Less than two years ago, Co Laois did not even have a proper theatre. Now it has the state of the art Dunamaise Theatre and Centre for the Arts and a professional theatre company.
Shake The Speare Theatre Company was formed recently and is based in Laois to provide a professional theatre company for the midlands. It runs weekly youth theatre workshops for young people from all parts of the county hoping that in the not too distant future, Laois will produce its own professional actors.
Last night was the official opening of the company's second major production, Bog Dancers, which will run in the Dunamaise Centre each night until Saturday July 22nd.
The play explores the strange workings of the teenage mind and is set in the Laois bogland landscape. It gives a glimpse to the audience of the world through the eyes of a rural teenager.
This is a new play by Michael Harding, who has a national and international reputation through his numerous plays which include Amazing Grace, Una Pooka, Misogynist, Sour Grapes, The Kiss and the Strawboys and Hubert Murray's Widow.
His plays have been performed in the Abbey Theatre, the Peacock Theatre and the Tricycle Theatre and his work has been seen in London, New York, Chicago and Quebec.
According to Cabrini Cahill, the artistic director of the new play, Michael wanted to work with the Shake The Speare company after he saw them perform last year's production of John Dunne's I'll Fly Away. "We are very flattered that he wanted to write a play for us and we are very pleased with the outcome. It is working out well."
Cabrini is a graduate of the Samuel Beckett Centre for Theatre Studies. She has just returned to work in full-time theatre having spent the past year as the Laois youth arts development manager set up by Laois Leader.
The music for the production has been written by Steve Wick ham, a former member of The Waterboys who is also a wellknown composer. He will perform with the group.
Tickets for the event can be had by contacting 0502-63355.