A Night of Musical Theatre in Nenagh
On Saturday, February 17, lights will go up and Grace Shesgreen will bring a Night of Musical Theatre to Nenagh Arts Centre. The concert will feature friends from near and far who have been part of Grace’s musical journey in life, which is exactly what this night promises to be. Focused on songs and people that have shaped Grace’s life, it is the voices that will form the centre piece of the evening set against a minimalistic backdrop of washed colours of purple and green, symbolic with the colours of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, the sole benefactors of the evening.
MC for the evening is Katie Sheehan of SPIN Southwest. Grace is not only extremely grateful to those who have given their time to make the evening a success, but the support she has received from businesses in the town and those attending what is her first solo production.
Now in her final year in American College Dublin studying a BA in Musical Theatre, and with her college’s permission to perform along with students at ACD, she is excited to bring about her first headlining show in her hometown where you are promised to see some of Ireland’s upcoming and emerging talent.
Having been involved in musical theatre since the age of 6, Grace has performed in a number of productions with Nenagh Choral, as recent as Vivienne Kensington in their production of Legally Blonde. Classically and theatrically vocally trained by Deirdre Hanniffy, Birr, Grace is affiliated to Royal Irish Academy of Music. Following a chance opportunity thanks to Albert Purcell of BSR to briefly collaborate with Joe Csibi of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the local In Tune For Life Orchestra as part of the highly successful ‘An Evening With…’ concerts in St Mary’s for three years running, Grace has performed alongside Eurovision winner Eimear Quinn, Liam Lawton and Phil Coulter. In 2019, Grace travelled to France and performed with the ITFLO led by TG4 Grádham Ceol Winner, Ned Kelly.
The concert is a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, and an opportunity for Grace to give back to the organisation which has been a continuous part of her life. As a person living with Cystic Fibrosis and an ambassador for CF Ireland, she has applied her talents to help CFI in any way she can, appearing on RTÉ’s Today Show with Maura and Daithí, and on SPIN Southwest Radio, to raise awareness for CF Ireland’s national fundraising day, 65 Roses Day and most recently appeared in CFI House performing for Culture Night.
Away from the Nenagh stage, affiliated to ACD productions, Grace has performed in the Séan O’Casey Theatre, The Mill Theatre Dundrum, and this coming May will take to the stage as Reno Sweeney in their final year production of Anything Goes, at The Mill, and a showcase on the Peacock Stage, at The Abbey Theatre.
As a recent recipient of The National AIMS Bursary, on recommendation by NCS, Grace is looking forward to completing her studies and embarking on the next chapter of her passion for the theatre and the desire to see her abilities beyond their doors and into the industry.
Something very important for Grace on this special night is to be surrounded by friends, family, and colleagues whose voices need to shine through.
She is incredibly proud of her young students with whom she teaches in Jennifer’s School of Music in Nenagh, who will take to the stage for the first time. It’s a night not to be missed.
TICKET DETAILS
A Night of Musical Theatre, Saturday, February 17, at 7.30pm with doors open from 7pm. Tickets are available only at Nenagh Arts Centre, www.nenagharts.com or on 067 34400, priced €22.