Tickets ON SALE NOW!
The Last High Queen of Ireland
The world premiere of a new musical based on the life
of the last high queen of Ireland, Gormlaith, the wife of Brian Boru
with music by Rosemary Caine, written by Talaya Delaney
directed and co-created by Linda McInerney
July 9-12 & 16-19, 2009
8:00 pm Thurs. – Sat. & Sundays at 2:00 pm
Reid Theatre, Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA
Tickets are $25 & $20 st/sr available at the door or online at:
CABOTIX.COM
or (413) 559-7678
Starring Stephanie Carlson as Gormlaith, Thom Griffin as Brian Boru and Maureen McElligott as the Sorceress, Aval, The Last High Queen of Ireland transports you to the land of 11th century Ireland where enchantment and mystery fill the air. Filled with passion, magic and power, The Last High Queen of Ireland shows what happens when vaulting ambition o’erleaps itself through the lyricism of modern Irish music and the mystical qualities of shape-shifting theater. It follows the journey of Gormlaith, considered the most beautiful woman of her time, who was the third wife of Brian Boru. Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland who attempted to unify Ireland and forge a common Irish identity, is celebrated in Irish history. Gormlaith, an equally intriguing and powerful figure, has disappeared from historical narrative altogether. Hers is a fierce and dark tale in which issues of gender, power, political transformation, and memory merge.
Summer theatre for children at Eaglebrook
Summer Theatre at Eaglebrook School
A new program for boys and girls ages 8 -12 on the beautiful campus of Eaglebrook School in Deerfield MA.
Eaglebrook School and Old Deerfield Productions offer two sessions of summer theatre for children:
SOLD OUT – August 3 -7 Clowning Around Shakespeare: learn about stage play and combat, comic bits, delightful language and the joy that play can bring all while relishing the language of the Bard.
A FEW SPOTS LEFT – August 10-14 Old Deerfield Alive: nestled in the land once inhabited by the Pocumtuck Indians, Deerfield is a town filled with action and adventure from as far back as 1704. Play through those adventures and learn about the history of our region.
Running time of camp, 9 am to 3 pm with mornings devoted to theatre games and then on to rehearsal. Recess will take place in the afternoon with activities including swimming in Schwab Pool, walking to the Rock, playing on the fields, and enjoying the gym. Performance each Friday afternoon to showcase week’s work with parents and friends invited to each performance. Each play is derived from games and improvisation and movement is incorporated into each “production.”
The cost is $175 per session with a limit of fifteen children with check payable to Old Deerfield Productions at 7 Memorial Street Deerfield, MA 01342. Deposit of $50 to reserve your spot is required at registration with remainder due by June 15. If a child signs up for both sessions the cost is $300. (savings of $50) and we offer a savings of $25 per session for siblings.
Founded in 1922, Eaglebrook School is a located on 750 acres along Pocumtuck Ridge in Deerfield, MA just off of Routes 5 and 10 in the village of Old Deerfield. The Percival Theatre is a 260 seat theatre featuring beautiful acoustics and flexible seating. To learn more about Eaglebrook School visit: www.eaglebrook.org
Our director: Elizabeth Wojtusik has taught children’s theatre for as long as twenty years and as far as Martha’s Vineyard, New York City, Boston, Northampton, and Egypt. She is a co-founder and contributing writer to “The Fabulists,” a “high-energy, audience-participationfamily theatre on the Vineyard. Elizabeth studied acting in New York, loves to climb upon the boards herself, and has recently published a children’s book geared toward very young readers. Click here for our brochure:
What is your dream?
What is your dream?
We at Old Deerfield Productions seek to rise to President Obama’s call to help our communities and fellow citizens. We have thought about what we can do to make an enduring commitment to our neighborhoods while carrying out our mission and to that end we are creating the WHAT IS YOUR DREAM Program.
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM is a visiting artist program that provides the public schools with artists to share their skills, imagination and inspiration to young people where budgets and performing arts curricula have been reduced. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM will offer a variety of workshops on a sliding scale from free to a small fee in many areas of the performing arts and seek input from teachers to craft workshops that suit their needs.
