Dean Crowe launching new online series highlighting local groups

The Dean Crowe Theatre in Athlone is this week starting a new series of free online interviews and live entertainment focusing on community organisations in the area.

The weekly 'Dean Crowe Dialogues' events will be recorded live on Thursday evenings and Athlone Musical Society will be featured in the first one tomorrow, April 15, at 8pm.

"Dean Crowe Dialogues will host a number of guests, spark some conversation, a bit of nostalgia and invite active involvement from the audience," said the venue in a press release about the initiative.

The episodes are designed to cover all areas of the community from heritage to health care, education to environment, sport, business, hospitality, and tourism as well as Arts, culture and entertainment.

Athlone GAA Club, Athlone Boat Club, and other community organisations are due to take part over the coming weeks.

The series will be presented via Zoom and can be accessed each Thursday at 8pm by visiting the theatre's website: www.deancrowetheatre.com.

"At a time when we cannot bring people together inside the doors of the Dean Crowe, our aim with this project is to support the many outstanding clubs, societies and groups in our community," said the manager of the venue, Killian Collins.

"Giving a platform to these groups and reconnecting with our audience, these short episodes should provide some focus and hope as we all move closer to reopening."

He said the episodes would all be recorded from home for now, but that this might change as time goes on. They will also feature a number of local artists, with performances throughout the series.

"The hope would be to develop it into something that's filmed in the bar or on the stage at the Dean Crowe Theatre, and maybe even with a live audience down the road."

The theatre has been closed for live performances for more than a year now - since March 12, 2020 - and the return of in-person shows and events is being planned, tentatively, for this autumn.

"We are in the process of developing an autumn season of in-person events with some digital and hybrid events also in the mix. These will be announced during the summer," explained Killian.

'Dean Crowe Dialogues' is being supported in part by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Westmeath County Council Covid-19 Emergency Fund, and it's part of the Government's 'Keep Well' campaign.

If you would like your organisation to feature in the series, email: manager@deancrowetheatre.com