Ballinrobe prepares to get all shook up

THE town of Ballinrobe is once again gearing up for a week of magic as its multi-award winning musical society transforms the local community school’s gym into a theatre with its presentation of ‘All Shook Up’ for show week, commencing on Sunday next, February 15, with a 3 p.m. matinee. The opening show will be followed by seven nightly performances at 8 p.m. from Sunday next to Saturday, February 21.

This year, Ballinrobe Musical Society welcomes back musical director extraordinaire Finola Higgins-Cosgrove for a third year running. Finola is supremely dedicated and gets the absolute best out of each and every one of the cast.

Finola is, once again, joined by the amazingly talented choreographer, Aoife McClafferty. This is Aoife’s ninth year with Ballinrobe and she has certainly had her work cut out this year. ‘All Shook Up’ is filled with lively dances and Aoife has really captured the style of the 1950s with her usual imaginative flair.

New to Ballinrobe Musical Society are twins Brian and Seán Power, who have taken the helm as co-directors this year. Seán and Brian hail from Galway and have directed countless shows with Galway Musical Society, Shannon Musical Society, Renmore Pantomime Society and many many more. They directed ‘All Shook Up’ at the Galway Town Hall Theatre in April 2010 and it was so popular that they were asked to put on further performances later that year to satisfy public demand.   

Following many years of dedicated service, Niall Heaney has hung up his headphones as stage manager and Ballinrobe Musical Society welcomes his successor, John O’Shea, who has been working as part of the set construction team and behind the scenes for many years. The innovative set has been painstakingly constructed by the society’s dedicated team and beautifully painted by the supremely talented scenic artist, Karen Forde.

The production team of Seán and Brian Power, Finola Higgins-Cosgrove and Aoife McClafferty are putting the finishing touches on what promises to be a brilliant show.

The cast of 60 are raring to go and the town’s volunteers are soon to take up their places both front of house and backstage as the opening of the much anticipated show ‘All Shook Up’ approaches.

The songs of Elvis Presley form the backdrop for this musical about a mysterious, leather jacketed stranger who shakes up a small midwestern US town in the 1950s. Librettist Joe DiPietro’s tale of the cross dressing, mistaken identity and romance that ensue was inspired by Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’.  

Ballinrobe Community School’s roof will be raised by such well known, classic tunes as  ‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, ‘Teddy Bear’, ‘Hound Dog’, ‘That’s All Right’, ‘Love Me Tender’, ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’, ‘Devil in Disguise’, ‘Burning Love’ and many many more.

Tickets are available from Tacu Family Resource Centre, Credit Union House, Main Street, Ballinrobe, on (094) 9542907 or online on ballinrobemusicalsociety.com.

For the second year running, Ballinrobe Musical Society are installing a tiered seating unit for their audience’s comfort and better viewing pleasure.