There are many impressive – and starring – roles in this year’s production by the Portlaoise Musical Society, but the one in Come From Away in the Dunamaise Arts Centre this week that struck a chord with us was that of Janice, the rookie news reporter played by Laoise O’Connell.
Come From Away tells the story of the small Canadian town of Gander, which welcomed 7,000 diverted passengers in the aftermath of 9/11.
In a town with a population of about 9,000, that was quite an influx. And they stayed for about a week.
It was a time when social media was non-existent and mobile phones were yet to be absolutely mainstream.
The role of the traditional media was particularly prominent. In Come from Away, the character of Janice, a local reporter, is in her first week in the job when the biggest news story of a lifetime literally lands in their town.
Young Portlaoise woman Laoise O’Connell has grown up around stage schools and drama groups and is a hugely talented performer who has had big roles with the Portlaoise Musical Society for the past couple of years. She has also played roles with the Kilkenny and Roscrea Musical Societies.
A primary school teacher in Monasterevin, she says she is loving this year’s production.
“It’s a really enjoyable show and we’re getting great feedback from the audience. We’ve been playing to a full house every night and while it’s tiring, there is an incredible buzz to it too.”
The full-on nature of the show is in contrast to her day job but this week’s schedule of eight performances (no other amateur group in the country runs for as long) follows on from last their technical week last week where they were doing almost full shows every night also.
“I couldn’t escape it, growing up in the house I did,” she says of her involvement in drama.
Her mother, Joan White, was involved in all the early years of the Portlaoise Musical Society and was on the first committee and it wasn’t long before Laoise was on stage too.
She’s also a qualified dance teacher and teaches locally with the Eileen Moore Dance Academy.
Indeed, after Christmas she’s taking on a different role as choreographer of the first pantomime to be held in Monasterevin; they’re putting on Jack and the Beanstalk.
“We’re so lucky to have such a great venue like the Dunamaise in Portlaoise and we have to look after it at all costs,” she adds.
The role she plays this year took a little bit of prep, particularly the rather unique intonations of the Newfoundland accent.
With so many Irish people having settled in the Canadian province generations ago, many Irishisms remain.
O’Connell does a great job pulling that off as well as portraying the nerves that a young reporter in that situation would have.
Come From Away concludes in the Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise this evening.
SEE ALSO – In Pictures: Portlaoise Musical Society bring the house down again with ‘Come From Away’
