Marching to our own rythmn 

Since the foundation of Banna Chluain Meala in 1971 its members and instructors have been active with local musical and theatre societies, usually as cast members or as part of the pit orchestras. By 1987, with funds needed for the new Band Hall, it was decided that a stage show would be a good way to raise money. The chosen vehicle was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice. This musical suited the band’s ‘human resources’ – plenty of talented members who could be used as dancers, Joseph’s brothers (and brothers’ wives) plus the junior band installed at both sides of the stage as the children’s choir. Friends from the neighbouring musical societies were invited to play the leading parts, with Seamus Hayes in the title role.

Joseph was produced in Ferryhouse at the start of 1988 but three years later saw the first show on the new Band Hall stage: Michael Aherne produced the pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. On this occasion members of Clonmel Theatre Guild performed alongside band members.

Another musical, Lionel Bart’s Oliver! came the following year. This time many of the younger band members made up Fagan’s gang of pickpockets, choreographed by Majella Hewitt Forte who choreographed all of the BCM shows. The Joseph formula proved so successful that the Banna produced it on two more occasions; in 1995, with Keith O’Brien as Joseph, and again in 2014 with Emmett Donlan in the lead role. In both of these versions the entire cast was drawn from the band membership.

Banna Chluain Meala was also involved in two other fundraising stage shows. Aspects of Andrew Lloyd Webber was the brainchild of Dick Meaney and Danny Carroll and was toured to three locations in 1991 – Ferryhouse, the Strand Theatre, Carrick-on-Suir and the Marian Hall, Tipperary Town. The following year the Banna was involved with Aspects of Broadway, which also toured.