Christmas cheer in Mayo with 'Festive Harmony' concerts

After 10 sell-out shows, Anne Marie Gibbons is back once again for the highly anticipated Festive Harmony concerts at the Westport Town Hall Theatre on Friday and Saturday, December 15 and 16, at 8pm.

She will be joined by Ewa Cieślak, Ronan Egan, the Cresham Academy of Irish Dancing, the Mayo School of Ballet, Gaelscoil Raifteirí Castlebar, the Brackloon and Carrakennedy School Choirs, Féile Chois Cuain Youth Group, pianist Richard Lewis and some very special guests, to present a varied programme including dance and musical theatre favourites, all full of Christmas cheer!

Mayo-born and based Anne Marie Gibbons has performed all over the world in some of the most renowned theatres and concert halls.

Such international credits include performances in Covent Garden London, Paris, Madrid, Adelaide, Lausanne, New York and Sydney.

In Ireland she has appeared with orchestras including the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Irish Baroque Orchestra and the Irish Chamber Orchestra.

Ronan Egan has come to prominence in the West of Ireland in recent years taking the lead male roles in a number of musical theatre productions including Fiddler on the Roof, South Pacific and more recently White Christmas, Annie and All Shook Up.

Ewa Cieślak is from Poland and graduated from the Academy of Music in Lódz. As a student, musical theatre productions included The Lion King, Evita and Dance of the Vampires.

She recently joined the Castlebar Musical and Dramatic Society and played the role of Sylvia in it’s most recent production All Shook Up in The Royal Theatre, Castlebar.

The Cresham Academy of Irish Dancing (performing on Friday, December 15, only) has a strong presence around Louisburgh, Westport and Castlebar catering for children and adults at all levels.

Bernadine and Louise Cresham, Directors, are vastly experienced and their names are synonomous with success in the world of Irish Dancing.

The Cresham Academy is renowned not only for turning out championship winning dancers but also for teaching every dancer to the best of their individual ability.

The Mayo School of Ballet, based in Westport and Castlebar (performing on Saturday, December 16, only), offers Ballet & Contemporary Modern Jazz classes to children aged from 5-18 years.

The school will showcase some of their senior dancers in this concert.

Richard Lewis performs an eclectic soirée of song selections that range from the cheesy to the downright inspired. Not only is Lewis’ patter quick-fire and knowledgeable, but his piano playing is sublime with selections that range from The Lion King (Disney’s Hamlet) and Queen, through to Beethoven!

The above artists will be joined by Gaelscoil Raifteirí Castlebar (Friday, December 15), the Brackloon and Carrakennedy School Choirs (Saturday, December 16) with the Féile Chois Cuain Youth Group and the following very special guests performing both nights: Emer Biggins, Nicole Fair, Patrick Ludden, Aimee McNamara, Ava O’Malley, Anna Prendergast and Hannah Sheridan.

So, plenty of music, song and dance is guaranteed!!!

For booking details contact (098) 28459 or log on to www.westporttheatre.com