Festival
Welcome to the pages of the 2020 annual Rush Drama Festival.
We are delighted to be hosting our 17th Festival with a spectacular line-up of 9 plays never before performed at the Millbank Theatre. We are sure there is something there to suit all tastes. Bookings on 01 843 7475
Please welcome our adjudicator Walker Ewart O.B.E
WALKER EWART has been adjudicating at local and national levels in Ireland, Scotland and England for twenty-one years this year. Retired, he was formerly a French/Spanish teacher for 24 years before becoming Schools’ Inspector. He was awarded the O.B.E. for ‘services to education’ in the 2013 New Year’s honours list.
At age 14 he first took to the stage in the role of Sir Oliver Surface in Sheridan’s ‘School for Scandal’ and has been active in drama ever since. He took part in his first competitive drama festival in 1975. For over the past 50+ years he has been involved with the amateur drama circuit as an actor, director, and administrator.
A past chairman of the Association of Ulster Drama Festivals, he appeared in several AUDF finals in the Grand Opera House and the Lyric Theatre, Belfast most notably as Torvald in ‘A Doll’s House’ with Bangor Drama Club (also in Athlone), ‘The Gentle Island’ with Bangor (this play later went to Florida), ‘Observe the Sons of Ulster …’ (winners) with Bangor and ‘ Amadeus’ (winners) with Holywood Players (also in Athlone).
He has adjudicated the All-Ireland Full-length Finals in Athlone in 2008 & 2015, the All-Ireland One-Act Finals in 2003 & 2012; the All-Ireland Full-length Confined Finals in 2005 & 2012, the N. Ireland One-Act Finals in 2006 & 2016, the British One-Act Finals in Enniskillen in 2009 & Belfast 2017, the Scottish Community Drama finals in Inverness in May 2011 and the Ulster Drama Finals in May 2013. In Scotland, he has adjudicated in such diverse locations as Portree in Skye, Grangemouth, Orkney, Birnam & Edinburgh.
Walker is proud to have held several posts, including Chairman, of Bangor Drama Club and Bangor Drama Festival in the past. In his retirement, he continues to teach French to members of U3a (the University of the Third Age). He also takes weekend drama courses for local groups throughout Ireland. He is currently the Chairman of the judging panel for the recently introduced New Play-writing Competition in Ireland.
He is delighted to be making his first visit as an adjudicator to Rush.
Programme of Events
| Date | Production |
|---|---|
| Fri Feb 21st 8.00pm | Ballycogley PlayersDreamlandby Jim Nolan |
| Sat Feb 22nd 8.00pm | Phoenix PlayersThe Communication Cordby Brian Friel |
| Sun Feb 23rd 8.00pm | Kilmeen Drama GroupSharon's Graveby John B Keane |
| Mon Feb 24th 8.00pm | Kilmuckridge Drama GroupDaughter from over the waterbyMJ Molloy |
| Tue Feb 25th 8.00pm | Thurles Drama GroupGutbyFrances Poet |
| Wed Feb 26th 8.00pm | Camross Drama GroupThe Year of the Hikerby John B. Keane |
| Thur Feb 27th 8.00pm | Sillan Players At the Black Pig's Dykeby Vincent Woods |
| Fri Feb 28th 8.00pm | Prosperous Drama GroupOur Few And Evil daysby Mark O'Rowe |
| Sat Feb 29th 8.00pm | Palace PlayersChapattiby Christian O'Reilly |
Previous Festivals
Festival 2013 Festival 2012 Festival 2011 Festival 2010 Festival 2009 Festival 2008 Festival 2007 Festival 2006 Festival 2005Under the auspices of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland, the Rush Drama Festival was founded in 2004 and is now an important part of the Millbank Theatre calendar.
