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Hugo Wells (Romeo) and Dakota Carter Flynn (Juliet) at the premiere of Mercy Mounthawk’s production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet at Siamsa Tire on Thursday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
THE shortlist for the annual Bord Gáis Energy Student Theatre Awards has been revealed and Mercy Mounthawk are again in the running.
The school, has been shortlisted in the Best Set category for secondary schools for its set creation in the school production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
Judges said the set showed “huge creativity and student ingenuity”.
Also, 5th Year student Cian McGrath from Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School has been shortlisted in the Best Dramatic Review category for his review of the theatre production ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf: A Triumph in Theatre’.
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The judges praised Cian’s review and said it was “mature, engaging and showed beautiful use of language.”
Mercy Mounthawk enjoyed great success in last year’s competition, winning the Best Set category for its set design in the school’s production ‘Les Misérables’ and then the big one – Best Overall School Play for the school’s production of ‘The Plough and the Stars’.
Loughfouder National School – located midway between Castleisland and Abbeyfeale – has been also been shortlisted in the Best Set category for its set creation in the production of ‘The Yank Returns’ by 3rd to 6th class students.
Judges commented on the creativity of the set saying “it brought us back to 1950s Ireland”.
On Wednesday, May 17, shortlisted primary and secondary school students from across the county will gather at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre for a special awards ceremony where the winners will be announced.
RTÉ presenter Eoghan McDermott will host the event with selected schools getting the opportunity to perform on Ireland’s largest theatre stage on the day, making it a magical experience they won’t forget!
This is the fourth year of the hugely successful Awards which were set up by Bord Gáis Energy to recognise and reward participation in the dramatic arts in schools around Ireland.
This year’s judging panel comprised of actress Amy Huberman; Dancing with the Stars Aoibhín Garrihy; best-selling novelist Sinéad Moriarty; writer and storyteller Dave Rudden; theatre designer Monica Frawley; manager of the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre Stephen Faloon; and Bord Gáis Energy Sponsorship Programme Manager Tanya Townsend.
The full 2017 shortlist is available to view at www.BGESTA.ie
