Dublin is a great place to study if you love theatre. With some of Ireland’s most famous theatres right on your doorstep and the Dublin Fringe Festival and Dublin Theatre festival both taking place at the end of this month, you will never be short of something to see!
If watching all these shows have you itching to get on stage (or backstage) you need look no further than Trinity’s own societies. I sat down with the Chair of DU Players, Fiona Murray, and the Chair of Trinity Musical Theatre Society (TMT) Connie Angela McGowan to learn more about their plans for the upcoming year and how students can get involved!
Now leading their respective committees, the pair reflected on how they both got involved with their societies. McGowan found TMT on the Central Societies Committee (CSC) website and auditioned for TMT’s 2022/23 production of Sweet Charity. McGowan noted how at the audition she was “a ball of nerves” but after successfully getting into the production “met one of the best communities and one of the best groups of people I’ve ever met and I just never looked back.” Also starting her campus theatre journey in an audition room, Murray fondly remembers auditioning for her first Freshers Show to get to know people, get involved, and see how things worked in the society. From there, Murray, who had previously only been involved in the performance end of theatre, got more involved with the behind-the-scenes side of theatre through Players’ various intern programs.
One’s first thought when it comes to theatre is often that of performing .Murray provides an alternative way to get involved with the Players Introductory Program (PIPS) which covers various disciplines in theatre from lighting to writing; “It’s a super good gateway into the society and into theatre itself. For me I’ve really gotten into management and I didn’t really know anything about management within theatre before joining Players.” Additionally, the shows in these societies are completely student-run so there are plenty of opportunities to join a production team. McGowan explains, “if being on stage isn’t your gig there’s plenty of room for you behind the stage! We have an array of production team opportunities throughout the year whether it be costume design, stage management, set construction, directing and there’s always the opportunity to run for committee at the AGM every year to take part in the overall running of the society.”
McGowan shared how her team’s main focus this year is “inclusivity and opportunity” which is why for the first time in the society’s existence there will be two annual productions as opposed to one. The shows this year’s committee have decided upon are Footloose and Into the Woods. With a focus on inclusivity, McGowan stressed that to get involved with TMT you don’t need any prior experience; “The beauty of TMT is our members are incredibly diverse and come from degrees of all kinds. Our committee alone has people studying maths, law, pharmacy, film. Any course you can think of we probably have a member studying it. You do not need any experience whatsoever to come join us. We have members who came out of the womb singing and dancing and we have members who are walking into the audition room for the first time in their life. TMT is the perfect hub to grow and nurture your talents or just have a bit of craic on a week night if you’re looking for it.”
Players’ plans for the upcoming year entail an equally busy year ahead, including a packed Freshers Week and a variety of workshops. Most notably for newcomers are the Freshers Shows. Murray explains that these shows are targeted towards people without any prior experience in a Players production t. “We’ve made it that way so we can get as many new people involved and make it a bit more low stakes… just get to know people and try stuff out that you never have before.”
Both societies have a lot to offer anyone with an interest in theatre, but they offer much more than that. The community aspect of Trinity’s student theatre scene was noted as the best part of the respective societies. Murray explained, “theatre really is something that brings people together and creates a community and you can see the talent of so many different people whether it’s in a creative way or in a managerial way and it’s just a really special place.” McGowan echoed this sentiment in her response, “I really believe the members make TMT what it is.”
If either (or both) of these societies take your fancy but you are still a bit nervous to take the first step, our society Chairs can empathise. Murray recounts how she came to Trinity “not knowing anyone” but taking the leap to join players was “so worth it” to meet all the amazing people and learn new things. So, as McGowan puts it, “Embrace the nerves and do it anyways,” and get involved with some theatre on campus this year. Break a leg!
