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(click to enlarge) Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk students and teachers at the Bord Gáis Energy Student Theatre Awards back in May. The school took home two awards from the ceremony on Thursday at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.
LAST year Mercy Mounthawk were big winners and now the Bord Gáis Energy Student Theatre Awards looking for Tralee and Kerry entrants in the prestigious competition.
The organisers are calling all aspiring actors, playwrights, singers and costume designers in the county to enter in the fourth year of the highly successful awards set up by Bord Gáis Energy to recognise and reward participation in the dramatic arts in schools across Ireland.
Over 1,000 schools have taken part in the awards since their launch in 2013. The highlight of the year sees shortlisted schools travel from across the country to attend the annual awards ceremony at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in May.
Mercy Mounthawk in Tralee walked away with two top accolades from last year’s awards.
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The secondary school took home the top prize in the Best Set category for its set design in the school’s production ‘Les Misérables’ and also scooped the top prize in the Best Overall School Play category for its production of ‘The Plough and the Stars’.
Seán Burke O’Donoghue from Holy Family National School in Rathmore, was awarded top honours in the Best Male Performance in a Leading Role category for his spectacular performance in the primary school’s production of ‘Fight for Freedom’.
The awards are open to primary school pupils from 3rd – 6th class and all secondary school students. There are 12 categories ranging from production categories such as Best Overall School Musical, Best Overall School Play, Best Set, Best Costumes and Best Performance in a Leading Role (male and female) to written categories such as Best Short Scene Script and Best Dramatic Review. A new category, Best Original Production, has also been added to the 2017 Awards in recognition of the outstanding quality of original productions entered in 2016.
The deadline for entries in all production categories is January 27, 2017. The closing date for entries in the written categories is February 10, 2017.
Shortlisted schools will be invited to a special awards ceremony at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on 8 May 2017. Some schools will even get the chance to perform on Ireland’s largest theatre stage, making it a memorable experience they won’t forget.
Winning schools will share a prize fund, and receive a commemorative trophy, picture and plaque for their school.
To enter the awards, log on to bgesta.ie where you can download an entry form to go with your written or video submission.
Completed entry forms should be sent to sta@bordgais.ie or by post to Bord Gáis Energy Student Theatre Awards, Real Nation, Fumbally Court, Fumbally Lane, Dublin 8. Further information and information packs can also be requested via bgesta.ie.
