Teen actor prepares for Sweeney Todd role
A NORTH Cork teenager will star in a popular musical thriller at the Everyman Palace Theatre this August.
Antoin Gorman ( 16) from Lyre, Banteer, has been spending his school holidays rehearsing for Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney To d d - T h e Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He he will form part of the ensemble in the popular musical and takes the train from Banteer every day to rehearsals in Cork city in preparation for his role.
The three day appearance at the Everyman is a significant achievement for the young Banteer actor who will be working alongside the cream of Cork's theatrical talent.
Singing and acting from an early age, Antoin performed at the Cork Opera House, starring in the Pied Piper at the age of nine.
He is actively involved in drama groups around Mallow town and performed in last year's highly successful production of Fame The Musical.
Although he is no stranger to performing on stage, Antoin admits that he still gets a little bit nervous. "When I was young I would get a bit of stage fright but now I don't really notice the nerves, I just get the adrenalin rush of being on stage," he said.
Planning to study musical theatre when he finishes school, the future looks bright for the young thespian.
The Sweeney Todd musical Antoin is rehearsing for has won of eight Tony awards and is considered to be Sondheim's master work. The performance traces the story of Benjamin Barker, alias Sweeney Todd, a London barber who returns home to exact his revenge on the corrupt judge responsible for transporting him to Australia on false charges. After returning he slowly descends into madness, unaware of the tragic fate of his wife and baby daughter.
Director Trevor Ryan and musical director John O'Brien have joined forces to present a dazzling reinvention of this dark thriller at the Everyman. A 30 piece orchestra will perform in the production that features well established actors Michael Sands, Cara O'Sullivan, Michael Grennell and Deirdre Bashford.
The show will run from August 5 until 8, for further information contact 021 4501673.
- LOUISE MCCARTHY
