The Pantomime Cake Has Many Ingredients

The Pantomime Cake has many Ingredients (1979 - 2013)

Administration.

Dedicated and community conscious committees were led over the years by Chairpersons Sean O’Malley (1979/81), Jim Naughton (1982/86), Lily Hughes (1987/8), John Benson (1989) and Mary Barrett (1990-2006). Anne McElwain (2006-) Committee members included Mary Stankard, Ann Duggan, Liam Belton,Joe McCarthy, Patsy Ryder,Fr Eamonn Dermody, Eamonn Scully,Martin Lennon,Fr Martin Stack,Denis Quilty, John Power, Patsy Ryder, Fr Jack O’Connor, Noreen O’Toole,PadraicMcCormack, John Kelly,Breda Power,Angela Bartley,John Benson,Joe Byrne,Anne McElwain,Annette Nugent, Orla Kelly, Gerry Ferguson, David Leonard, Mary Loughnane, Nora Ryder,Niamh McCarthy,Carmel Benson,Maureen McCarthy, Brian Power, Sean Power, Edel Fahy, Patricia Donohue, Chontelle Kenny, Linda Byrne.

Principals Roles

We had many leading artists:

Princesses – Margaret Duggan (2), Jacinta Kenny, Mairéad Glynn (3), Maeve Canavan,

Niamh McCarthy,Cathy Belton, Lorna Walsh, Aisling Connolly, Caroline Cawley, Paula Fahy (2),Tanya McDonagh, Caroline Hughes, Delia Boyce (3), Colleen Gaffney, Laura Browne, Rosemary Hosty, Genevieve Moore, Niamh O’Reilly (2), Nicola McGuire (4). Michelle Glynn (3), Louise Colohan, Caoimhe McClafferty (2), Edel Fahy, Aoife Kilbane (2).

Princes – Frank Gaughan, Tom Duggan, Michael Fitzgerald (3), Tommy Kelly,Kenneth Long (9), Dermot Arrigan, David Leonard ,Garrett Philips (4), Frank Naughton (3), Ronan Lardner, Alan Greaney (4), James Harris, Mike Keane, Andrew Hawcroft, Declan Gardiner (2), Aidan Corrigan.

Panto Dames.

Gerry Ferguson was our loveable ‘Dame’ for 14 years. Others to don the mantle were men likeDermot Arrigan, Paul Curley, James Harris,John Forde, Daithi Ryder,Chris Mepham (6), John McHugh,Peter Kennedy (10)

Comedy Roles

People who made us laugh over the years include Liam Glynn, Eamonn Carr, Tom Duggan, Michael Holian, Ann Sands, Marian Sweeney, Monica Gill, Kim Talebian, John Walsh, Dermot Arrigan, Sean Garvey, Caroline Gaffney,Brendan Mee, Tommy Barrett, Paul Curley, Brendan Hutchinson, Shane Lennon, Ian Folan, Liam Forde, John Forde, Paul Muldrew, James Harris,Jimmy Ryan, Daithi Ryder,Clare Barrett, Paul Fox, Jill Treacy, Ronan Lardner, David Coyne, Dearbhla Geraghty, Tracey Dooley, Cherie Wakefield, Andrew Gallagher, Fiachra Ó Dubhghaill, Kieran Staunton, Declan Gardiner (2), Katie Creaven, Paul Hughes, Liam Brennan, John McHugh, Karl O’Doherty, Marcus Wynne (2), Michael Flanagan (2), Grace Tuohy.

The Panto Baddie

Denis Quilty was the Giant’s menacing Henchman, Paula Fahy moved from Princess to the Evil Step Mother. Anne Muldoon & Tricia Forde were viperous in their roles of jealousy. J.P.Bohan, Adrian Phillips and Andrew Gallagher created terror as the ‘Giants’ in ‘Jack & the Beanstalk’. John Forde brought a Dracula like quality to his intimidating characters. Paul Muldrew, Pat Naughton & Garrett Philips loved to be evil. Sean Hosty & Tim Landers encouraged lots of boos. Lucia Evans belted out songs & lines with blood curdling venom. Chris Mepham and Shane Lennon enjoyed being evil as did Karl O’Doherty, Orla O’Brien, Donnacha Bushe, Katie Creaven.

