All posts by Martin McNelis

A Few Good Men

2023 A Few Good Men, News, Productions

Following the recent success of their sell-out production of the play ‘Stones in his Pockets’, Muse Productions are proud to present the award-winning play, ‘A Few Good Men’, which will be staged at the Hope Café, Shannon from 15th to 18th November at 8pm nightly.

First produced on Broadway in 1989 and inspiring an Academy Award-nominated film of the same name, Aaron Sorkin’s ground-breaking debut is a classic drama which tells the story of military lawyers at a court-martial who uncover a high-level conspiracy in the course of defending their clients, two United States Marines accused of murder. Based on events that took place at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in July 1986, ‘A Few Good Men’ is a riveting courtroom drama that investigates both the nature of the military mentality and the Marine code of honour. A hit on the Broadway stage, ‘A Few Good Men’ is as timely today as the day it was written.

To stage this dynamic play, Muse have put together a cast of 16 people, with a strong blend of youth and experienced acting talent. Featuring Conor McNelis as Lt. Daniel Kaffee, Olivia Parkinson as Commander Joanne Galloway, and Eoin Sheedy as Colonel Nathan Jessup, the cast also includes Stephen Byrne, Sean McInerney, Declan Ross, Dara O’Callaghan, Clare McNelis, Edel Halliday, Vanessa Kirwan, Martin McNelis, Ian Collins, Colm McGuinness, Alice Barnes, Richard Germaine and Luke McEvoy as PFC William Santiago.

Tickets can be booked from Monday, October 30th at 9am on www.ticketsource.eu/muse, or via phone on 087-4136822.

Muse are proud once again to be supported by the Shannon Springs Hotel and EI Electronics.

Great Success at AIMS Awards 2023

2022 Our House, News, Productions

What an Epic AIMS weekend. From the combined MULES of Muse, UL, Ennis and Shannon storming the streets of Killarney on the pub crawl before the Legend Aodan Fox acted as MC for the Friday night festivities, through to the Saturday BBQ and the rehearsal for our Opening Number, then on to the Awards banquet where the Opening Number “slayed” and Ted Germaine and Julita Fox took home the top gongs for Best Stage Manager for Muse and Best Comedienne for Ennis. Huge congratulations to all the nominees. You’re all winners in our eyes!

Credit to Darragh Carroll for the photo.

“Our House” – Nominated for Best Overall Show!

2022 Our House, News, Productions

Muse Productions are absolutely thrilled to have been nominated for four awards in the National AIMS Awards.

Ted Germaine – Best Stage Management
Conor McNelis – Best Actor
Martin McNelis – Best Director
Muse Productions – Best Overall Show

This is a huge achievement for such a small society. Massive congrats to our friends in Shannon Musical Society and Ennis Musical Society on their noms also including three noms for our Muse alumni:

Colm Mc Guinness – Best Male Singer (SMS)
Olivia Parkinson – Best Actress (SMS)
Julita Fox – Best Comedienne (EMS)

Congrats to all of you! Special thanks to Shannon Springs Hotel and EI Company our sponsors without whom none of this would have been possible.

May be an image of 7 people

Aodan Fox to star in One-Man Muse Production!

2022 A Night in November, News, Productions

Muse Productions are delighted to return one again to the stage this September 15th to 17th with a wonderful piece of theatre titled “A Night in November”.  Written by Marie Jones of “Stones in His Pockets” fame, “A Night in November” follows Kenneth Norman McCallister, a Protestant dole clerk working in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He has “cleanly discriminated” against Catholics throughout his life, and indeed he gains much pleasure when he gets accepted into the golf club ahead of his Catholic boss. This continues until he witnesses the hatred directed towards the Catholic supporters of the Republic of Ireland at a 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifying game against Northern Ireland which causes him to question his beliefs and his identity as a British Protestant in Northern Ireland. The play shows how Kenneth deals with his identity crisis through monologues and soliloquies as well as introducing numerous other characters for Kenneth to interact with, all played by the one actor, the multiple award winning Aodan Fox.

Aodan is well known to Shannon audiences for his many roles with Shannon Musical Society, Icarus Drama Group and more recently with Muse Productions.  This is a tour de force performance by Aodan, playing multiple roles of all ages and sexes, from Kenneth’s kids, to his wife, her father, their friends and many more besides.  Beautifully directed by Ted Germaine this is a treat for all ages, although some of the themes may be too mature for very young children.  Muse are delighted to be back once again in Hope Café, where we performed “The Crucible”, and more recently “Love, Loss and What I Wore” and “Closer than Ever”.  Once again we are indebted to our sponsors in Shannon Springs Hotel and EI Company, without whose support we simply couldn’t survive.

Tickets are €10 and are available from our new Online Booking System at https://www.ticketsource.eu/muse or indeed by phone at (087) 413 6822
Tickets also available on the door provided we have availability

Muse Productions present “Our House” The Musical

2022 Our House, News, Productions
Our House – The Award Winning Musical by Madness

Finally, two years after our first announcement, we are in a position to move ahead with the fantastic “Our House” Musical originally planned for November 2020. Despite the difficulties posed by the pandemic we still managed three productions, “Billie, Barbara and Sam”, “A Midsummer Nights Dream – Shakespeare in the Park” and “Love Loss and What I Wore” and will also be performing in the Wings Festival later this month with “Closer than Ever- A Musical Revue”. All of this has been made possible by the wonderful support of the community of Shannon, and of our stellar sponsors, particularly Shannon Springs Hotel and EI Company.

“Our House” is a fantastic musical based on the Music of Madness, following the life of young Joe Casey, who on his 16th birthday makes a fateful decision that affects the outcome of his life. We follow “Good Joe” and “Bad Joe” through the two very different paths his life would take, based on one “sliding doors” moment. This is a musical for all the family, with a great moral core in addition to the toe tapping hits of Madness including songs like “Our House”, “It Must be Love”, “My Girl”, “Baggy Trousers”, “Embarrassment” and many more. “Our House” was nominated for three Olivier Awards in 2003 and won “Best New Musical”.

Our production team from “In the Heights” are back once again with Martin McNelis directing, Mary Rose McNally our MD, and recently AIMS nominated choreographer Pam McGlynn returning, assisted by our own Lauren Kate Browne as Dance Captain. Ted Germaine will once again be Stage Manager,

This is an energetic show with great opportunities for both youth and older performers in the adult roles. We will be holding a workshop and auditions in late June and are inviting anyone interested to please contact us and express interest through our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MuseProductionsShannon

“Our House” will take place November 2nd – 5th 2022 in St. Patrick’s Comprehensive School. Auditions will be held in June with Rehearsals starting Late August or early September.