Local music society set for next show

O’CONNELL Musical Society is currently rehearsing for its upcoming pantomime

‘Beauty and the Beast’ which will be staged at St Brigid’s Boys’ National School, Killester, on the weekends of January 16 and 23, 2015.

A show, entitled

‘Follies’, is also planned for next May and will take place at the Clasac Theatre, Clontarf.

If previous O’Connell shows are anything to go by, these will certainly be ones not to be missed.
O’Connell Musical Society (OCMS) was founded in 1943.

Its first musical was

‘The Geisha’ and musicals continued on an annual basis until financial difficulties in the early 1960s caused its virtual demise.

However, in 1966 Rev Bro EK Fitzgerald instigated a revival.
The society has performed many successful musicals to date including

‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ which starred Colm Wilkinson.

That show was staged in 1983 and again in the Olympia Theatre in 1984 and received great reviews.

‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’ also went to the Olympia in 1988. In 2000, Simon Delaney (another name drop!) starred in an OCMS production of

‘A Slice of Saturday Night’.
In 1996, the group departed from the musical scene and moved into the world of panto (oh yes it did!).

The first panto was

‘Goldilocks’. Due to popular demand OCMS returned to pantomime in 1999 and have been staging an annual panto ever since at St Brigid’s Boys’ National School.
Mick Brohoon, an existing member of OCMS, says:

“I went to Supervalu for a half pound of sausages and next thing I know I’m turning up for an audition!

? (O’Connell were doing a fundraising bag pack there).

The society is very community based and a lot of the members’ children are also involved. This year the Farrell family seems to be taking over. The production team, director, choreographers and musical director, as well as three cast members, are all family.

Clearly a talented group, OCMS have also staged a number of one-act plays, the most recent being

‘Last Tango in Killester’ and

‘Interior Designs’ in 2011.

Last year was a special one for O’Connell Musical Society as it celebrated its 70th anniversary with a Gala evening at Clontarf Castle.

Past and present members attended and entertained each other with drama, music and a wonderful slide show.

At this time, O’Connell Musical Society would like to remember their former President, Bob Hopley, who sadly passed away in December 2013.

Mr Hopley was a very active member both on and off the stage and came to the rescue in a number of pantos.

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