about us

Rush Dramatic Society

History

about-001

Rush Dramatic Society was founded in 1927, having its roots in
the Gaelic League. It has been in continuous activity ever since.

In the Autumn of 1927, Irish teacher Richard Duke set up a drama class within the local branch of the Gaelic League. This was followed by a first production of two short plays by JB MacCarthy – Poachers and Cough Water, supported by concert items and staged in the old Rush Town Hall.

From these humble and inauspicious beginnings, Rush Dramatic Society took its first steps. Over the following 75 years it would go from strength to strength. From the kitchen comedies of the 1930s and 1940s to the pantos of the 1950s, the Society became increasingly focused on competitive drama in the late 1950s. Throughout the 1960s, the Society competed seriously at Drama Festival level with many successes. By the 1970s, it had become firmly established on the Festival scene and found itself in the happy position of having more requests from festival organisers than it could accommodate

The 1980s was a golden period for Rush Dramatic Society, qualifying for five All- reland Drama Finals – 1980 – Is the Priest at Home by Joseph Tomelty, 1982, 1983 & 1985 – Hugh Leonard’s Da, A Life & The Patrick Pearse Motel, and 1985 – How the Other Half Loves by Alan Ayckbourn. As winners with Da in 1982, the Society represented the Amateur Drama League at the International Festival of Drama in Manchester.

Rush Dramatic Society Co. Ltd. is a company limited by guarantee, without having a share capital. It is a non-for-profit organisation.

Millbank Theatre & Recent History

The theatre was built in 1988 and extended and refurbished in 2002. It is wholly-owned and controlled by Rush Dramatic Society and is a unique venue in Irish cultural life

In 1986 the Society purchased a property at Chapel Green, Rush and through Government/Local Authority grant aid, its own resources and a FAS Project, the Millbank Theatre opened in 1988. Since the theatre first opened, almost 100,000 patrons have enjoyed over 90 productions by Rush Dramatic Society.

Throughout the year, we stage five productions by Rush Dramatic Society.

In February each year, we host the opening festival in the ADCI competitive season and this festival has become a firm favourite with our audiences.

We also host numerous musical gigs and community events throughout the year.

With over 100 members, Rush Dramatic Society continues to provide quality entertainment and challenging plays, as well as serving the community by providing a high-quality, state-of-the-art venue in which many events can be hosted.

Our primary aim is to “to foster a love of drama and theatre in the community”.

