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Jumping back 24 years today to 1996 and a piece of G&S. The Edmund Rice Choral And Musical Society presented ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ in the Theatre Royal and here is an extract. This featured Denny Corcoran as a Groucho Marx styled Chief of Police!

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Thank you to Patrice Power for sharing these vintage photos from 1958 and ‘The White Horse Inn’. 3 photos – in the first one is her Dad Paddy Doyle and the legendary Musical Director Stanley Bowyer. Then we have in costume Joyce Conway, Betty and Aileen Cooney. Finally in theContinue Reading

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Did you ever wonder what the letter looked like telling groups details of what comes next when they got through the Tops preliminary rounds? Wonder no more – have a click below. This is 1981 and the letter to Waterford Crystal (Group leader Dando Kelly) 1981 – Tops Letter SentContinue Reading

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Huge thanks to Alleyn Pheasy for sharing this video of me of Panto back in the 1980’s and the old Waterford Pantomime Society. There’s a rogues gallery of Dwarfs on display including Ritchie Collins, Padraig O’Grīofa, Noel Keating, Denis Grant, Jimmy Kelly,Liam Molloy and Alleyn Pheasy himself. Enjoy 🙂

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The first of a three part audio-podcast series with Des Manahan – recent winner of the Waterford News And Star Green Room Lifetime Achievement Award. I spoke to Des the day before he won the award and he didn’t have an inkling what lay around the corner the very nextContinue Reading

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It’s the 40th anniversary of the Portlaw Panto this year – huge congrats on reaching that milestone! So it’s only fitting to feature some memorabilia from the society. Here is the 10th anniversary programme from 30 years ago – 1990. There are some famous and familiar faces in the pagesContinue Reading

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I had the absolute honour of being invited to Des and Monas house this weekend gone to sit down and record some of his memories of days gone by. There is an absolute treasure trove – Des is such a gentle and humble man. I was wondering where to startContinue Reading

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Timely at the moment considering what’s coming up next weekend! Join Nicky Cummins and Sean O’Kelly for a couple of minutes to see what was topical 27 years ago. The lads are hilarious as ever!

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In 2014 the cream of Waterford (and indeed the collective countrywide) talent gathered in the Theatre Royal for a special night in memory of the legendary Bryan Flynn. It was a wonderful night of variety. The show programme contains many memories and other articles that are of huge interest includingContinue Reading

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Just a short jump back today – 4 years to 2016 and WMS staged ‘Oklahoma’. The award winning part of that production was the Ballet – winning at the AIMS awards in 2016. Have a look and enjoy – it’s a great piece.

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Who can remember the red incarnation of the Theatre Royal? The one that lasted from the late 1990s to the Late 2000’s? Here is a gallery of photos once again from Dermot Powers collection that brings back memories of an ‘in between’ time when the Theatre basked in a redContinue Reading

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Yep – half a million people have viewed videos, listened to audio, browsed show programmes and looked at photos over the last 2 and a half years. I always knew that a certain interest level would be there for the archive site and eventually it might clock up to aContinue Reading

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A huge thanks again to Dermot Power for these photos. I’m only too delighted to add them to the archive. This time it’s a collection of external photos, renovation photos and some featuring Flaggy Lane and the legendary Larry Fanning who did so much for the Theatre Royal in hisContinue Reading

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The opening from the Royal Variety Show of 2011 – featuring Anything Goes performed by Julie Power and the Lullaby of Broadway performed by Ursula Hauck – along with a host of dancers.

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I’m very grateful to Dermot Power who shared a veritable treasure trove of material with me during the week. I will share this out gradually over the next few weeks / months, but there are some great images there and articles and videos about the Theatre. To kick off haveContinue Reading

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Back in the day (as they say) the Stella Maris produced several Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas – H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, The Gondoliers and The Mikado to name but a few. Here is a show programme from ‘The Gondoliers’ and an image of some of the cast inContinue Reading

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Some absolute gems here. Too many people to mention, too much strange carry-on! Some young faces, some older faces and some that are not with us anymore. It’s made of of rehearsal footage a little backstage on the night of the performance.