Here are our first two artist offerings:
FREEDOM WRITERS, FREEDOM ACTORS – Heather Lord and Angelica Castro offer workshops on embracing diversity for children. The focus is to strip away misunderstandings, prejudices, and racism, while embracing identity. It is our belief that we can do more than simply tolerate difference, that difference is something to be celebrated and cherished. We seek to teach children to look for difference with relish. The joy of interconnection is learning about the ways we are the same and different and to love both.
Using a series of theatre games and role play (some made famous in the film, Freedom Writers) we guide children to step outside their comfort zones and try new ways of thinking. We use writing as a medium to craft performance art that is created by the students. The students use a series of prompts like, “I am from…”, and “One day I will….“Music is part of this workshop – we all meet in the heartbeat, the drum beat, and when we share that beat we are one. This is a workshop designed for middle school aged children.
CULTURE OF THE EMERALD ISLE: Rosemary Caine offers a workshop for all ages that covers the mythical, mystical women of Celtic lore. She is a composer, singer, harpist and storyteller who has excavated numerous goddesses and great women from Irish oblivion and offers their songs and stories to inspire and engage young people. This workshop is free.
ILLUMINATING THE IMAGINATION: a workshop of physicality, exploration, and creativity in developing original work with Troy David Mercier
“But how does one go from imagination to creation?” With an ensemble, I am able and willing to answer this question through a unique, physical process that teaches essential qualities and skills for the future generation of theater artists. These qualities and skills include and are not limited to: generosity of spirit, special awareness, self-confidence, trust, discipline, strength, and perseverance. Through a genuine spirit of love and generosity, I offer my awareness, talents, and skills to empower others in their own bodies through a process of physicality, exploration, and development of original work.- Troy David Mercier
We seek artists who would like to participate in this program that we will administrate and promote. If you would like to serve let us know at lmciner@gmail.com
Auditions for world premiere of new musical The Last High Queen of Ireland
AUDITIONS ON MARCH 29TH FROM 12 PM – 4 PM AT NCMC – NORTHAMPTON COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER on South Street in Northampton.
Please prepare a song and be ready to read from the script. Rosemary’s music is like traditional Irish music with a modern flair.
Auditions are for a play with music based on the life of the last high queen of Ireland, Gormlaith, the wife of Brian Boru with music by Rosemary Caine and book and lyrics by Talaya Delaney
Music rehearsals for principals and chorus will take place during evenings the first two weeks of June followed by a rehearsal schedule taking place on evenings and weekends at Deerfield Academy.
Directed by Linda McInerney presented by Old Deerfield Productions with music coaching by Jane Hanson. Set design by Amy B. Davis, Costume design by Brooke Steinhauser, Dramaturgy by Marissa Elkins, Lighting design by Calvin Anderson.
Performed in the Reid Theatre at Deerfield Academy on July 9-12 and 16-19, 2009
Casting for the following roles- four women and six men plus a chorus of men and women:
Gormlaith: the Viking Queen: the last high queen of Ireland, wife of Brian Boru- Soprano/Mezzo Soprano (20’s – 40’s)
Aval: a crone from the old ways- cast
Brian Boru: the last high king of Ireland (60’s)- High Baritone
Olaf: first husband of Gormlaith (30’s)- High Baritone- doubles with chorus
Malachy: second husband of Gormlaith (30’s – 40’s)- doesn’t sing- doubles with chorus
Young Gormlaith- Mezzo Soprano – (should be able to pass for 13 and then to 18)- doubles with chorus
Emer: daughter of Brian from a previous marriage- Mezzo soprano -Doubles with chorus (20’s)
Maelmora: brother of Gormlaith- Baritone- Doubles with chorus (20’s – 30’s)
Sigurd- Bass- Doubles with chorus (20’s -30’s)
Bromir- Bass- Doubles with chorus(20’s -30’s)
Sitric: son of Gormlaith- High Baritone- Doubles with chorus (20’s)
A chorus of 6/8 men
A chorus of 6/8 women