Next Stop for Accelerate.LGBT: Dublin, Ireland

looks a great wordpress event for diversity and equallity on th 3rd week of september 2015 in Dublin *pumps fist in the air for diversity!*

Malachy McKenna Wins the 2014 PJ O’Connor Award for “The Quiet Land”

Malachy McKenna Wins The PJ O’Connor Award of 2014  for “The Quiet Land”

 

The Quiet Land by Malachy McKenna, first prize winner in the 2014  PJ O’ Connor Awards, a deceptively simple but gripping play about two elderly farmers in an isolated part of the west of Ireland, “terrified every single night in our own home” by crime. “We’re exiles in our own godforsaken land,” as one summarised it. With the issue once more at the top of the political agenda, it was a timely reminder of the human cost, with characters whose lives and dilemmas felt heartbreakingly real.” — Article by Eilis O’Hanlon on Independent.ie

Find the article here:

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/radio/radio-no-escape-from-the-samba-beat-30355021.html

 

Congrats Malachy 🙂

Listin to the play in ful here at this link ; lRTE Radio Drama Hub

Nature Boy: “Hamlet” at the Barbican

Linnet Moss

Nature Boy: Hamlet at the Barbican

Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet. Photo by Johan Persson for Reuters.

Spoiler alert. Everyone knows the plot of Hamlet, but this post contains plenty of spoilers regarding the set and direction.

We saw Hamlet on only the fourth night of previews (the notorious night of “technical difficulties” and Cumberbatch’s stage-door plea for people to stop filming him), so I wouldn’t call this a review. It is more a document of my experience as a theatergoer, and my thoughts about the production as it stood that evening. There may well be changes to come, since that is the purpose of previews. I only wish I could return after opening night in order to savor it anew.

The “Curtain” is in two parts. One lifts up and the other sinks down.

In the first scene, the “curtain” (actually a solid, metallic looking barrier) opens to reveal…

View original post 2,842 more words

Back by Popular Demand! THE GIGLI CONCERT by Tom Murphy @ The Gate October 2015

Back by Popular Demand!
THE GIGLI CONCERT
by Tom Murphy

TICKETS ON SALE SOON!

Preview Wednesday 28th October
Opening Thursday 29th October

Returning for a VERY Limited run!!!

★★★★★

“Masterful achievement”
The Irish Times

Tom Murphy is highly regarded as one of the greatest living Irish playwrights. This production was the very first time a Tom Murphy play was ever been staged at the Gate Theatre.

The Gigli Concert came to the Gate with rapturous acclaim and due to incredible demand it is back for a very limited run. It is a fiercely satirical and beautifully crafted play about the endurance of the human spirit and our ability to achieve the impossible.  JPW King (played by Declan Conlon) is a ‘Dynamatologist’ caught between the demands of Mona his mistress, Helen (played by Dawn Bradfield), the unattainable love of his life, and an insatiable taste for vodka. For King, the recurring question is how to get through each day. Then a mysterious Irishman (Denis Conway) walks into his office wanting to sing like the great Italian tenor, Beniamino Gigli…

Prepare to be swept away. 

Cast Includes:
Dawn Bradfield
Declan Conlon
Denis Conway

Creatives:
Director – David Grindley
Set & Costume Designer – Jonathan Fensom
Lighting Designer – Sinead McKenna
Sound Designer – Gregory Clarke

Disability centres must change ‘radically’, says Hiqa

Disability service providers, including the HSE, must change “radically and quickly” if the “regressive and neglectful” conditions in certain disability homes are to be brought to an end, the State health watchdog has said.
Just 7 per cent of the inspections of disability homes published to date found full compliance with the required national standards.
Analysis by The Irish Times of more than 900 reports published since the Health Information and Quality Authority began inspecting disability homes found that homes failed to comply with any of the standards inspected in one in seven cases.
Inspectors find failings in every HSE disability care home
A Hiqa inspection of Kilkenny disability home St Michael’s found it to be understaffed, inadequately resourced and unclean with two rodent traps found in the dining room in one of two bungalows.
Some centres, including a unit in Cregg House in Sligo, which is run by the HSE and houses more than 100 adults with disabilities, failed to comply with any of the standards inspected by Hiqa during five separate visits between December 2014 and April 2015.
Despite multiple engagements with the centre, Hiqa inspectors highlighted a number of issues in a report on the unit in April. These included residents spending significant periods without engagement and continuing problems with staffing levels.
Hiqa chief executive Phelim Quinn said the inspections of disability homes, which began in late 2013, have “highlighted a culture whereby the human rights and aspirations of a significant number of our citizens have been thwarted or denied over a period of years and in some instances, over decades”.
Some 20 disability homes face possible closure after Hiqa issued proposals to cancel or refuse their applications for registration.
This includes one unit of the HSE-run Áras Attracta care home in Swinford, Co Mayo. The service was the subject of a 2014 RTÉ documentary, which reported instances of slapping, kicking and force-feeding.
Mr Quinn called for better monitoring of care and progress towards community inclusion by providers of services, as well as better monitoring of services by the HSE as the funder of those services.
“Culture does not change overnight,” he said, “but service providers need to accept that regressive, neglectful care such as those highlighted cannot be tolerated.”
Never fit for purpose
Paddy Connolly of Inclusion Ireland said the reality is that some disability units will “never be fit for purpose”. He called on the Department of Health and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to commit resources to providing appropriate care arrangements for those who require them.
“There are certain centres which are passing these inspections with flying colours,” Mr Connolly said, “but that doesn’t necessarily equate to a decent quality of life.”
The HSE said it was “strongly committed” to addressing the issues raised by Hiqa. It funds services for some 8,000 people in residential support settings, at a cost of about €900 million a year.
“The HSE wishes to reassure families and residents of all services in this sector that we will continue to provide services for the residents in our care as the process of inspection and registration is ongoing,” a spokeswoman said.
She said new quality improvement teams would initially focus on 148 HSE residential centres. Given the age of some facilities, she added, “the type of change required to fully meet Hiqa requirements will require a sustained effort over a number of years”.