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With the week that is in it the first post of the year can only be a tribute to the late great Dick Hayes – the finest singer of his generation. This is taken from a tribute night to the great Denny Corcoran in 2003 – and Denny also appearsContinue Reading

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Here is a very very special video. Last month (November 2019) Jim Nolan’s latest play ‘The Red Iron’ hit the stage in Garter Lane. It was a sellout, a runaway success and the clamour for tickets was unprecedented as people tried to get in to see this latest masterpiece. WhereasContinue Reading

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Way way back to almost 50 years ago today and Des Keogh was the national Tops adjudicator. I have come across a number of these adjudications – and they are always interesting. This is a countrywide report. In the course of it he discusses the ACEC show, singling out theContinue Reading

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Happy Bank Holiday Weekend! Heres another one of the lovely vintage videos taken backstage and around the Theatre during the John Player Tops. I’m not 100% on it’s origin, but there’s loads of familiar young faces in there. Have a look!

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I’m delighted to share this with the kind permission of Mary Roche, the Coughlan family and Jim Nolan. This is a rare scene from the Gods are Angry Miss Kerr, Jim Nolans first play, as performed in Gala 121 by Stage Fright in honour of the 121st birthday of theContinue Reading

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Back 58 years to 1961 and the show programme from the De La Salle Musical Society production of Die Fledermaus. 1961 – Die Fledermaus – Show Programme

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The brilliant family from the 1993 Tops of the Town Tramore show that reached the televised final in the Gaeity Theatre. Using songs from the Pyjama game to a Chorus Line it was a show stopper. Enjoy.

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Hope everybody had a nice August break. Coming to our own Theatre Royal next week is a double dose of Waterford plays – Rigor Mortis by Pat Daly and Ghosting by Anne O’Riordan and Jamie Beamish. Joining me to talk all things Rigor and Ghosting are Mick Quinlan and AnneContinue Reading

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Featuring the legendary Ritchie Collins leading the troops is the 1984 Clover Tops opening which started with “No Business Like Show Business’.

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Loads of familiar faces here from Ray Ban, Tramore and Port and Docks. Have a look and see how many young faces you recognise! There’s quite a few! Originally from the News & Star. 1992 – Tops Press Photos

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Todays video comes from the Ray Ban Tops show of 1992 and its an extract from Little Shop Of Horrors featuring Skid Row (led by Billy McCarthy), Little Shop Of Horrors and Mean Green Mother from Outer Space.

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I was delighted to be given a copy of an old cassette recording of the launch of Stage Frights ‘Pentimenti’ in the Waterford Crystal Showrooms way back in 1998. It’s important to acknowledge and thank David Hennessy for this valuable recording he shared with us all. Joining me to talkContinue Reading

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In 1989 Red Kettle produced the Tennessee Williams masterpiece ‘The Glass Menagerie’ in Garter Lane under the direction of Barry Cassin. Here is the show programme for a browse. Added to the Red Kettle archive here. 1989 – The Glass Menagerie – Red Kettle – Show Programme.

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Very few people in Waterford haven’t heard of Jim Nolan, and don’t know about all he does for Theatre in Waterford. Shows like ‘The Gods are Angry’, ‘The Salvage Shop’, ‘Brighton’, ‘Dreamland’, ‘Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya’ and now ‘The Red Iron’ have all come from Jim’s pen. Countless otherContinue Reading

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Season 2 of ‘Showtime’ continues with a lively and fun chat with Jamie Beamish and Richard Hardwick, creators of the much loved ‘CAT’ which returns to the Theatre Royal next week. Some great anecdotes and craic and even a soundbite from Elaine Paige (sort of) make up this weeks episode.Continue Reading

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Way way back many centuries ago… well not exactly – way way back 21 years ago Premier Production produced ‘Joseph’ in the Forum – becoming the first local society to produce a musical in the Theatre. Here is the opening sequence from that show with many many familiar young faces.

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One of my favourite parts of ‘The Phantom Of The Opera’ is the ‘Notes/Prima Donna’ sequence – which was so wonderfully delivered in todays video back in 2014 by an amazingly talented cast of so called ‘juniors’. I say so-called as they would put many a seasoned performer to shame.Continue Reading

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In 2017 the South Eastern Theatre Group produced ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ – another highly successful production with AIMS nominations reflecting this, winning the award for best Ensemble. Here’s the show programme for a look. 2017 – Jesus Christ Superstar – Show Programme

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Well now we are into the Irish Summer (!!) lets keep going with some summer-themed songs and ‘Summer Lovin’ from Stage Frights production of Grease back in 1991 – The show that re-invigorated theatre in Waterford. There’s a host of legends in this show… and in this clip too –Continue Reading

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A little bit of Me And My Girl today and the opening to Act 2 – ‘The Sun Has Got His Hat On’. This is from the Edmund Rice Choral and Musical Society and this production was staged in 2003, directed by Bryan Flynn. Enjoy!

