CREATIVE TEAM PERFORMERS Composer/Librettist: Julie Feeney Boy Bird Catherine Redding Directors: Julie Feeney & Mikel Murfi Bird, Reed, Human Rebekah Coffey, Sara Busfield, Christina Whyte, Conductor: David Brophy Aine Mulvey, Laura Lamph, Helen Hassett (also Solo Human) Performers’ Contractor: Louis Roden Prince Simon Morgan Assistant Director: Kellie Hughes Bird, Human Eugene Ginty, Jacek Wislocki, Morgan Crowley Warwick Harte, Paul McGough, Jeff Ledwidge PRODUCTION TEAM First violin: Ken Rice (leader) & Cliodhna Ryan Second violin: Anne Marie Twomey & Siubhan Ni Griofa Technical Director: Adam Fitzsimons Viola: Karen Dervan & Niamh Roche Sound: Paul Ashe-Browne Cello: Margaret Dorris & Jane Hughes Producer: Margaret O’Sullivan Double bass: Malachy Robinson Line Producer: Maura O’Keeffe Pedal steel guitar: Sebastian Petiet Recorders: Jenny Robinson French horn: David Carmody THANK YOU Trumpet: Shaun Hook Willie White, Stephen McManus and team at DTF, Tom Creed/Cork Midsummer Festival, Trombone: Steve Mathieson Paul Fahy/Galway Arts Festival, Rosemary Collier/Kilkenny Arts Festival, Loughlin Deegan; Keyboard: Tristan Russcher JC & team at Project, Olga Barry, Colin Dunne, Christine Monk, Nora Kate & Mel Mercier, Percussion: James Dunne Emma & Morag Davies, Eamonn Maxwell, Rob Furey, RTE. Louis would like to thank Olga Barry for her fantastic support on this project. JULIE would especially like to thank Loughlin Deegan, Margaret O’Sullivan, Maura O’Keeffe, Louis Roden, Mikel Murfi, Kellie Hughes, Dave Brophy, Paul Fahy, Tom Creed, Teresa Feeney, Amy Feeney Spellman, Michael Maguire and the wonderful performers. Arts Projects Ireland presents a work-in-progress-showing of based on The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde commissioned by FESTIVAL FIRSTS Dublin Theatre Festival 2012 DUBLIN THEATRE FESTIVAL, CORK MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL, October 4th 1pm GALWAY ARTS FESTIVAL & KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL Project Arts Centre Phase one of a two part development project, supported by the Arts Council/An Comhairle Ealaion. JULIE feeney BIRD IS THE INAUGURAL COMMISSION FROM FESTIVAL FIRSTS, AN INITIATIVE OF IFCN (IRISH FESTIVALS’ CO-PRODUCTION NETWORK). DUBLIN THEATRE FESTIVAL, CORK MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL, GALWAY ARTS FESTIVAL & KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL IRISH FESTIVALS’ Co-PRODUCTION NETWORK (IFCN) IFCN is a formal co-production network comprising nine festivals, all of which premiere, produce or co-produce significant performing arts events. The participating festivals are: Clonmel Junction Festival, Cork Midsummer Festival, Dublin Dance Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival, Earagail Arts Festival, Galway Arts Festival, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s and Dublin Theatre Festival. The purpose of the network is to facilitate the commissioning, development and presentation of ambitious performing arts projects led by Irish artists and companies. The Network has been established to provide direct support to Irish performing artists Composer, singer, orchestrator, songwriter and producer Julie Feeney is winner of the at a time of increased economic uncertainty and in response to significant changes in Choice Music Prize for ‘Irish Album of the Year’ (Ireland’s equivalent of the Mercury funding structures. IFCN is designed to maximise the presentational opportunities that Music Prize) for her self-produced debut album on which she played most of the festivals provide and to ensure that works of scale and ambition by Irish artists continue instruments herself. She combines her “mesmerizing stage presence and eccentric pop to reach audiences at festivals across the country. genius” (Hot Press) with her unquestionably original sound, and her innovative, avant- garde approach, while rooted in classical music, straddles both the pop and theatrical The Network is primarily concerned with facilitating the performing arts, but remains worlds. For her recent sell-out 10 show run at IAC in New York City, the New York open to potential music and visual art collaborations. The Network will also invite Times said of Julie, “…intricate, articulate…draws on sources across centuries…Ms. other festivals, companies or organisations to participate in collaborative projects where Feeney’s songs don’t shout. They tease, ponder, reminisce, philosophize and invent appropriate. parables, and she sings them in a plush, changeable mezzo-soprano that usually holds a kindly twinkle”. The New York Times concluded, “…a brainy adventurous songwriter lives within the flamboyant theatricality…with songs that set character studies and philosophical musings in elaborate musical confections, often with long, internally rhymed lines… Theatrical on the shell, intricate at the core”. Julie has also performed extensively around the world as a professional choral singer and has extensive experience as an educator in ARTS PROJECTS IRELAND is an independent production company specialising in Ireland and abroad. She has worked as a movement actor, a model and composer for music, performing & traditional arts projects. contemporary dance projects. Producer Margaret O’Sullivan has worked on projects for the Arts Councils of Ireland Hailed by The Washington Post as “The Emerald Isle’s Original,” Feeney’s music is widely and Northern Ireland, Culture Ireland, Cork City and County Councils, The Ark, The broadcast on TV and radio and her sold-out performance at Ireland’s premier concert Helix and many other key music and performing arts organisations. venue, The National Concert Hall received a 10-minute standing ovation. The Observer (U.K.) gushed that Feeney’s debut album, ‘13 songs,’ was “the blossoming of a major For this project, she has joined forces with independent theatre producer, Maura talent,” adding that “Feeney towers over her contemporaries.” The NY Times has also O’Keeffe. called her music “charming, urbane and dreamy” and The Guardian (UK) simply said “the world will listen.” The Village Voice in New York described her music as “blending the pop ambitions of Gaga with Elvis Costellian wordplay”. She has performed many other sold out shows in America, Canada, Ireland, England, France, Italy, Germany and Holland solo; with her own ensemble or with numerous orchestras for which she orchestrated and composed for. In November 2012 Julie tours Ireland to release her third album and will also perform her work with ten different choirs, in ten different towns, over ten consecutive nights. See www.juliefeeney.com for more details .