All roads lead to Mayo town for latest hit musical

For the cast and crew at Ballinrobe Musical Society, excitement is building as the clock inches closer to the curtain raiser of their showing of ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame.’

Rehearsals started in November for the classic musical revolving around a ‘love quadrangle’ set in Paris, the City of Love.

READ MORE: British lifestyle store opens first west of Ireland branch in Mayo

Now, with time counting down until the circa sixty strong cast tread the floorboards, it's time for proceedings to really take shape, according to Director Alan Greaney.

“The week before is when the magic happens and everything truly comes together,” Alan said in conversation with The Mayo News.  “You can do all the planning you want, but it's when you actually get on stage with the lights and the costumes and the mics, that you realise that you can do something different here or there.”

Last year, the society received high praise for their production of ‘Phantom of the Opera.’  This year, Alan is returning for his second show as director in Ballinrobe and is in no doubt that ‘Hunchback’ will live up to the billing.

“It’s a huge musical,” he said.  “We’re coming off the back of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ which was immense, and then we have a story set in a similar place with the ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame.’”

The esteemed director has been there and done that many times, having made his Ballinrobe Musical Society debut in 2011 in Peter Kennedy’s ‘Come the Dawn.’  In his eyes, having an outlet like this in small communities is vital for those who don’t take part in the likes of soccer or gaelic games.

“People who come and join for the first time tend to say ‘it’s great to be involved in something different.’”

“People are used to playing football and GAA and the like, but it’s nice to have a different interest, particularly in those long dark Winter months.”

“It requires a massive buy-in from people in Ballinrobe.  The best thing, in my mind, about amateur theatre in Ireland is that it brings the community in rural areas together.”

Anyone who has ever been involved in theatre knows it takes an army.  Mr. Greaney knows this better than anyone and was the first to praise the huge community commitment in Ballinrobe

“There’s a huge group working behind the scenes.  The group that is putting in the graft building the set, the front of house teams, even down to those supplying tea.

“It requires a massive buy-in from people in Ballinrobe.  The best thing, in my mind, about amateur theatre in Ireland is that it brings the community in rural areas together.”

READ MORE: Mayo school through to national robotics final

Months of graft have gone into crafting every aspect of this show from start to finish.  Now, it's full steam ahead, and the curtain raiser next Sunday is firmly in everyone’s crosshairs.

“We normally start 12 to 15 weeks before you hit the stage.  It’s gradual, with one or two rehearsals a week, but it builds and builds,” the director stated.  “Now, and the week building into the show, you’re looking at five nights a week.

“It’s very complex, but vocally and musically it’s immense.”

For the new Ballinrobe Musical Societ chairman Richard Crumlish, the show represents unchartered territory as his maiden show in the role of chairman.

There’s been plenty of learning curves for the Donegal man.  However, it’s been a positive experience, as he told The Mayo News.

“Des (Treacy) has had this role for more years than he’d like to mention.” the new chairman quipped.  “He said to me that before, I only had to worry about walking from the dressing room to the stage and back again.  Now, you have to worry about everything.

“There are loads of things I’m learning for the first time.  Even today I got a call about something I never thought about before.  I’m really enjoying it.”

If there’s one thing that Crumlish is not lacking it's experience.  He has been a member of the society since the 80s, and when you add the know-how of the other members of the committee into the mix, it is clear the group is in safe hands.

“It’s great when you’ve people behind you who put their shoulders to the wheel before,” he said.

“There’s nine in the committee and everybody spreads the work and responsibilities equally.”

Richard confessed that ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’ wasn’t on his radar before this.  However, it didn’t take him long to get on board.

“I wasn’t overly familiar with the show before we got started but as I’ve got to know the music it’s absolutely gorgeous music.

“Alan Menken wrote the music, he’s written a lot of Disney shows.  Stephe Schwartz wrote the lyrics and he wrote ‘Wicked’ so you’ve two at the top of their game.   Anything they write is going to be gold.”

When asked why people should get their tickets, there was a passion in the chairman’s eye.

Good theatre should take you somewhere you’ve never been before.  We’re hoping to take you to medieval Paris, to Notre Dame.  You’ve romance, tragedy, and comedy all coming into one.

You can’t compare anything with live entertainment, whether that be a band, a comedy act, a musical, you name it.  With a show like this, you’re going to get a great night’s value.

Like everyone else, Mr Crumlish was quick to praise the buy-in from the community.

The sound and lighting are professional, but everyone backstage with costumes, hair, make-up, you name it.  It’s all voluntary.  For the week of the show, it feels like half of the town is involved.

Between the chorus, the choir and the orchestra, Richard is anticipating a special euphony for those who attend.

“The choral aspect of the show is very unique, I’ve been in roughly 25 shows before and I’ve never seen a show with a choir onstage as well as a chorus.  We’ve a 14-piece orchestra as well.  When you add it all in, we’re hoping to create an amazing sound.”

Ballinrobe has time and again demonstrated its capabilities to mix it with the best in the country, as evidenced by the many AIMS awards in its cabinet. Chairman Crumlish sees this show being no different.

“The story is amazing with the ‘love quadrangle’ idea going on.”

“In our eyes, Ballinrobe is as good as anyone in the West.  We’ve so many people from all over travelling to be part of this.  We’ve got the ability to punch above our weight in terms of the size of the town.”