RTÉ Radio 1 will be providing updates from the 63rd RTÉ All-Ireland Drama Festival which started today.
Moya Doherty, Chair of the RTÉ Board, officially opened the festival at the Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone from where daily updates across RTÉ Radio 1 on The Ronan Collins Show, Late Date, Weekend on One and Drama on One will be broadcast.
Under the auspices of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland, the nine-day festival will see the top nine amateur drama groups nationally compete for the All-Ireland title as well as a number of other major acting and technical awards.
On Friday May 8th Athlone native and Weekend on One presenter Cathal Murray will present The Ronan Collins Show live from the RTÉ Athlone studio. It will feature a report on the previous night’s performance from Karina Buckley.
Noel Curran, Director-General, RTÉ, said: “Supporting and nurturing the arts is central to RTÉ’s role as Ireland’s Public Service Media Organisation. The RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival strongly reflects the cultural and regional diversity of communities from all parts of the country. Drama is central to RTÉ’s output and this partnership is indicative of RTÉ’s commitment to foster creativity and acting talent at a regional and national level. This year’s festival is testimony to community arts at their finest. We wish all participants the very best of luck in the competition and share the hope that audiences everywhere enjoy an exceptional week of drama.”
Festival Director Joe McCarrick said: “We’re so pleased to be working with RTÉ again for our 63rd Festival and to once more benefit from the invaluable sponsorship afforded the All-Ireland Drama Festival. Each year, we strive to improve on that which went before and I believe that this year, our theatre groups, as well as legions of theatre-goers, can look forward to perhaps the most exciting celebration of top-class drama to date!”