Ballinasloe Official Town Website - All the latest news from Ballinasloe, Co. Galway
  • Home
  • About
    • How to get to Ballinasloe
    • Contact
    • History of the Fair
    • Walks and Trails
  • A to Z
    • Remote Working
  • Shops
  • Sports
    • Sports Hub
  • News
  • What's On

BALLINASLOE

News

Harbour Road Girl wins Best Youth Director

29/5/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Louise Colohan winner of Best Youth Director Award 2022 with NODA President Gordon Ricardson
Louise Colohan a native of Harbour Road Ballinasloe native has been making waves across the Irish Sea in the Musical Theatre and Performance Scene when she scooped” Best Youth Director” in the North of England for her role in directing the Congleton Amateur Youth Theatre’s production of The Wizard of Oz.

The North is made up of 12 districts and there are approximately 150 youth groups adjudicated in the Awards. This is her second time to win this prestigious gong with her production “All Shook” up in 2016. She also picked up the award for Best Musical for Evita at the ACT awards recently.

From the Harbour Heart, Louise the daughter of David and Martina Colohan is now based in Knutsford, Cheshire but her love for performing came from an early age. She attended Ardscoil Mhuire where she found a passion for singing under the care of the late Kay Purcell. Louise commented: “The main encouragers of my love of performance in my formative years were my family, members of BMS, and a number of people I’ve worked with including Peter Kennedy, Paul Norton, Kay Purcell R.I.P. and Marie Power.”

Her first musical role came at the age of 19, under the direction of Paul Hughes, who would later become an inspiration for her when she began directing. Louise played a various roles over the years with societies in Ballinasloe and across Galway where she gained a lot of recognition for her performances.

Louise went on to move to the UK , hitting  the ground running when she landed her first role and Noda Award within her first few months of being there. She travelled with different groups to take on roles which allowed her to make friends and theatre connections that would lead to other great opportunities further on down the line in her career.

“I’ve taken part in some great productions down through the years. The Little Mermaid, Elf the musical, Oliver, Evita, Steel Magnolias, Sunshine on Leith, American Idiot have been some of my favourites. The thrill of live performing is like no other. You get one chance to live the moment! It's electric and there is nothing like the feeling when the curtain comes down,” she added.

Louise currently balances her day job in the property sector, working closely alongside a team of architects and surveyors. By night she continues her work directing theatre productions for several groups. She still performs regularly and will embark on a UK tour in June as a lead vocalist. Her busy schedule also includes directing four shows a year, two adult musicals, a youth musical, and a play.

The performance sector was one of many that was impacted massively by COVID 19  with shows, musicals, and concerts non-existent for the past two years. “The pandemic’s effect on the industry was terrifying. So many groups, amateur and professional have suffered losses both financially and low return of audience at the start of the reopening. A lot of groups have folded and it's extremely sad,” she stated.

Louise is a positive inspiration for the young aspiring performers in the area and she offered them some advice on how to achieve their dream: “Learn everything you can from those around you, there is a wealth of knowledge in the Town Hall, use it, take all the opportunities you get, work hard and remain humble.”
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    BACK

    RSS Feed

    CLICK HERE to read the Latest Ballinasloe News Articles

    If you have you any news - 
    email us!
    ​

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

The Town Team was set up by BACD Ltd. to revive the fortunes of Ballinasloe and its hinterland. With the main focus to build on the town’s many strengths, change existing negative perceptions and bring about measurable improvements in the town centre economy and its wider social value.
Contact Us
Service Directory
Homepage
Links
How to get to Ballinasloe
Privacy Statement
Sitemap
Latest Ballinasloe Death Notices
Picture
Ballinasloe Area Community Development Ltd.
Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre 
Creagh
Ballinasloe
Co. Galway

Email
All generic photos and images have been sourced and are free of copyright or are clip art images free of copyright.  Photos of Ballinasloe have been donated by BEC.  If you have any photos that you would like included on the website please email us
Copyright © All rights reserved, 2022 BACD 
  • Home
  • About
    • How to get to Ballinasloe
    • Contact
    • History of the Fair
    • Walks and Trails
  • A to Z
    • Remote Working
  • Shops
  • Sports
    • Sports Hub
  • News
  • What's On