The Good Fairies

To counteract ‘evil’ we’ve had several ‘Good Fairies’ like Stephanie O’Boyle, Mairéad Glynn, Margaret Duggan, Maureen Meighan, Lorna Walsh, Caroline Gaffney, Niamh McCarthy, Orla Ferguson, Louise Pettit, Louise Hogan, Sharon Finn, Clare Barrett, Jeremy Lord, Alexandra Glennon, Jennifer O’Grady, Anita Mahon , Edel Fahy, Helena Flanagan and Karl O’Doherty (Magician), Michelle Glynn, John McHugh, Jenni Flaherty, Declan Gardiner, Katie O’Flynn.

Spectacular Dance Routines

Over the 30 years we’ve had 40 Choreographers – 60% emerged from within the group:

Ray McBride, Ann Sands,ConnO’Ceallaigh, Kathleen Fay, Sean & Brian Power,Monica Gill,Paddy Arrigan, Louise Arrigan, Audrey Carr, Noreen Molloy, Catherine Molloy, Caroline Cawley, Caroline Duane,Celine Hession, Gerry Dwyer, Thomas Lennon, Christine Bourke, Andrea Miller, Aisling McCarthy, Caroline Gaffney, Gail Wynne, Louise Pettit, Ursula Owens, Emer McCarthy, Karen Kelly, Kathleen Glynn, James Harris, Chris Mepham Jnr, Kenneth Kennedy, Tim Landers, Rachel Meaney, Gary Carolan, Leonie Mc Donagh, Saoirse Kenny, Jay Molyneux, Geraldine Giblin, Olwyn Cronin, Cherie Worthington-Eyre and Cathal Walshe, Mary McDonagh, Steffen Jorgensen, Katie Upton, Declan Gardiner.

Renmore Smurfs

Since 1979 we’ve had 40 Smurfs Choreographers and assistants - most came from within the Panto group:

Leaders were Joan Ray, Eileen McCarthy, Niamh McCarthy,Breda Power, Anna Belton, Aisling Mc Carthy, Noreen Molloy, Deirdre Cassidy, Carole Cawley, Nessa Cawley, Emer McCarthy, Colette Devaney, Caroline Gaffney, Riona Heneghan, Louise Arrigan, Olga Walsh, Orla Nugent, Antoinette Casserly, Donna Creaven, Mary McDonagh, Steffen Jorgensen, Declan Gardiner, Katie Upton.

Assistants were,Angela Egan,PatriciaHutchinson,Deirdre Barrett, Sinead Nolan, Aoife Dolan,Fiona McElwain,Carmel Clabby, Aoife Flannery,Ruth Thomas, Laura Collins, Aoife O’Flaherty,Keira Downey, Donna Connolly, CiaraMahon,Anne Marie Connolly, Katie Hanley, Martha Connolly, Michelle Hanley, Ciara Collins, Laura Ward, Jennifer O’Grady, Ailbhe Curran, Zoe Kirby, Ellen Hession, Lucy Smyth.

Musical and Choral Direction

Tríona Glynn made a major contribution as MD for 12 years. Jimmy Higgins, Paul Gaughan,Peter Gilroy, Maura Canavan, Marion Woods, and Mike Arrigan were others who led the musical & choral embellishment (1979-1992).

In later years Musical Direction was under Carl Hession (1994-2001), John O’Dea (2002-4 & 2006-7),John Colohan & The Weightless Astronauts(2005) and Adrian Flatley (2008/11), Shane Farrell (2012) Gerard Madden (2013). Chorus and pit singers were in the capable hands of Kenneth Long (1994), Christine Canavan (1995), Eoghan O’Donnell (1996-8), Lorna Martyn (1999), Paddy Daly (2000), Caríosa Kilgannon (2001-3), Breffini Kilgannon (2004-6),Martha O’Toole (2007/11), Anita Mahon (2008), Shane Farrell (2012), Gerard Madden (2013).

