Bridge Drama play success for Sean
As the RTE All Ireland Drama Festival approaches, Wexford teenager Sean Byrne has every reason to feel excited and proud.
Sean, a son of Rosemary and John Byrne of Newtown Road, is the youngest cast member of Bridge Drama Group’s production of Neil Simon’s play Brighton Beach Memoirs and has scooped several ‘Best Actor’ awards for the lead role of Eugene Jerome.
The award-winning production was selected as a finalist in the all-Ireland festival which is taking place in Athlone from Thursday, May 2 to Friday, May 10, with an awards ceremony on Saturday, May 11.
Set in 1937 in Brooklyn during the Depression, it features Eugene who lives in Brighton Beach with his family. He is witty, perceptive, obsessed with sex and forever fantasising about his baseball triumphs as a star pitcher for the New York Yankees.
Bus as World War 11 looms ever closer, Eugene sees his innocence slipping away as the first important era of his life ends and another begins.
As part of the drama group’s preparations for the All-Ireland, the show will return to the National Opera House on April 25 and 26 with tickets on sale at www.nationaloperahouse.ie or telephone 053 9122144.
Seventeen years old Sean, a student at St. Peter’s College, is no stranger to the stage having started his drama training with the Carmel Wallace School of Performing Arts 10 years ago, taking main roles in many shows and performances. Two years ago, he was nominated for Best Actor in the All-Ireland Drama Festival for his part in ‘Lost in Yonkers’.
Many people may recognise him from his performance in the RTÉ Drama series ‘Clean Break’ written by Billy Roche.
Director Lauren Corish Wallace, said everyone in the school is very proud of Sean’s achievements and excited about his future career.
Lauren also congratulated past student Cillian Tobin from Castlebridge who has won awards on the drama circuit for his role as Stanley in the same play. Cillian, aged 19, is currently studying Drama in Dublin Institute of Technology.
‘We would also like to wish Cillian every success on his journey’, said Lauren.