The Year that was 2016
The Year that was, 2016:
In January (after an incredible first year), Brassneck Youth Company found a new home in the old BIFHE on the Whiterock road.
In February, 'Man In The Moon' (starring Ciarán Nolan) packed two nights to cross community audiences in North Belfast for suicide prevention.
March saw the world Premiere of our artistic directors second play, 'Belfast Rising' at the Devenish complex. Starring the incredible Séainín Brennan & Dónal Ó Connor, this incredible exploration of the Belfast participation on the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising, played to over 500 people on Good Friday evening and would prove to be a huge success, touring across Ireland to full houses in April.
In May we began rehearsals for our Arts Council commissioned piece, 'Ché Guevara's night off' by Grimes & McKee which had it's world Premiere at the Waterfront hall before a three week regional tour. Starring West End & Broadway star Ryan Molloy, this was a huge success story that has an incredible future... watch this space.
Brassneck also were honoured to provide and present the first ever 'Pam Brighton bursary' to a young person from West Belfast to further their studies in the arts. The recipient was a young man studying theatre in New York. In June, we received funding from the Halifax foundation for our inaugural Brassneck Youth Summer Academy which was a massive success and will now be a firm fixture of Féile An Phobail for the future.
August saw both 'Belfast Rising' & 'Ché Guevara's Night Off' sell out runs at The Roddy's as well as a rehearsed reading of 'An Incorrigible Irishman' by James Skivvington and directed by Fionnuala Kennedy on the 100th anniversary of Roger Casements execution.
September was incredible for both the senior and youth companies. Youth received their first funding from Children in need enabling our amazing youth co-ordinator, Alison McCrudden to plan a further years course with some of the industry's best professionals taking master classes for our young people. The senior company enjoyed a wonderful re-mount of Pearse Elliott's award-winning, hit show 'The Holy, Holy Bus' at the Grand Opera House which then toured across the North.
Sadly in September, our esteemed colleague and friend Gordon Fulton passed away. As most of you will remember, Gordon played the hilarious Father Peyton in 'The Sweety Bottle'. An outstanding performance by an incredible actor and just a wonderful human being. His passing leaves a sad void, but we are eternally grateful that we were lucky enough to have had Gordon grace our company with his incredible talent. 'Away up tae Raffo's for a fish supper'!
In October, 'Belfast Rising' was invited to play at the Lyric Theatre as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival. The play sold out its entire run even before it had opened and received rave reviews from a broad cross-section of the community.
With funding from ACNI and BCC, our first ever Christmas show 'Carol's Crissmus' by Stephen G Large, premiered at the Strand Arts Centre in East Belfast & at the Lámh Dhearg CLG and the Balmoral hotel in West Belfast. It was our third design of the year by the force that is Conleth White and our second and not last collaboration with the musical genius that is Pat Gribbon. An hilarious and fitting end to an incredible year for us where we even managed to Brassneck Julian Simmons onboard the show amongst the huge array of comedy talent onstage including Paddy McDonnell, Sean Hegarty, Diona Doherty, Ciarán Bartlett and Chris Patrick Simpson.
Thank you so much to everyone: our audiences (tens of thousands this year), casts, crews, board, Peigi (the unseen force behind Brassneck) and our funders who have helped us and supported us this year and in previous. You are the reason that Brassneck continue to go from strength to strength. Watch out for some exciting news in the coming weeks folks, for what we have in store for you in 2017 which will be our tenth birthday!!!
XXX HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!! XXX
In January (after an incredible first year), Brassneck Youth Company found a new home in the old BIFHE on the Whiterock road.
In February, 'Man In The Moon' (starring Ciarán Nolan) packed two nights to cross community audiences in North Belfast for suicide prevention.
March saw the world Premiere of our artistic directors second play, 'Belfast Rising' at the Devenish complex. Starring the incredible Séainín Brennan & Dónal Ó Connor, this incredible exploration of the Belfast participation on the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising, played to over 500 people on Good Friday evening and would prove to be a huge success, touring across Ireland to full houses in April.
In May we began rehearsals for our Arts Council commissioned piece, 'Ché Guevara's night off' by Grimes & McKee which had it's world Premiere at the Waterfront hall before a three week regional tour. Starring West End & Broadway star Ryan Molloy, this was a huge success story that has an incredible future... watch this space.
Brassneck also were honoured to provide and present the first ever 'Pam Brighton bursary' to a young person from West Belfast to further their studies in the arts. The recipient was a young man studying theatre in New York. In June, we received funding from the Halifax foundation for our inaugural Brassneck Youth Summer Academy which was a massive success and will now be a firm fixture of Féile An Phobail for the future.
August saw both 'Belfast Rising' & 'Ché Guevara's Night Off' sell out runs at The Roddy's as well as a rehearsed reading of 'An Incorrigible Irishman' by James Skivvington and directed by Fionnuala Kennedy on the 100th anniversary of Roger Casements execution.
September was incredible for both the senior and youth companies. Youth received their first funding from Children in need enabling our amazing youth co-ordinator, Alison McCrudden to plan a further years course with some of the industry's best professionals taking master classes for our young people. The senior company enjoyed a wonderful re-mount of Pearse Elliott's award-winning, hit show 'The Holy, Holy Bus' at the Grand Opera House which then toured across the North.
Sadly in September, our esteemed colleague and friend Gordon Fulton passed away. As most of you will remember, Gordon played the hilarious Father Peyton in 'The Sweety Bottle'. An outstanding performance by an incredible actor and just a wonderful human being. His passing leaves a sad void, but we are eternally grateful that we were lucky enough to have had Gordon grace our company with his incredible talent. 'Away up tae Raffo's for a fish supper'!
In October, 'Belfast Rising' was invited to play at the Lyric Theatre as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival. The play sold out its entire run even before it had opened and received rave reviews from a broad cross-section of the community.
With funding from ACNI and BCC, our first ever Christmas show 'Carol's Crissmus' by Stephen G Large, premiered at the Strand Arts Centre in East Belfast & at the Lámh Dhearg CLG and the Balmoral hotel in West Belfast. It was our third design of the year by the force that is Conleth White and our second and not last collaboration with the musical genius that is Pat Gribbon. An hilarious and fitting end to an incredible year for us where we even managed to Brassneck Julian Simmons onboard the show amongst the huge array of comedy talent onstage including Paddy McDonnell, Sean Hegarty, Diona Doherty, Ciarán Bartlett and Chris Patrick Simpson.
Thank you so much to everyone: our audiences (tens of thousands this year), casts, crews, board, Peigi (the unseen force behind Brassneck) and our funders who have helped us and supported us this year and in previous. You are the reason that Brassneck continue to go from strength to strength. Watch out for some exciting news in the coming weeks folks, for what we have in store for you in 2017 which will be our tenth birthday!!!
XXX HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!! XXX