Wow! The last blog post was in May and since then the world has gone mad. Firstly the Anne Frank (+You} exhibition came during May and was a absolute smash hit with with patrons, media and funders.
Over 8000 visitors from across the island of Ireland came to see the exhibition, which included a replica of Anne Frank's bedroom and various panels looking at religious tolerance, racism in Football and Holocausts around the world. The Alley marketing team arranged both BBC, UTV, BBC Radio, Q Network Radio and various press organisations to come down and cover the launch, which included representatives from the Anne Frank Trust UK, Sammy Wilson MLA MP, Steve Nimmons, Ivor Whitten and Mrs Inge Radford, a Holocaust survivor from Austria.
Over a period of 19 days school children, groups and visitors from afar as Wicklow, Dublin, Belfast and May came to visit the exhibition, which was supported by a team of over 10 dedicated volunteers who acted as tour guides every day of the exhibition. The fantastic thing about the volunteers was they brought so much energy, passion and knowledge to visitors, many of whom had only a small amount of knowledge about the story of Anne Frank and her family. The volunteers included A-level history students awaiting their results, an accounts secretary, even a London taxi driver who was spending 3 months on holiday in Ireland, all of them escorted groups around the exhibition, bringing the message and story of Anne Frank alive.
For more information on the Anne Frank (+You} Exhibition, click here.
After the Anne Frank exhibition and the final few shows of the season, including a fantastic comedy gig by Jason Byrne, the Lyric Theatres "The Miser" and a great community show "Through the Years" by Strabane's St Mary's Boys School, the Alley welcomed Sounds Like Summer 2010.
With over 60 band entries from across the island of Ireland, in particular Derry and Belfast, the SLS committee whittled the list down to the final 16 bands. Strabane was well represented by Catalyst, a great local band who made it through to the final and Strabane Irish rapper Gerard i2, who received fantastic public support.
In the end it was Donegal's Turbulent EDDY who won with a stunning final set, clinching recording time in a top studio, a professional video shoot, CD production, photoshoot and media support from the NWIPP. For more information on Sounds Like Summer click here.
So after several major events, massive media coverage and even the launch of a new exhibition by local arts students, it was time to look at the new events guide...phew! The new season is packed with some great shows including a one night only performance from Kevin Bridges, the hot new stand up who is sweeping up the comedy circuit at the moment on Channel 4's "Stand Up For The Week" and "Michael McIntrye's Comedy Roadshow".
10 new exhibitions have been booked, 45+ shows are planned, a new website launch and a few other surprises thrown in...I hope you can forgive the late blogging from the Alley marketing department.
Remember for the latest info check out the Alley Facebook page at www.facebook.com/thealleytheatre