Omniplex cinemas to provide subtitled movie screenings

The 22 Omniplex cinemas in Ireland will also provide sensory screenings for children with autism.

A statement from the chain says they believe cinema should be accessible for all – and anyone with a disability should be able to see a newly released movie, with as much freedom as possible.

We have received a number of requests from customers for subtitled films and been keen to cater for this demand for some time,” said Operations Director Omniplex Cinemas Mark Anderson.

“We believe very strongly that cinema should be accessible for all and anyone with a disability should be able to see a newly released movie, with as much freedom as possible.

Promoting Children’s Mental Health (American Academy of Pediatrics)

The United States health care system does not meet the needs of children with mental health disorders. Although 1 in 5 children in the United States suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder, only 21% of affected children actually receive needed treatment. Mental illness is like any other disease; the earlier it is identified and treated, the better the health outcomes.

The AAP has been advocating that Congress to promote children’s mental health by adopting policies that will develop a robust workforce of child and adolescent mental health specialists, facilitate the ability of primary care pediatricians to provide early identification and treatment for children with mental health disorders, and improve school-based mental health services and supports.

The AAP approaches mental health as a component of overall health, and has long-standing support for federal mental health parity, the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. In addition, as the Affordable Care Act is implemented, AAP continues to ensure that the law includes a robust mental and behavioral health benefits package as well as protections for cost-sharing and network adequacy for mental health services.

On June 3, 2013, the AAP joined the White House in a National Mental Health Dialogue. AAP Immediate Past President Robert W. Block, MD, FAAP, and AAP President-Elect James Perrin, MD, FAAP, were invited to participate in a White House Conference on Mental Health. At the Conference, Drs Block and Perrin joined President Obama, Vice President Biden, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and other mental health advocates, medical professionals, and community leaders for a day-long conference to discuss ways to destigmatize mental health conditions and address mental health needs of various populations, including children.

Mental Health Legislation: Where AAP Stands

In the wake of the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, the Administration and Congress are looking for ways to improve our nation’s mental health system. Exposure to violence causes toxic stress in childhood, which can have long-term negative effects on children. Managing adult mental health disorders begins with ensuring that children have access to quality mental health services.

To date, theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics has endorsed the following proposals:

• The Mental Health in Schools Act of 2013, introduced in the Senate by Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) and in the House by Representative Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.). The Mental Health in Schools Act advances the work of the Safe Schools-Healthy Students program in order to provide access to more comprehensive school-based mental health services and supports. The bill would require that programs funded under this section assist children in dealing with trauma and violence, an important component to building children’s resiliency against toxic stress.
• The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act (S. 689), introduced by Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act reauthorizes and improves programs related to awareness, prevention and early identification of mental health conditions. The legislation also promotes linkages to appropriate services for children and youth. In addition to the AAP’s own endorsement letter, the Academy led a group letter urging passage of this legislation.
• The Academy signed onto a letter requesting Congress to appropriate $5 million for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program. Adequate funding for this program will help address the shortage of mental health providers like developmental pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, and child and adolescent psychiatrists.
• The Academy joined the Mental Health Liaison Group in endorsing H.R. 2734, the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization of 2013. The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act (GLSMA), signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2004, authorizes grant money to states, Indian tribes, colleges and universities to develop suicide prevention and intervention programs. Reauthorization of the GLSMA would continue commitment to important youth and college suicide prevention programs.
• AAP’s Sept. 2013 response to the Senate Finance Committee outlining recommendations on how to best address the mental health needs of children and adolescents
• AAP’s Sept. 2013 response to the Senate Finance Committee outlining recommendations on how to best address the mental health needs of children and adolescents
• A letter to the Senate Finance Committee outlining recommendations on how to address the mental health needs of children and adolescents signed by AAP and more than 30 other organizations.

