Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society and Brewery Lane Drama Group productions win Green Room Awards

Caption for picture above Neill Bourke, who won the Green Room Award for Best Supporting Male Performer in a Musical for his portrayal of Molokov in Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society’s 2022 annual show Chess The Musical pictured at the Theatre Royal in Waterford with Carrick-on-Suir Musical Chairperson Sandra Power, who accepted the Best Stage Management Award for Chess stage manager Michael O’Hara and his team. Sandra was nominated in the Best Female Performer in a Musical category.

Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society and Carrick’s Brewery Lane Drama Group each picked up two awards at the Green Room Awards in Waterford City’s Theatre Royal on Sunday night.

The Musical Society’s 2022 annual show, Chess The Musical, staged at the Strand Theatre last May, won the Green Room Best Stage Management award while Neill Bourke, who played Molokov in the production was presented with the Best Supporting Male Performance in a Musical gong.

Brewery Lane Drama Group’s two awards related to its production of Noel Coward’s Present Laughter staged at Brewery Lane Theatre in Carrick-on-Suir at the end of April and early May last year.

Paul Sheehan won the Best Male Performer in an Amateur Drama award for his performance as Garry Essendine in the comedy drama while Aileen O’Keefe who played Joanna in the play, received the Best Female Comic Performance award.

Meanwhile, another well known name in Carrick-on-Suir musical theatre, Liam Butler, won the Best Director in a Professional Play award for his direction of playwright Pat Daly’s new play The Attack at the Theatre Royal in Waterford last August.

Liam is a former leading actor/singer and director of many Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society productions.

The Waterford News & Star Green Room Awards celebrate the diversity, scale and quality of theatre, arts and culture in Waterford and its hinterland.

They encompass awards for professional and amateur musicals, drama, comedy, choral, panto as well as art and culture events.

Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society’s production of Chess was nominated in seven categories in these awards while Brewery Lane Drama Group’s production of Present Laughter was nominated in eight categories.

Caolan Deehy-Power, Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society PRO, said it was brilliant that stage manager Michael O’Hara and his team were recognised for all their hard work back stage with Chess and they were also delighted to see Neill winning the Best Supporting Actor Award.

“Neill as usual gave 110% with his performance. His talent grows from year to year and that is why he has been chosen for the lead role of the Phantom in our upcoming production of Phantom of the Opera.

His other performances with Carrick Musical Society over the years have also been first class.”

Walter Dunphy, PRO of Brewery Lane Drama Group, said it was lovely that their production of Present Laughter last year was honoured with two awards for the fine performances of Paul Sheehan and Aileen O’Keefe.

They also delighted fellow Brewery Lane Drama Group member Neill Bourke won an award.

Mr Dunphy said it was great to see the return of the Green Room Awards after a few years break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brewery Lane Drama Group won six prizes for their 2019 productions of Gaslight and The last McCoy at the last pre-Covid Green Room Awards at the Theatre Royal in February 2020.

Brewery Lane Drama Group actors Paul Sheehan with his Best Male Performer in an Amateur Drama award and Aileen O’Keefe with her Green Room Award for Best Female Comic Performance