Performing Arts

Performing Arts is a huge part of the successful culture of Castlepollard Community College. There is ample opportunity for students to express themselves artistically with the school choir, instrumental groups and also in our Drama society. Students can also take part in the many Performing Arts competitions that take place frequently throughout the year.

Drama

Perhaps the greatest marker of Castlepollard Community College’s development over the last few years has been the production of our first school musical “Voulez Vous” in 2014. Since then, Performing Arts in the school has really taken off. In recent years, the school has performed sell out productions of “Mamma Mia!”, “Oklahoma”, “Big Maggie”, “Joseph and his Amazing Dreamcoat” and “The Breakfast Club” at the Mullingar Arts Centre.

We are currently rehearsing for this year’s musical “Back to the 80s”. This will be the college’s seventh major production and we expect this to be biggest and best yet! With a cast of over 80 students on stage and a substantial number of students working backstage, the excitement has been building in the school since the start of the academic year. It will all come to a peak in the Mullingar Arts Centre in March. We look forward to seeing you all there for what promises to be a very entertaining night.

School Choir

The school Choir is going from strength to strength with numbers increasing all the time. Last year they were awarded an “A” grade in their first competitive appearance in the GMIT Choir Competitions. Before the pandemic they performed regularly at school events such as Open nights, masses, awards nights and the also in the wider community. A highlight every Christmas was the carol singing in the nursing home in Castlepollard.

Curriculum

Music is a very popular mainstream subject in the school with the numbers opting to study it for exams increasing year on year.

Drama is offered as a subject in Transition Year with the option of writing a one act play and partaking in a drama competition in January. This has been hugely successful and new talents are being unearthed every year.

Transition Year Students also take part in the RTE Playwriting Competition where we have placed among the best in the country in recent years.

Awards

In 2019, our production of “The Breakfast Club” won second place overall and best lead role various in The Briery Gap Competition. Our production of John B. Keane’s “Big Maggie” received critical acclaim in the Briery Gap Drama Competition winning Best Newcomer in 2018. This was an impressive achievement for the school after a momentous run in Mullingar Arts Centre. The cast were lauded by friends, family and theatre-goers alike throughout the county.

Music and Drama develop a great sense of wellbeing and community in the school and aids with the personal development of the students. We will continue to encourage all students to take part in extracurricular activities in order to develop their full potential.