Ever performed on stage?

Bard

I'm going to join our local dramatic society in Donabate and see what happens from there. I've some experience of drama in the past...

As a kid I did a number of things, including performing a mime, a poem and a one-man dramatic presentation of an Enid Blyton tale (I sh*t you not) in a Siamsa festival. ... Oh! ... and I played an indian chief in a school play...

More recently (last year) I appeared as Mr. Noakes, the "jumped-up jobbing gardener" in an amateur production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia... in which I also did the stage design and sound, and the design and printing of the tickets and programmes. [ more info on the play ] - I like to be involved in as many aspects of production as I can...

What about you lot?

Any theatrical experience or aspirations? Any memorable moments on stage?

jaggeh

do school plays count?

i was more of a all purpose stage hand though :P

the first year was our schools 100th birthday and i played a ghost that was haunting the school, fairly good part.

the second year was about Cuchulain (spelling?) i played cheifs second son or some sh1t.....but

i designed and painted the sets, i did the lighting, made some of the costumes.

quite an experience.

Thanx 4 The Fish

Lotta musicals, a couple of plays, recited poetry a couple of times in comps. Worked backstage, making sets, doing a small bit of L&S.

Oh how they wept when I got working in computers.





Edited to include smiley

BuffyBot

Originally posted by jaggeh
do school plays count?

Mmmm the highlight of my career was playing Jacob in Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat...what a highlight

flyz

I used to do a lot of singing / playing instruments on stage when I was younger.
(I guess that's what happened when I went to Mosney for holidays for 17 years in a row )

Did a few musicals in school too.
Plus a few home competitions, Scór n stuff.

I didn't mind it at the time, it was all a good laugh.

Now though even the thought of performing even in front of a few ppl I start shaking
I need a few jars in me now before I can do it

thedrowner

thats my...avatar (is that the word)!!!!! change it!!!! Im jealous!
im in millions of different theare groups. the most recent thing i did was the hired man. ill be on the gaiety too in a month or so (woohoo)

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

thedrowner

ok, so far ive been
rosie (sweet charity)
chava (fiddler on the roof)
may (the hired man)

ive also performed in the the pyjama game. so much fun, getting to walk around in front of a room ful of people in me jammies.(althought the director said my my birthday suit wouldnt cut it as a pair of pj's so i had to go out and buy bloody pyjama's)

i'll be in the gaiety at the end of october, ive been there quite a few times before. im getting my voice trained, so ive done loads of concerts singing stuff from musicals/aria's/trad stuff etc etc.

Lemming

Memorable moments onstage ... hmmm

My first "true" performance in a packed concert hall in Dundee - circa 5-10,000 people from all over the world, with a few hundred violin/viola/cello/classical guitar players (from all over the world). I was so scared walkign onto the stage cause the place was huge (and I was about 11 years old).

Also got my first taste of playing in an orchestra the day before (same convention - different concert)


Next up:

Playing in the National Concert hall the following january (after changing from violin to viola and also joining the Dublin Youth Orchestra). Out of 4 orchestras in the organisation, we were first on and had to play the "presidential salute" as the president turned up. When the conductor raised her arms to tell us to get our instruments ready, I thought she meant "stand up", and I started to get up out of the chair before VERY quickly realising what she meant - so muchos embarrasment there for all of 10 seconds. By the time the music started I was so scared sh*tless about playing that I forgot about almost standing up in front of a full concert hall.


Next up:

Countless further trips into the National concert hall. For the first three years (and this includes other concerts too; not just the NCH) I was almost ill for the 15 mins before going on stage - to the point of projectile vomitting on a case of extreme nerves. After those couple of years, I wondered why I ever felt like that as it became "just another performance", and actually began to really enjoy them.


Next up:

Italy 1995 - Venice
We were playing in this really gothic architecture church, so PLENTY of echos all around. We were playing Beethoven's 5th Symphony (the famous one that everyone recognises) as part of the playlist. Only problem was ... the echoes.

One half of the orchestra sounded WAYYY out in front of the other half. So taht was an interesting one to play since we had to rapidly learn how to play without listening to anyone else in the orchestra and simply rely on the conductor alone.


Next up:

Germany 1995 - Wolfratshausen (just outside Munich)
Playing with a violin soloist (Nikki Sweeney) during Mendelhesson's Violin Concerto in E minor (I think E minor) and we got to a fairly quiet part when all of a sudden - the bridge on my viola collapses (the wodden thing holding up the strings) with a fairly audible smack. Ohhh dear .......