–

See More Here

• AAP mental health resource website: www.aap.org/mentalhealth
• AAP health and mental health needs of children in U.S. military families clinical report
• AAP school-based mental health services policy statement
• AAP mental health competencies for primary care policy statement

Dancing at Lughnasa,Dublin Theatre Festival

6 October 2015 – 11 October 2015

Lyric Theatre Belfast

Dancing at Lughnasa

by Brian Friel

 

‘Not only Ireland’s greatest living playwright but one of the greatest playwrights in the world.’

• – Professor Anthony Roche on Brian Friel

 

Winner of an Olivier Award and a Tony Award, Dancing at Lughnasa is one of the greatest and most loved Irish plays of recent times.

 

Set in County Donegal in 1936 during the Celtic harvest festival of Lughnasadh, the play tells the story of the five Mundy sisters and their brother Jack, who has returned home from the missions after 25 years away.

 

The story is told by the sisters’ nephew, Michael, who recalls the summer spent with his aunts when he was seven years old. As August gives way to September, Michael recounts his memory of childhood in Ballybeg, where his aunts raised him in their crumbling, rural home and where once they danced.

 

A wild, raucous dance. The dream-wild dance of their memories. A dance to the exciting, fleeting melody of the past and a dance against the harsh, progressive beat of the present.

 

As part of Dublin Theatre Festival 2015 this eagerly anticipated new production of Brian Friel’s masterpiece, directed by award-winner Annabelle Comyn, will mark the 25^th anniversary of the play’s premiere in Dublin.

 

In association with the Lughnasa International Friel Festival.

 

 

Cast and Creative Team:

 

Directed by Annabelle Comyn

Cast: Catherine McCormack, Cara Kelly, Vanessa Emme, Mary Murray, Declan Conlon, Matt Tait, Charlie Bonner, Catherine Cusack

Set Design: Paul O’Mahony

Costume Design: Joan O’Cleary

Lighting Design: Chahine Yavroyan

Sound Design: Fergus O’Hare

Choreographer: Liz Roche

 

Show Information:

 

Venue: Gaiety Theatre

Dates: Oct 6 – 9, 7.30pm

Oct 10, 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Oct 11, 1pm & 6pm

Tickets: €15 – €45

Duration: 2 hrs 30 mins incl. interval.

 

Talking Theatre:

Oct 10, post-show (7.30pm), with members of the company.

 

Audio described performance:

Oct 10, 2.30pm. A touch tour will also be available pre-show.

 

For further information about this audio described performance please contact the Dublin Theatre Festival Box Office on +353 1 677 8899

Barnes & Noble presented all-day bookfair to benefit The Rep

Event featured an  all-day reading of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

 

ST. LOUIS, MO – On July 13,2015  Barnes & Noble will present an all-day bookfair to support The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep).

The Barnes & Noble Bookfair benefitting The Rep runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, July 13 at the Barnes & Noble at Ladue Crossing, 8871 Ladue Road.

At the heart of the event is a celebration of one of America’s greatest novelists: Harper Lee. To honor the release of Lee’s new book, Go Set a Watchman, local actors and Rep volunteers will read Lee’s landmark novel To Kill a Mockingbird aloud in its entirety.

In addition to the reading, The Rep will present a children’s area with craft and coloring activities for younger visitors.

Customers need only mention The Rep at the register during the fair, and a portion of every purchase will support the work of St. Louis’ premier venue for live theatre. From July 13-19, online Barnes & Noble shoppers can support The Rep by entering the bookfair code 11656972 at checkout. This code also works in-person at all Barnes & Noble locations.

For additional information about The Rep’s productions, events and more, visit The Rep’s comprehensive public website at repstl.org.

About the rep St Louis, Founded in 1966, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is a fully professional theatrical operation belonging to the League of Resident Theatres, The League of St. Louis Theatres and is a constituent member of Theatre Communications Group, Inc., the national service organization for the not-for-profit professional theatre. It operates independently of, but under a mutually beneficial agreement with, Webster University. The Rep operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The Rep hires directors and choreographers who are members of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers and stagehands who are members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Financial assistance for this theatre has been provided by the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis; the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The Rep is also grateful for support by more than 1,100 generous individuals, families, corporations and foundations throughout the communities we serve

Alert BY James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge (A Micheal Bennett Novel)

“This is not a test”—every New Yorker’s worst nightmare is about to become a reality.

 

New Yorkers aren’t easily intimidated, but someone is doing their best to scare them, badly: why? After two inexplicable high-tech attacks, the city that never sleeps is on edge. Detective Michael Bennett, along with his old pal, the FBI’s Emily Parker, have to catch the shadowy criminals who claim responsibility—but they’re as good at concealing their identities as they are at wreaking havoc.

In the wake of a shocking assassination, Bennett begins to suspect that these mysterious events are just the prelude to the biggest threat of all. Soon he’s racing against the clock, and against the most destructive enemy he’s faced yet, to save his beloved city–before everyone’s worst nightmare becomes a reality.