Auditions open for Drimnagh’s Oz panto

“IT’S THE ‘Wicked’ story and the ‘Wizard of Oz’ story together for panto,” explains Nicole McDonald, producer of the upcoming Drimnagh Panto.

‘Drimnagh Goes to Oz’ is the product of inspiration to blend the stories of ‘Wizard of Oz’ and ‘Wicked’ together with a local twist, with jokes and references appealing toward the Drimnagh community.

This was inspired by a common love for the story of ‘Wizard of Oz’, as well as the success of the recent ‘Wicked’ films.

The show is currently in the early stages of production, having recently secured a director and formed a production team, and the crew are currently hoping to recruit local children for auditions.

Funding for the production is dependent solely on ticket sales, which provides a financial challenge for Nicole as producer, as she emphasises the show “needs to be successful” to make up production costs.

In regard to space, Nicole does not see any immediate problems, as large numbers of children will likely be put into groups for performances.

As well as this, the venue of Mourne Road holds up to 350 people, providing “a lot of space” for rehearsals and performances.

Nicole would like to thank John from Our Lady’s Hall for accommodating the production, Rob Murphy for giving her the opportunity to produce the show, and directors Aisling O’Mara and Róisín Currid.

Auditions take place on October 11 in Our Lady’s Hall, Mourne Road; the junior chorus is looking for children aged 5 to 14 years old, while the senior chorus is looking for auditionees aged over 15 years.

The production crew are also looking for people who can fill lead roles.

Auditions for the chorus are from 10am to 12pm, and lead auditions are from 12pm to 2pm.

Anyone who is interested in auditioning is asked to contact Nicole at 0876641022 or email Steptacularemails@gmail.com.