Newtownstewart Theatre Company going from strength-to-strength

The story of Newtownstewart Theatre Company is one of resilience, passion for drama, and a strong sense of community support.

Founded by Frank Bolton, Frank McGillion, and Michael Cassidy, the company emerged from the remnants of the old ‘Backburners’ to establish the Newtownstewart Drama Festival, which has thrived for three decades.

Whilst many drama societies across Tyrone have, unfortunately, fallen by the wayside, Newtownstewart Theatre Company has gone from strength-to-strength and they are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year.

The society are currently preparing their take on Enda Walsh’s ‘The New Electric Ballroom’, a tale of three sisters, two of whom are still pining over lost love and make it their mission to ensure their third, younger sister, doesn’t befall the same fate.

PASSION

Taking up the story of how the company came to be, Frank Bolton explains, “Frank (McGillion) was a part of the Lifford Players like another of our members Fintan Gallagher, and they were both bitten by the acting bug. We thought to ourselves, ‘Why we are not doing this in our own town?’ So we decided that we needed our own festival and set about making it a reality. Newtown people always had a good interest in drama so it made sense that we would start our own festival for the locals.”

Frank added that, whilst there was much support for the festival in the local community, objections did arise mainly from other festivals. He explains, “There were a lot of different drama festivals going on all across Ireland at the time and everyone was, understandably, vying for the same talent. I think they didn’t like more competition!”

With that, the Newtownstewart Drama Festival was born, with a seven-night drama extravaganza beginning in 1992.

JOHN B KEANE

A copy of the first programme from the first Newtownstewart Drama Festival still survives and there is even a special message therein from Irish dramatist powerhouse John B Keane.

So how did the celebrated writer of ‘The Field’, ‘Sive’ (which appeared in the festival’s opening line-up) and ‘Durango’ come to hear about a drama festival in rural Tyrone?

Leanne McGillion, Frank’s niece explains, “Frank loved Keane’s work and used to write to John all the time. They conversed through letters for many a year and so John wrote a little piece that was put in the programme. It was a lovely touch!”

The society then had another fight on its hands; this time to get affiliated as a recognised festival by the powers that be.

“Fair play to Frank (McGillion) he fought and fought and fought for the festival to be recognised,” Frank Bolton remarks.

“It took around six years but Frank wore them down until they relented. The boy said to Frank, ‘OK, now you’re affiliated, but you can only have a confined competition.’ This then sent Frank off again until we could hold both an open and confined competition. A lesser man would have given in after a year or two, but not Frank.”

The inaugural festival was a massive success and was won by a group from Portadown. Ever since, crowds from across the north west and beyond have flocked to St Eugene’s Hall in the town to enjoy a week of wonderful drama.

SUCCESS

Throughout the years, hundreds of plays have treaded the boards of St Eugene’s, both young and old gathering to enjoy quality drama. Success followed too, as the Company, coming second in the All Ireland Drama Finals and winning the prestigious Mellon Bell in 2022.

Fintan Gallagher, a member of the initial committee notes, “The festival is always very well supported by the locals. There were a few years when we did wonder whether it was dipping away, which I suppose is the same for all the festivals around the country. But we’ve persevered with bull determination and community spirit.

“We’ve always had an eye on bringing the younger generation through. Every year the adjudicator would take a drama workshop with pupils from St Patrick’s Primary School and Newtownstewart Model Primary School being given drama lessons. In addition, each play is introduced by a pupil every night so we can make them part of the overall experience. Hopefully they’ll join the company in years to come.”

With so many wonderful plays to choose from, which is Fintan’s favourite?

“Plays such as ‘Borstal Boy,’ ‘A Life,’ ‘Dark of the Moon’ and ‘All Souls Night’ have been part of the repertoire, and we’ve loved performing as much as the audience have loved seeing. There are plenty more which I’d love to do though; a Donegal playwright by the name of Frank McGuinness is a favourite of mine and he has a play called ‘Carthaginians’. It’s on my bucket list.”

BREAK A LEG

The old adage ‘break a leg’, a term of good luck in theatrical circles, doesn’t mean people should literally do so. However that’s exactly what happened on one unfortunate night. Fintan recalls, “We had a group from Portadown and, five minutes before they were due to go on, a woman literally broke her leg in the dressing room! Luckily a member of the backstage crew was able to come on in her place and the show, as they say, could go on.”

Having reached the milestone, whilst groups in places like Dromore, Greencastle and Beragh have fallen by the wayside, Fintan closes by hailing the community spirit which has kept theatre alive in the town.

“We’ve always been hugely supported in the area. Initially, we got a little bit of funding but have relied on the generosity of locals for many years; it’s the reason we can still put the festival on. We ask and the people have delivered and they’re always there when we need them and cannot thank them enough.

“Here’s to another thirty years!”