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Today I’m adding in the 1995 WIFLO Season Brochure to the archive. In 1995 the Waterford entry was ‘Oliver’ by Stage Fright under the direction of Bryan Flynn. It was to finish as runner up in the festival as well as scooping a number of individual awards. Added to theContinue Reading

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To round off the weekend 25th Anniversary here is a special episode I put together with the help of Bill Stafford, Paul Browne, Karen Hearne, Ben Hennessy, Richie Hayes and Seneiva Magill , with thanks to David Flynn for a special appearance. Enjoy!

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Some more comedy from the 1994 Tops of the Town national winning show. This time from Davy Sutton and Nicky Cummins as Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton.

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For the weekend that was in it back in 1994 the RTE Guide ran a feature for ‘Tops’. Here it is to peruse. 1994 – Tops Feature – RTE Guide

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Another Tops clip – this time from Ray Ban again – 1992. The Finale of the show started with a Blues Brothers ‘Gimme some lovin’ lead by Terry ‘Scol‘ Grant and led into ‘Blow Gabriel Blow’ led by Hazel Tebay. Another classic scene.

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Way back 50 years today to the spring of 1969 and a production of South Pacific from De La Salle Musical Society. Here is the show programme from that show that featured many well known stars from yester year. South Pacific has remained a favourite – since being produced byContinue Reading

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Back to 1985 today and the Presentation Secondary School produced ‘Calamity Jane’. Here’s the show programme to peruse. 1985 – Calamity Jane – Show Programme

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Today is the fifth anniversary of the passing of our dear friend and inspiration Bryan Flynn. Here is the video of the Tops Of The Town final 1994 Chaplin scene. No further description is necessary. #genius

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This time of the year has become Waterford Musical Society’s time of year and with their production of ‘South Pacific’ approaching here is a throwback to their last Rogers & Hammerstein production – the classic ‘Oklahoma’. Here’s the show programme (which is always a well produced treat from WMS). 2016Continue Reading

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Back a short hop today to 2017 and Ignite Productions were once again producing an original piece of theatre that was challenging. This time it was the recent Broadway / London Lin Manuel Miranda masterpiece ‘In The Heights’. 2017 – In The Heights – Show Programme

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The Variety Show preceded the Bilberry Goats comedy shows and was in essence 2 tops of the town style halve with extracts from musicals, comedy and various other acts. Produced by Michael Grant and Padraig O’Griofa, they kept variety going in a city void of variety for a number ofContinue Reading

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The first Schools production of Les Mis in Waterford was performed by De La Salle College in 2006 in the Theatre Royal. Here is the show programme from that very performance. 2006 – Les Miserables – Show Programme

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Another of the Backstage videos – this time of Crazy For You by Premier Productions in 2003. This mainly features a tour of the set (or lack thereof) by the Stage Manager Brian ‘Juckey‘ Collins in his own inimitable style. Good fun – enjoy!

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This is the opening from the Tramore Tops 1992 production produced by the late great Bryan Flynn. This show got to the national quarter finals. The opening featuring songs from Company and Godspell was fronted by Carrie Crowley and Keith Dunphy.

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No video exists of ‘Annie’ as a whole which took to the stage in 1996 – but some extracts of it were performed in Stage Fright’s Gala 121 in 1997. Here we have the kids from Annie performing ‘Never Fully Dressed’, Sarah Rochford as Annie with ‘Tomorrow’ – which theContinue Reading

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Another classic photo today – and this time it’s from the Flaggy Lane Juniors production of ‘The Wizard Of Oz’ – 2005. Young and familiar faces here sharing the stage with some of the most experienced faces in Waterford Theatre. [Adsense-A]

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Just a short update today – but what a great update and what a great photo. Fagin’s gang from the 1994 Stage Fright production of Oliver! , and how young are the heads in this one.

