Athlone Little Theatre celebrates Heritage Week with exciting launch

'Voices From Behind The Curtain' – an evening to launch the start of a new oral history project for Athlone Little Theatre – takes place on Friday, August 22 at 8pm.

As the theatre prepares to celebrate the 90th anniversary of its foundation, the public is invited to hear first-hand the theatrical experiences of those who have contributed to the cultural life of Athlone and its environs. The evening will feature on-stage interviews with some of the theatre's longest-serving members interspersed with readings from their favourite productions, recalling the many memorable moments in the theatre's long and storied history. Joe MacCarrick will act as MC on the night.

The Heritage Week event will also serve as a launch pad for a larger oral history project which will be undertaken in the coming season. This will include audio interviews, podcasts, an exhibition and a digital archive to serve as a durable testament to the valuable contributions made by so many over nine decades in Athlone Little Theatre.

Renowned theatre historian Dr Fiona Brennan will officially launch the project with a short talk on the night.

"I am absolutely honoured to have been invited to be a part of the company’s exciting launch of plans to celebrate its 90th anniversary with an ambitious oral history project. I know only too well how important it is to listen to and record the voices and memories of people about amateur drama, a forgotten part of Ireland's history,” says Dr Brennan.

“I've met so many people up and down the country since I began recording interviews and it has been wonderful. And, I have to say how grateful I am to members of the Athlone Little Theatre who have never shied away from helping me over the years!

Admission is free. Booking advised via Eventbrite or athlonelittletheatre.ie. This event is supported by the Heritage Council under the Community Grant 2025.

“I’m also looking forward to doing a workshop, Exploring your community’s amateur drama history, the following day (August 23). ALT is going to set the bar very high in terms of recording amateur drama history, especially after amateur drama’s formal State recognition last year, when it was inscribed on the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage,” adds Dr Brennan.

The workshop facilitated by the theatre historian takes place on Saturday, August 23 in Athlone Little Theatre from 10am to noon. This should be of interest to drama fans or groups across the region who want to learn basic research skills to explore their community's amateur drama history. All are welcome.