DONEGAL Down Syndrome have teamed up with the UK and Ireland’s foremost diverse musical theatre company Skyzdalimit to promote its upcoming show.
Since its inception in 2010, Skyzdalimit has been pushing the boundaries of diverse theatre with its high-octane spectacular musical stage productions with a cast of 38 autistic and learning disabled performers.
It has pioneered for greater inclusion and diversity in the Arts by taking its productions on tour since 2019.
The group’s latest play, Love Me Love Me Not will be performed at the Waterside Theatre in Derry on Friday, June 29 at 7.45pm.
Sheila McMenamin, Chair of Donegal Down Syndrome, said: “We are delighted to be a partner of Skyzdalimit to promote this show. We first saw them in action when we went to see their production of the Greatest Show at the Helix Theatre, Dublin. It was an immersive show so two of our own members had the opportunity to appear in a part of the show. It was a wonderful experience for them and our travelling group and the show was brilliant. I had never seen anything like it by a cast of learning-disabled and autistic performers.”
Sheila said while there is a Special Olympics group in every big town which caters for sporting ambitions, there are no outlets for those who would like an opportunity to sing, dance and act, which comes very naturally to those with a learning disability and autism.
She said Donegal Down Syndrome is very keen to start up a local musical theatre group like Skyzdalimit.
The director of Love Me Love Me Not is Letterkenny native, Pearse McCloskey. He is the son of Liam and Mary McCloskey, Kiltoy.
Pearse said actor James Martin’s Oscar for ‘An Irish Goodbye’ has been a real inspiration to the members of Skyzdalimit.
“James’ stardom has shown other actors with disabilities that it is possible for them to make the big time. I sincerely hope that James Martin’s Oscar success will be the catalyst to change the public perception to diverse theatre, while inspiring learning disabled and autistic people to start new theatre groups around the country and produce more talent like James Martin.
“This will be our first time coming to the North West and we are very excited about that. We are delighted to have Donegal DS as our partner to help promote our show in Donegal. Sheila is extremely dedicated and the group is very active. This was first apparent when they organized a bus to take their members the whole way to Dublin to see our show.”
Skyzdalimit have sold out theatres in Dublin and Belfast and has won the plaudits of celebrities including Lisa McGee (Derry Girls writer), Ian McElhinney (Grandad Joe in Derry Girls), Dr. Who and the A-Word’s Christopher Ecclestone, former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, Northern Ireland’s First Minister designate, Michelle O’Neill, who went to see their show in Belfast and last but not least by any means, Oscar winner, James Martin MBE.
Sheila concluded: “We can’t wait to see this show! I’d encourage families with learning-disabled or autistic children to go to see this show to see for themselves what their children could aspire to achieve on stage in the future and how their lives could be transformed. The future is bright.”
Tickets for Love Me Love Me Not are available online at Waterside Theatre or box office on (0044) 28 7131 4000.
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