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By request here is the final WIFLO Brochure from 2012 – the festival that saw the South Eastern Theatre Group sweep the boards with Les Miserables. The Festival had fallen from 18 shows at its peak to just 5 competitive shows and a School music festival. Despite this, the FestivalsContinue Reading

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Des Manahan has long been the definitive G&S performer in Waterford and beyond, and in 1996 and 1998 he played one of his favourite parts for the Edmund Rice Choral and Musical Society – Major General Stanley. We’ve already featured the 1998 production in a previous video – so hereContinue Reading

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I love these old Tops Magazines – this one from 1985. The other 2 in the archive are here and here. As usual, there are loads of photos from around the country as well as Waterford and interesting articles including a Waterford section. Enjoy! 1985 – Tops Magazine

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This is a rather unusual programme for WIFLO – it merely lists the shows and has all the usual paraphernalia with committees and lists etc… but has no actual details for the show casts etc. Worth adding to the archive though – and to the WIFLO page here. 1974 –Continue Reading

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In 1986 Waterford Glass reached the televised final of the Tops only to finish as runners-up. Here is the show programme from the quarter-final performance in Limerick vs the ESB group. 1986 – National Quarter Finals – Waterford Glass vs ESB – Show Programme

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Delighted to have this programme from the production of the Salvage Shop that played at our the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin in 1998. The Salvage Shop was written by local playwright Jim Nolan. The Show Programmes is below for your reading pleasure. Added to the Red Kettle archive here. 1998Continue Reading

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Today it’s another classic extract from Gala 121, 1997 – some scenes from ‘Oliver’ the Stage Fright production that did so well in WIFLO 1995.

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This is another classic scene from the Edmund Rice Choral and Musical Society’s production of ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ in 1992 starring the legendary Martina Flynn as Annie and Denny Corcoran as Chief Sitting Bull.

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In Spring of 2017 the South Eastern Theatre Group presented the ever-popular ‘Bugsy Malone’ in the Theatre Royal. Here’s the show programme. 2017 – Bugsy Malone – Show Programme

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It’s been a little while since we had a bit of comedy and a new ‘Goats’ video so here we go – the ‘Good Council’ sketch… and let’s hope it’s not too close to the truth.. although… sometimes…..

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Red ‘n Blue Theatre present the Irish Premiere of Lovesong in Garter Lane this week. A new Waterford Theatre company – what’s not to love? Jenny Fennessy and Dylan Kennedy join us for a chat. Lovesong is a story of one couple, told from two different points in their livesContinue Reading

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A visit to our friends in Waterford Youth Arts today and their 1997 production of ‘The War Mongrels’, written and directed by Liam Meagher. Added to the WYA archive here. 1997 – The War Mongrels – Show Programme

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Featuring such songs as ‘Kisses of Fire Burning Burning’ and ‘Come on Baby Light My Fire’ – it’s easy to see the common theme in the opening to this particular ‘Glass’ show. The video quality isn’t great, but you can still sense the energy from the stage and make outContinue Reading

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Way way back 54 years today to the De La Salle Musical Society and ‘The Desert Song’. Up until it’s recent demise, De La Salle was the longest running musical society in Waterford producing everything from classics like this to Cabaret and everything in between. Here is the show brochureContinue Reading

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Glenn Murphy returns to the Waterford Stage later this month with a trio of concerts ‘From Me To You’ in Garter Lane. I caught up with Glenn to talk about the concerts but also to look back at his younger life in stage schools, ‘that’ production of Les Mis inContinue Reading

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Back to 2012 tonight and some more class video from the lens of Colin Shanahan of Digicol media. It’s the intro sequence and some clips from ‘The Sound Of Music’ all over the live recording of ‘Doe A Deer’ as performed by the cast with Gabrielle Holden on main vocalContinue Reading

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It’s great to have a copy of the original 1959 WIFLO season Brochure from the very first Festival of Light Opera. 60 years ago this year, this rare programme is worth it’s weight in gold! Have a look – even the ads are priceless! Added to the WIFLO archive here.Continue Reading

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Episode 12 visits the wonderful world of Panto with the ‘Ghost of Panto Past’ – Padraig O’Griofa and the ‘Ghost of Christmas Present’ – Anne Corcoran Brown. 33 years this year makes the Waterford Panto the longest continuously running family entertainment show in Waterford! 

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The European Premier of ‘Fame’ took place in the Theatre Royal in the winter of 1992.  It was probably not the best show ever to grace the Theatre Royal stage, but if it achieved anything – it started another group of youngsters on the road to producing musical theatre. SpotlightContinue Reading

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Back 39 years to 1979 today and the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera season brochure – have a look! Added to the WIFLO archive here. 1979 – WIFLO Season Brochure  

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I recently spoke to Br. Ben about the Addams Family. When we finished talking about that we left the ‘tape running’ so to speak – and talked about choirs, theatre, composing operas and more… Worth a listen to anybody who ever met and worked with Br.Ben Hanlon.