The Duggan Family & Seamus McFadden provided pre-overture entertainment in Leisureland (1982-95). Joe McCarthy was MC (1998-2013).

Costume Direction

It was nearly always in the capable hands and needles of Mary Loughnane. She was assisted in the early days by Renmore ICA, Mothers of Smurfs, Ladies of the Chorus and by Ita Lynch, Áine Quilty, Mary Burke,Rosemary Kent, Valerie Wright, Betty Ferguson,Peggy Costello, Pearl Hession, Sheila Hegarty, Eileen White, Mary O’Connor, Joan Kenny, Monica Ennis, Fionnuala Breathnach, Mary Alone, Clown Around (Dublin) Pat McGann, (Limerick), Bourkes,(Dublin), Nomac (Waterford), Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe, Showtime (Galway), St Mary’s College (Galway), Macnas (Galway), Riona Heneghan.

Make-up

It was nearly always led by Betty & Ann Quirke until Fiona Lawless recently took over. Ann Sands and Róisín Duignan were in charge on a few occasions.

Sets & Props,

Len Wright has made sets and props since the beginning. Numerous workshop helpers over the years included John Rowbotham, Paddy Doherty, Padraig Molloy, Richard Byrne, Valerie Wright, Tony Doyle, J.J.McDonagh, Marty Walsh, Noel Quirke, Tom O’Beirne, Brian Gaffney, John Wright, Stephen Wright, Gabriel Henry, Chris Mepham, John Benson, Donnacha Quilty, Hugh Sweeney, Elaine Grey, Carla Bodeker, Noel Arrigan, Philip O’Toole and Joe Byrne. Stage Managersincluded Sean O’Malley, Len Wright, Elaine Grey, Leonard Power & John Donohue. Regular Back-stagers included

Joey Power, Pierce Butler, Kevin Gaffney, Chontelle Kenny, Cyril Foye, Peter Kenny, Adrian Fitzpatrick, J.P.Bohan, Gabriel Walsh, Daoire Ó Ceallaigh, Jaclyn Cronin, Brian Forde, Tim Gleeson, Ivan Benson, Gabriel Larkin, Terri Dooley, Theresa Lydon, Adrienne Murray, Rebecca Foye, Colm Power, Anna Byrne etc.

Lights & Lighting Effects

Tom Kelleher, Gearóid Hartigan and Dermot McLoughlin were the lighting people in the early years. Dermot McLoughlin set up a training school for technicians in his own warehouse and a large number of “Lighting “ people emerged like John Kelly, Michael Brennan, Keith Finnegan, Michael Canavan, Tony Canavan, Ger Browne, John Scully, Sean Egan, Mike Curran, Jane McLoughlin, Maeve Canavan, John Gannon, Henry Curran, Bernard McHugh, Kevin Newell, Michael O’Connor, Ken Lenihan, Eamonn Hughes, Tom Ryan, Christy Kearns, Betty Horan, Johnny Newell, Ken Cawley, Brendan Newell, Colin Benson, Môn sour Haniff, Eric Divilly, Derry McLoughlin, Leonard Power, Martin O’Byrne, Sean Canny, Kenneth Scally, Mike Boyle, Brian Hosty, Michael Newell, Carol Barrett, Shane McGinley, Paul Kelly, Kevin Mullen, Michael McElwain, Maurice Kelly and Derek Mulveen. John and Paul Kelly took overall lighting responsibility during the nineties. Since then we’ve had Eoin Conneely, Colm Conneely, Michael Grimes, Kieran Grimes, Mike Ryan, Barry O’Brien, Johnny McDonagh, Rory Walsh, Adrian Mullen, Pat O’Reilly, Paul Kelly.

Assistant Directors.

Rebecca Bartlett,Terri Henry, Martin O’Grady, Tricia Forde, Sabina Higgins, Eithne Carey & Joe Byrne made valuable contributions during the eighties as Director of Principals. Assistant Producer, Gerry Dwyer, looked after Sound for many years, helped by Dermot Kenny, Joe Kenny, Emer Kenny & Paul Griffin. Mike Dervan has been our sound man since 1996.