Next up:
Germany - Munich 199(7 ??)
We played in the University of Munich. Think roman architecture everywhere. This was one COOL university. We were playing with two choirs. This was the first time I'd ever done so, and was quite odd in that respects - that we had another entire section of music with us.


Next up:
France - 1998 - EuroDisney
We played as "guests of Disney" on easter monday in this apparently VERY high-tech auditorium. But we were only on for one movement of one piece, so about 6 minutes something. The format was VERY odd, and had a very rushed format feeling to it We had to be sitting, and ready to play as the curtains lifted. As they lifted, we literally started playing and for the first 10/15 seconds were thinking "f*ck f*ck I stared late" until getting settled in.


Next up:

Battle of the bands (1998 - 1st year in I.T.Tallaght).
Was at a battle of the bands in The Foxes Covert in Tallaght. Nothing went right with the entire gig fromt he outset. The equipment was late arriving, a sound engineer wasn't sent with it, and it looked rather substandard.

Anyway, my band went on stage (about 5th on) - had 6 songs lined up - 3 originals, 3 covers ("Mama Said", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", and finished up with the uncensored version of "So What").

ANyway ... second song in it all goes HORRIBLY pearshaped. Our rythm guitarist manages to blow a 200w valve amp, and they attempt to patch him into the nightclub PA system, only to hear that make strange noises and pack up. So that leaves me playing two guitar parts ... f*cking marvellous

Then our bass player/singer manages to set the bass amp on fire cause its not used to being driven even remotely.

THen on top of that, management for the pub come in and make lame excuses about how they didn't know a gig was going to happen and had brought in DJs, etc. In actual fact, the same guy had stood there 4 hours previous with us (a RAKE of bands) whilst we waited for long-overdue sound equipment to arrive and said nothing. So basically he said "We got complaints about noise so yer out". My first band gig .. and we got kicekd out for being too loud

thedrowner

oh oh oh!!! How could i forget the times i sang in the NCH with the DSSC!!!!

i was in the front row,standing right behind the drums, and ill never forget when some teachers magazine brought out the picture of all us choir girls in the middle of a song

and there was me in the front row with a gong for a body and my head peeping out over it!!!!!

Bard

Originally posted by Lemming
Memorable moments onstage ... hmmm

[snip! - large post about MUSICAL performance on stage...]

Emmm ... wonderful!

/me points at forum's name...

So, no actual memorable THEATRE moments on stage then?

Lemming

Originally posted by Bard


Emmm ... wonderful!

/me points at forum's name...

So, no actual memorable THEATRE moments on stage then?

oops ... my bad

Ermm .. theatrical .. yeah.

Like being stage crew during a school production of Grease and the entire stage crew sneaking alcohol backstage before the start, and proceeding to get wasted whilst trying to carry props around n'stuff like that and making a couple of snafu's and throwing stuff at each other etc.

T'was most entertaining Almost got caught too. But then again, that's probably what half the fun was at that age

BEAT

was in a few plays and musicals, The glass menagerie, This town, I forget the name of two others that were significant plays..so long ago, was in loads of school plays growing up too.. but my favorite were the musicals...Grease, Aladin, Irving berlin's greatest, Broadway musicals...oh the memories
...I miss it all really
perhaps I will get involved in a local theatre scene once I am settled here

johnnynolegs

i have done roughly 150 stand up comedy shows...............do they count????

rapture_queen

u also play in a band dont u?

Ive been on the stage quite a lot.
not too much not too little-and will be on the same show as drowner which is next week in the Gaiety.

Thanx 4 The Fish

Originally posted by rapture_queen
u also play in a band dont u?

Ive been on the stage quite a lot.
not too much not too little-and will be on the same show as drowner which is next week in the Gaiety.

Plug, plug

thedrowner

he he
we'd rather people didnt come and see us actually! he he.really. we have nothing to gain from it. only embarassment.

rapture_queen

Its true i even refused to sell my family tickets!!!!!

So no it wasnt a come see a show type thing!

johnnynolegs

what is the name of the show and yes i do play in a band aswell

smiles

In school plays I was the narrator twice.... and ever since then i've really wanted to get up and act and do something, unfortunely the closest i've ever gotten was joining the Drama Society in college this year... but of course i'm far too afraid to actually stand up and try out for a piece... the usual "I don't know *how* to act..." and so i don't even try. Damn lack of confidence.

