Bridge Drama Group wins 64 RT All-Ireland Drama Festival

Bridge Drama Group wins 64th RT All-Ireland Drama Festival Monday 9th May, 2016: Bridge Drama Group from Wexford has won the 63rd RT All-Ireland Drama Festival, which was held in the Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone, Co. Westmeath from 28th April - 6th May.

Monday 9th May, 2016: Bridge Drama Group from Wexford has won the 64th RT All-Ireland Drama Festival, which was held in the Dean Crowe Theatre, Athlone, Co. Westmeath from 28th April - 6th May.

Bridge Drama Group received the Perpetual Trophy for its production of Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers at the festival awards ceremony, hosted by RT 's Karina Buckley in the Radisson Hotel, Athlone on Saturday 7th May. The Bridge Drama Group production also won awards for Best Director (Pat Whelan) and Best Stage Setting (Pat Curran, Pat Whelan, Sarah Whelan, Adrian Power, Liam Clancy).

The award for best actor went to Brendan Dunlea of Palace Players for playing Irishman in The Gigli Concert, while Maria Diamond Bruce of Dalkey Players received the Best Actress award for her performance as Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre. The full list of winners is included below and is also available at www.dramafestival.ie.

Under the auspices of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland (ADCI), the nine-day festival saw the top nine amateur drama groups nationally challenge for the overall title as well as a number of other major acting and technical awards. With 30 drama groups competing at 35 local drama festivals nationwide in front of an estimated 200,000 patrons from the end of February to early April, qualification for the nine places at the RT All Ireland Finals is a significant achievement for any amateur drama group.

RT produced daily reports from Brenda Donoghue and Nuala Carey in Athlone on Lorcan Murray's Classic Drive on RT lyric fm, with additional reporting on RT lyric fm's Weekend Drivewith Evelyn Grant. Nationwide on RT One also reported from the festival on Thursday 28th April, while RT 2's News2day covered the festival's Junior Playwriting competition on Wednesday 27th April.

For the full list of winners, visit www.dramafestival.ie or relive the excitement of the festival through updates from both @rte and @AllIrelandDram1 on Twitter using #rtedramafest and#rtedramafestresults.

ENDS

RT All-Ireland Drama Festival 2016 Winners:

Perpetual Trophy: Bridge Drama with Lost In Yonkers'

Best Director: Pat Whelan of Bridge Drama for Lost In Yonkers'

Best Actor: Brendan Dunlea of Palace Players for playing Irishman in The Gigli Concert'

Best Actress: Maria Diamond Bruce of Dalkey Players for playing Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Colin Malone of Prosperous Dramatic Society for playing Alfie in One Man, Two Guvnors'

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Rita Brady of Ennis Players for playing Trilbe Costello in The Loves of Cass McGuire'

Best Stage Management: Liam Farrell of Bunclody/Kilmyshall Drama Group for Moonshine'

Best Stage Lighting: Barry Donaldson of Dalkey Players for Jane Eyre'

Best Stage Setting: Pat Curran, Pat Whelan, Sarah Whelan, Adrian Power, Liam Clancy of Bridge Drama for Lost In Yonkers'

Gormanstown Summer School Scholarship: Mike Crowley of Kilmeen Drama Group

ADCI/DLI Summer School Scholarship: Tim Connaughton of Bunclody/Kilmyshall Drama Group

John Butler Scholarship to D.L.I. Summer School: Claire O'Neill of Prosperous Dramatic Society

Abbey Award: Dundalk Theatre Workshop with Glengarry Glen Ross'

LINK:	http://www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2016/0509/78721...
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