“Reports from the workshops we’ve conducted are that the music is infectious and the story unforgettable – so it’s frustrating when you know you have such a great hit on your hands and you are surrounded by great Irish talent to sing and tell the story and the only thing that could stop us is a lack of funding.
“History has shown us that Irish writers, singers and dancers have produced some of their best works during hard times.
“This could be said of Irish people in general – we tend to be strongest when our backs are against the wall.
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Mr Redmond recently exhibited a workshop for the musical in Ballymun in front of 90 people.
He said that despite the workshop not featuring a set, the crowd loved it so much that it got a standing ovation.
‘The Promise’ will be based on a book that Mr Redmond wrote and had published on Amazon.
Former Riverdance director David Hayes and renowned director Brian Flynn will produce it.
Mr Hayes’ recording credits include work with Donal Lunny, Davy Spillane, Sinead O’Connor, Phil Coulter, Brian Kennedy, Declan Masterson, Tommy Fleming and Kate Bush.
Some of his film credits include
‘Circle Of Friends’, music directorship for
‘Some Mother’s Son’ and co-composer for
‘The Sun, Moon and Stars’.
Additionally he has provided soundtracks for many documentaries by Kairos Productions and was responsible for the production music and opening sequences of two Eurovision Song Contests in 1994 and 1995.
Over the last 15 years, Mr Flynn has produced, directed and designed over 70 productions, including ‘Chess’, ‘Oklahoma’, ‘Mack & Mabel’, ‘Sweeney Todd’, ‘Chicago’ and ‘Cabaret’.
In 2010, he directed the Irish national tour of ‘Fame the Musical’.
‘The Promise’ will run from September 26-29 at The Helix. Tickets cost
?¬25 on the opening night and
?¬20 for every other performance.