<< Fio >>

the celtic tiger

i did speech and drama from when i was five till seventeen. I was in oliver, annie, hans christian anderson, scrooge, the wizard of oz and a play (non-musical) called skungpoomery.

I also did feis's every year, solo dramas, poems, mimes.

I also performed at or MC'd for variety shows at the end of each year.

I did all my Royal irish academy grades up to grade 8. I can go back and study for my diploma next year if i want.

ROCK ON!

lemondrop

Originally posted by thedrowner
oh oh oh!!! How could i forget the times i sang in the NCH with the DSSC!!!!

i was in the front row,standing right behind the drums, and ill never forget when some teachers magazine brought out the picture of all us choir girls in the middle of a song

and there was me in the front row with a gong for a body and my head peeping out over it!!!!!

Hey i sang in the NCH with the DSSC also four times and i thought it was a great laugh... I got to miss school and all.

I also stared in "Fiddler on the Roof" a number of other productions with my drama groups and when i was 3 i was on stade for ballet.
I was also in a series of "Ballkissangel".....i loved that and since then ive really want to to the whole acting thing but right now im at college b/c my parents want me to have a steady degree b4 i try for the unpredictable world of acting....bla...bla...bla...bla.....

lemondrop

Originally posted by smiles
In school plays I was the narrator twice.... and ever since then i've really wanted to get up and act and do something, unfortunely the closest i've ever gotten was joining the Drama Society in college this year... but of course i'm far too afraid to actually stand up and try out for a piece... the usual "I don't know *how* to act..." and so i don't even try. Damn lack of confidence.

<< Fio >>

I know what you mean im the same lack of confidence and ive never really been properly taught to act just the small drama societies but they are kind of lame......im thinking of rejoining the Gaiety school of acting in the new year but its pretty expensive and then im scared ill be surrounded by ppl who are amazing on stage and not a care in the world and then ther will be me!!!!

thedrowner

Originally posted by lemondrop
Hey i sang in the NCH with the DSSC also four times and i thought it was a great laugh... I got to miss school and all.

I also stared in "Fiddler on the Roof" a number of other productions with my drama groups and when i was 3 i was on stade for ballet.

what gropup did u do fiddler on the roof in

what years did u do dssc, and were u ever in the core?...i did it 4 times-um-96, 97, 98 and 2000. ive also done the past pupils in 2001, 2002, and will be doing it in 2003-dont suppose your interested in doing that, if u are, let me now, im still in one of sean creamers choirs.

lemondrop

Originally posted by thedrowner
what gropup did u do fiddler on the roof in

what years did u do dssc, and were u ever in the core?...i did it 4 times-um-96, 97, 98 and 2000. ive also done the past pupils in 2001, 2002, and will be doing it in 2003-dont suppose your interested in doing that, if u are, let me now, im still in one of sean creamers choirs.

I did it in the same years, god small world. How is Sean Creamer?? Id love to be in the choir but im away at college during the term. I only did Fiddler on the roof with my school...........but we rocked!!!! hehe

thedrowner

so were u in the core? and what school were u in
i was in pres...
i sang a little bit of a thing with 3 other girlsd in she moved through the fair one of the years


and also...you might remember me as the girl who had to, in front of the whole choir, do that 'armadillo' thing from the dime bar ad from the jane o leary music (in haddington rd). ill never live that down (coz i wont let myself )

lemondrop

Originally posted by thedrowner
so were u in the core? and what school were u in
i was in pres...
i sang a little bit of a thing with 3 other girlsd in she moved through the fair one of the years


and also...you might remember me as the girl who had to, in front of the whole choir, do that 'armadillo' thing from the dime bar ad from the jane o leary music (in haddington rd). ill never live that down (coz i wont let myself )

hehehe, no sorry that memory escapes me!!! Yeah i was in the core 2...although 1 year i was up standing at the balcony and i fainted and nearly fell over the banisters and the teachers could all see it from below so they legged it upstairs to get me out!!! i went to Dalkey btw.

