1,500 children from all over Cork take to the Opera House stage

IT’S that time of year when hardworking youngsters finally get on stage and show their talents!

At the Opera House this Saturday and Sunday, May 25 and 26, The Montfort College of Performing Arts Applause 2022 takes place, a song and dance extravaganza featuring over 1,500 students from all over Cork city and county.

Performances at 1pm and 6pm Saturday, and noon (already sold out) and 5pm on Sunday. 

Expect spectacular costumes and every kind of dance style, together with hits from Broadway and Disney.

Next Tuesday, it’s Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance from The Performers Academy, a theatrical showcase where 400 students, aged 3-20, display their talents and passion for the stage. Directed by Irene Warren, it’s already sold out!

Then, on Thursday, May 26, Billie-Jean’s RDC & School of Performing Arts presents The Bus Stop, a nostalgic musical theatre performance for all the family.

Produced and directed by Billie-Jean Sargent and Deborah Desmond, it starts at 6.30pm.

Call 021 427 0022 or see www.corkoperahouse.ie

Yet more: at the Firkin Crane on June 2-3, CADA Performing Arts present Encore, a programme of all kinds of dance, showcasing the future stars of stage and screen. Booking on 021 450 7487 or www.firkincrane.ie

And the CADA Summer Schools is coming up at the end of June and start of July, so if you have a stage-mad child, call 021 4866 389 or see info@cadaperformingarts.ie.

It’s the last night of the Banff Mountain Film Festival at the Everyman this evening. Marvel at the world’s best adventure filmmakers and explorers as they push themselves to the limits in remote and stunning corners of the globe.

Tomorrow night, Baby Bushka bring the Kate Bush experience of your dreams with all the favourite songs.

Dezperado stage their Tribute to the Eagles on Saturday, May 21, while on Tuesday, May 24, it’s UnCorked, the Cork independent music showcase. Rasputin’s Boots, Ora Fantoma, Mossy, Skies Behind, The Flavours - a chance to discover and connect with these amazing new acts. 6.30pm start.

Then, from Thursday, May 26, to Saturday, May 28, Four Rivers Theatre Company presents Happy Birthday Dear Alice, Bernard Farrell’s much-loved comedy, directed by Jim Nolan.

Concerning the efforts of a dysfunctional family to commit their aging yet resilient mother to a nursing home so they can sell her house, it is at once an affectionate hymn to old age and a ruthlessly comic dissection of family life from the master of dark comedy. What a great mix of events!

Call 021 450 1673 or see www.everymancork.com for all these.

Noe for something interesting coming up at Cork Arts Theatre next week: from May 24-28,

Suisha Arts and Cope Foundation in partnership with Ciarán Bermingham, present Where’s My Art? This is a co-created theatre production reflects on the lived experiences of disabled artists and their representation in the creative sector. It will make you think differently about where we all start from and what we do with our lives. 8pm start each night.

Call 021 450 5624 or see www.corkartstheatre.com for more information and tickets.

And finally, Blackwater Valley Opera Festival returns from May 31 to June 6 in the wonderful setting of Lismore Castle, with Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, conducted by Peter Whelan and directed by David Bolger.

Competition for tickets to this major event in the operatic year is fierce, so don’t delay.

Excitingly, the production will feature artistic collaborations with the Irish Baroque Orchestra and award-winning CoisCéim Dance Theatre. Can you think of a more beautiful evening out?

Classical music recitals and concerts, schools and free events, and dining experiences at fantastic venues throughout the Blackwater Valley are also in the mix.

See https://blackwatervalleyoperafestival.com/.