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The curtain fell at Newry Town Hall on Saturday night, 28 March, ending what was a very successful 72nd Newry Drama Festival. Despite uncertainty over where the venue will be for the 2027 event, there was a feel-good factor to this year's event with season ticket and nightly ticket numbers up. Pointing this out at the conclusion of the event Chairperson, Kate Carragher emphasised that the continuing success of the festival was in no small part due to the incredibly hard working festival committee.
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the Adjudicator Tony Finnegan. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie
Main sponsor of the event this year was the Canal Court Hotel. The festival was also part of the ten day Newry Arts Festival.
As usual there was a great depth of productions included this year again, ranging from the cast of 26 in Newpoint's The Dead to the cast of 2 in both Rosemary Drama Group's Hansard and Balally Players Heaven. It certainly was no easy job for the adjudicator Tony Finnegan to decide his winners.
Festival pictured with festival committee members and the adjudicator. Included from
left: Michael Dunbar on behalf of Liam Farrell, Billy Canning, Eileen Mooney, Vice
Chairperson; Tim Connaughton, Tony Finnegan, Adjudicator; Kate Carragher,
Chairperson; Tynan Hooper and Josephine Byrne.
Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie
Ultimately Holywood Players and their comedic production of Death Trap with more twists and turns than the road to Poyntzpass, emerged the winner. The IRA Levin play's script within a script kept theatregoers on the edge of their seats for the Wednesday night performance.
Balally Players were runners up with their production of Heaven by Eugene O'Brien while Bunclody/ Kilymyshall Drama Group and their performance of Hugh Leonard's Da took quite a bit of the silverware in third place. They also had the added bonus of finding out on the night that they had qualified for the All Ireland Drama finals.
the Best Costumes at Newry Drama Festival on behalf of Bernie McParland while
looking on are festival committee members and Adjudicator Tony Finnegan.
Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie
Newry's Newpoint Players came away with the award for the Best Costumes meticulously created by Bernie McParland. No small feat considering the numbers on stage.
Newry Drama Festival Award Winners
Premier Award - The Canavan Cup: Holywood Players
Runners up - The Lions Cup: Balally players
Best Director - The Sean Holywood Cup: Anna Phipps, Holywood Players
Best Actor,- The Ardmore Cup: Steve Emerson , Holywood Players
Best Actress - The Anne Boyle Cup: Claire Parkes, Balally Players
Best Actor in a Supporting Role - The Round Table Cup: Clifford Anderson , Holywood Players
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - The Regina Hanratty Cup : Josephine Byrne , Bunclody/ Kilmyshall
Best Young Actor/ Actress / Most Promising Performer - The Sam Russell Cup : Tim Connaughton, Bunclody/ Kilmyshall
Audience Award - The Northern Bank Cup: Bunclody/ Kilmyshall
Best Stage Manager - The Patrick Crinion Cup : Liam Farrell, Bunclody/ Kilmyshall
Best Decor - The Violet Durkan Memorial Cup : Holywood Players
Best Moment in Theatre - The Vivian Hardy Cup: Bunclody/ Kilmyshall
Best Music and Sound - The Gerard Murphy Cup : Holywood Players
Best Costumes - Newry Musical and Orchestral Society Cup: Newpoint Players
Best Technical Production - the Stage Services North Cup: Holywood Players