CHRIS GREER

yea, well, I've been in plays for YEARS and really enjoy acting. Let me explain first of all, I have the disability called spina bifida. For about 7 years, I was part of (in fact a founder member of) the first disabled theatre group in Northern Ireland, the Real World theatre company. While the Real World was in existence, we did performances in shopping centres, conferences (one at the Slieve Russell Hotel in Co. Cavan) at the opening festival of the Waterfront Hall, Belfast (A very enjoyable-but nerve-racking experience!!!) and even at a drama festival at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast, which was SOOOOO MUCH FUN! Since the Real World finished in 1999, I've formed my own Christian drama group, called the "Burning Bush" theatre company. We have performed sketches, all dealing with Biblical themes, at the church we belong to, Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in North Belfast.

Jeweller

Well i turned professional as an actor last year and so far my cv to date includes :

Theatre Work: Bill in “She Stoops to Folly” Abbey Theatre, 1997.

Norman in “The Wake” Abbey Theatre, 1999 (and also at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival 2000) –

Charley in “Oliver Twist” Gate Theatre, 2001.

Scotty in “A Country Song” Crypt Theatre, 2002.

Nathan + Blinky in "The Day i swapped my Dad for two Goldfish" Ark Theatre + Irish Tour 2003

Television + Film work includes:

“Itchy Coo Blue” – played Derrick for Robert Redfords Sundance film festival
“Ballykissangel” played Phillip
“The Boy from Mercury”
“The Boxer”
Disneys “Oliver Twist”
“Saltwater” played Duignan
“The Honourable Scaffolder” Played the lead role of The Scaffolder

Silent Grape

well doen jeweller, where did you go to college? my sister went to LAMDA in london(duh) but she's ahving a really hard time getting work. apparently ireland is much worse for work though.

anyway me myself, i love it as a hobby, ive been at it since i was a wee four year old. i went to the Betty Ann school of drama, but it was all too retarded for me. ive been in a couple of plays in my one year in UCD, which was fun, some really great actors there this year.

ugh! the gaiety school of acting! BLECH!

sorry

xx

Dagon

I acted in school stuff like Joseph and Ernie, after that I had a taste for drama so I joined the Phoenix players in tubbercirry in 1995 and got a small part in "Two from Gallilee".

For years I went to the local drama festival religiously each year, watching all the plays and taking in everything - good points and bad points - for each performance.

Then (big break for education) - inspired by all the shows I had seen, and all the great dama - in 2002 I came back to Phoenix players to do John B. Keanes "The Man from Clare" that would go on tour for the amateur drama circuit (confined section). I played a fairly small but fun part (Pakey - one of the idiots).

We did 7 festivals and got to the all-ireland in Gorey (didn't win though!). Amazing experience overall. 14 shows in total, and enjoyed each and every one, especially the craic after!

Quite a humble CV I know, but for me drama is more of a hobby than a career. In Amatur drama everything is voluntary anyway, no cash! If it should ever become more serious, that could be fun

EvenStar

Theatre is my ultimate passion-- I love being on the stage! It gives me a thrill no movie contract could ever top.

Sadly I'm not involved in one. Now that I think of it, I'll go back to Avon Players and try out for one!

*practices*

Raphael

Know what you mean Evenstar, theres just such a buzz to performing live!

Ok, my credits:

Musicals
The King And I - 1 of the kings children

Oliver - Bread salesman & 1 legged drunk man(great fun!)

Calamity Jane - Henry Miller

Non-Musicals

A large number of weird obscure plays with the Kate O'Leary school of drama

The Black Pool by Jim nolan - Jojo

Now the black pool was an odd one. We put it on in a café on the 1st floor of the theatre, they just cleared all the tables out of a quarter of the room to give us a 7 x 4 metre working space. We didnt go off-stage at all, there were stools at the back where we sat when we werent on, and the audience were right in front of us drinking tea! Seriously scary stuff! it was one of the guys 1st stage performance's as well!

Tusky

was in a few school plays , about 5 , then went on to DYT Dublin Youth Theatre where I have done two plays Coat Tales and Romeos and Juliets love it

Jewells

Originally posted by Silent Grape
well doen jeweller, where did you go to college?

Didnt go to college... dont agree with all that methody crap they try to teach you

"you are the mushroom" "become the mushroom"

razorfeather

Originally posted by Mercury_Tilt
Had to eat a banana from one of the chicks snatch.

ROFLMFAO

razorfeather

Originally posted by lemondrop


I also stared in "Fiddler on the Roof",

i'll drink to that. eww i now hate it with a passion.*walk forward and shimmy high* tradition......TRADITION !!! *step back step forward spin and click*. TRADITIONNNNNNNNNN tradition