The Year that was 2013
Seasons greetings fellow Brassneckians! Well it has been an exhausting but wonderfully fulfilling year for us here at Brassneck theatre company. The year began at our spiritual home, the Roddys with Joe and Gerard Brennan's raucous yet sentimental comedy 'The Sweety Bottle'. The show was a huge hit with our audiences and became the first show in the Grand Opera House's history to transfer from the Baby Grand studio directly to the main house.
After a short local run, '1981', a reflection on the Hungerstrikes of that year played to a sell out audience at an off-Broadway theatre in New York City in June. The world premiere of Pearse Elliotts 'Man In The Moon' starring Ciaran Nolan would become another huge highlight of the year and the piece will now be transferring to the Waterfront Hall in March 2014. Then there was Mick Draine’s fantastic writing debut 'Lemonade Sandwich' starring Gerard Jordan about our local Commonwealth boxers which we hope to take to the Commonwealth games in Glasgow and the Edinburgh Festival next Summer.
As if that wasn't enough, we also reprised Rosemary Jenkinson’s 'Basra Boy' in November. Grimes and Mc Kee's Christmas show at the Grand Opera House 'It's A Wonderful Life… So it is!', a west Belfast slant on the popular Christmas movie, was a fun way to end an incredible year for Brassneck. We are really looking forward to reprising two of this years big hits again in 2014 along with two very special newly commissioned productions, one for Féile in August and another as part of the Belfast Festival in October. But what I am most proud of this year without a doubt, are the uncredited people who work hard behind the scenes to continue to make Brassneck a local success to provide quality theatre to our communities. Also to the Arts Council who without their continued backing and support, our productions would simply not be possible. And finally to our loyal audience who have stuck by us and supported us in their droves at the Roddy's and beyond since our inception in 2007... Without you, we'd be nothing.
I want to thank them and all the wonderfully talented actors, musicians, writers, stage crew, designers, production managers, stagehands and all those who have helped us to continue to make this incredibly rewarding journey possible. We are really looking forward to seeing you all again in 2014 for another jam packed year of exiting new adventures, creating more great memories and the madness that will undoubtedly ensue through the medium of locally produced theatre. Wishing you all a very happy, prosperous and peaceful new year! :) x
After a short local run, '1981', a reflection on the Hungerstrikes of that year played to a sell out audience at an off-Broadway theatre in New York City in June. The world premiere of Pearse Elliotts 'Man In The Moon' starring Ciaran Nolan would become another huge highlight of the year and the piece will now be transferring to the Waterfront Hall in March 2014. Then there was Mick Draine’s fantastic writing debut 'Lemonade Sandwich' starring Gerard Jordan about our local Commonwealth boxers which we hope to take to the Commonwealth games in Glasgow and the Edinburgh Festival next Summer.
As if that wasn't enough, we also reprised Rosemary Jenkinson’s 'Basra Boy' in November. Grimes and Mc Kee's Christmas show at the Grand Opera House 'It's A Wonderful Life… So it is!', a west Belfast slant on the popular Christmas movie, was a fun way to end an incredible year for Brassneck. We are really looking forward to reprising two of this years big hits again in 2014 along with two very special newly commissioned productions, one for Féile in August and another as part of the Belfast Festival in October. But what I am most proud of this year without a doubt, are the uncredited people who work hard behind the scenes to continue to make Brassneck a local success to provide quality theatre to our communities. Also to the Arts Council who without their continued backing and support, our productions would simply not be possible. And finally to our loyal audience who have stuck by us and supported us in their droves at the Roddy's and beyond since our inception in 2007... Without you, we'd be nothing.
I want to thank them and all the wonderfully talented actors, musicians, writers, stage crew, designers, production managers, stagehands and all those who have helped us to continue to make this incredibly rewarding journey possible. We are really looking forward to seeing you all again in 2014 for another jam packed year of exiting new adventures, creating more great memories and the madness that will undoubtedly ensue through the medium of locally produced theatre. Wishing you all a very happy, prosperous and peaceful new year! :) x