Theatre Technical Details

New Auditorium
  • 6 X Thomas CE 1Kw Parcan Spotting Lantern, complete with colour frames, barn door, lens guard.
  • 8 X Strand Coda 1Kw Cyclorama Flooding Lantern, complete with colour frames, barn door, lens guard.
  • 6 X LEDJ Q Colour 18 x 8W RGBW
  • 5 X 8.00 Metre x 48mm OD internally wired Lighting Bar complete with 12 x 15 amp socket outlets. F.O.H x 1 (channels 1 thru 12) and Onstage x 4 (channels 13 thru 60). Channels 61 thru 64 auditorium stage right, 65 thru 68 auditorium stage left, channels 69 thru 70 onstage floor level stage left, and channels 71 thru 72 floor level stage right.
  • 1 X Element ETC 40 125 Channel 999.9 Lighting control system complete
    with 40 fully overlapping submasters. DMX 1 and DMX 2 outputs. Utilises
    ETC Element Software
  • 3 X Strand LD90 Digital Dimmer Unit comprising 24 x 2.5 KW dimmers,
    multiplex interface unit for DMX 512, D54 and analogue output, 99 preset
    memories, maximum and minimum output voltages, selection of non-dim
    operations for dimmers, MCB fusing and for 3 phase N+E supply to all
    publication LD90.
  • 8 X Strand SL 15/32 600-watt coolbeam Profile Spotting Lantern.
  • 2 X Strand Brio 25/50 600-watt Profile Spotting Lantern.
  • 1 X Strand Quartet 22/40 650-watt Profile Spotting Lantern.
  • 8 X Strand Cantata F 1200-watt Spotting Lantern, complete with colour frames, barn door, lens guard.
  • 2 X Strand Cantata PC 1200-watt Spotting Lantern, complete with colour frames, barn door, lens guard.
  • 2 X Strand Harmony F 1000-watt Spotting Lantern, complete with colour frames, barn door, lens guard.
  • 17 X Strand Quartet F 650-watt Spotting Lantern, complete with colour frames, barn door, lens guard.
  • 2 X Strand Quartet PC 650-watt Spotting Lantern, complete with colour frames, barn door, lens guard.
  • 4 X Strand Prelude F 650-watt Spotting Lantern, complete with colour frames, barn door, lens guard.
  • 1 X Strand Prelude PC 650-watt Spotting Lantern, complete with colour frames, barn door, lens guard.
New Auditorium
  • Panasonic PT-FRZ50BEJ Projector
    5,200 ANSI Lumens, Laser, WUXGA, Short Throw, DLP Technology Projector, 16Kg, Black - 1.46-2.94:1
    https://store.midwich.com/products/details/PANPTFRZ50BEJ
    Including additional lens for throw distance
  • 2 x Inter M 250 Watt stereo amplifiers
  • 2 x EV SX300e speakers at the front.
  • 2 x EV SX80b speakers at the back of stage, used for sound effects usually.
  • (Not In Use) 1 x Midas Venice 160 mixing console.
  • 1 x CD players.
  • 1 * Yamaha DVD Player Blue Ray
  • 1 x Stonewood Audio Intercom system for communications between sound/lights booth and backstage.
  • 1 x 100 volt PA system used for announcements in lounge and Foyer.
  • 1 x 100 volt PA system for communicating from backstage to dressing rooms.
  • 1 x Midas M32R Live Midas M 32 R Live, Digital Mixer, 16 Mic Inputs, 8 XLR Outputs, 8 DCA and 6 Mute Groups, 25 Motor Faders, 5" Colour D..
  • Midas DL32 Digital Stagebox with 32 In- and 16 Outputs, 19", 3HE, AES50 Netzwerk (Klark Teknik), Up to 100 m networking
  • 1 iPad running Qlabs 5.0+
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  • Tabs on pulley 3 feet from back wall – can be used to conceal cyc and give access across stage
  • A gauze curtain on pulleys approximately 15 Ft from the back wall
  • On stage floor, approx 4Ft from back wall are 4 * 220V Sockets – 2 either side
  • 4 dimmer points on walls at floor lever – 2 each side
  • 3 * Legs for masking( Angle adjustable) each side of the stage
  • Access for Scenery is from street via fire doors onto stage
  • Seating (capacity 140) is tiered from floor to ceiling, i.e. audience looking down on stage
  • Stage is not raked, i.e. flat Stage size is Width 28 Feet, Height to Lighting Grid 15.5 Feet, Depth from back wall to aprox max playing area 23 Feet
  • There are 2 * 6 Ft doors at the back of the stage either side
  • There is some wing space stage right
  • A cyclorama on the back wall from floor to grid between the 2 doors
  • With 140 seats we can accommodate large bookings. With many performances from Theatre, Musicals and Live Music there really isn't a bad seat in the house.
  • Our Theatre is mobility friendly with accessibity to a lift.

Eircode

K56 W942

Directions by Bus

Route No. 33 from Abbey Street, Dublin 1 or from Swords, Skerries or Balbriggan

Directions by Train

From City Centre stations (Pearse, Tara Street or Connolly), take the Northern Commuter Route to Rush/Lusk station. Travel from there to Rush by taxi or Route 33 Bus

Directions by Car

Take Exit 4 off the M1 and travel along the old N1 (R132). Exit at Blake’s Cross onto the R127. Follow the sign posts to Rush (approx 8km)