Top award for Portrush Music Society

Portrush Music Society’s production of Hot Mikado has won first prize in the ‘best visuals’ category at the Association of Irish Musical Societies.
AIMSAIMS
AIMS

The award us given to the show that best combines a range of contributing factors including Hair, Make-Up, Costume, Lighting, Property and Set Design.

The adjudicator from AIMS praised all of these aspects of the show.

Following on from the success of Titanic the Musical at both the UK and Irish awards, this is the second award-winning show directed by Kerry Dunn in successive years.

The set, constructed and managed by the ineffable Sean Magee from Kerry’s design, transposed the audience to the fictional Japanese town of Titipu, where flirting was punishable by death.

The stage was a visual delight of iconic Japanese architectural motif and outrageously daring costume, inspired by Manga comic book illustration. It was generally agreed that the Tit Willow song, performed to Helen Wilkinson as Katisha by Alan McClarty playing Ko-Ko, accompanied by a specially composed animated film produced by Danny McCloskey, was the highlight of the show.

Philip Bradshaw did an excellent job on the lighting design and execution. The Society’s in-house costume department, consisting chiefly of Addis Blair, Maureen McDowell, Phyllis Michael, Kate Porter and Victoria Creelman, ensured that traditional Japanese styling was fused seamlessly with the most colourful youth street fashion of modern Tokyo.

The detailing on the outfits withstood the closest of examinations, and individual cast members also contributed to the overall effect by embellishing their own costumes as well as being chiefly responsible for their own make-up.

Local audiences will be pleased to know that Kerry is again taking the helm for next year’s show, and auditions have already taken place to select a cast for Sister Act the Musical.

Excitement is building and we can all anticipate an even more stunning visual and musical delight when the show hits the stage at the Riverside Theatre, Coleraine at the end of April 2014.

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