Young Dunsany girl to star in Toy Show The Musical
A young girl from Dunsany who was chosen to star in Toy Show The Musical says she can't wait for her classmates to come and see her on stage!
Ten year old Ceola Dunne auditioned for the part alongside hundreds in a nationwide search and last Friday night the stars of the show were revealed on RTÉ’s Late Late Show.
Joining Ceola is Clare Keely and Doireann McNally who have all been cast as the lead character Nell in Toy Show The Musical, a brand new, original Irish musical, coming to The Convention Centre in Dublin beginning 10 December.
Ceola who attends The Acting Academy in Dunshaughlin is a student Gaelscoil na Ríthe and played the little girl in Evita at the National Concert Hall and sang with the National Symphony Orchestra back in June.
Speaking on her starring role Ceola said:
"It's amazing to have got this role, I'm going to be doing rehearsals for the next six weeks and I'm so excited.
"I was ecstatic when I heard I got the part. I was like wow, after all of these auditions to get the news was amazing. I was in the kitchen and my mom was like listen Ceola you got it. I couldn't stop screaming!
"I have loved performing my whole life."
The fifth class student was greeted by school mates this morning who were thrilled at her news.
"It was great. My teacher wants to book the matinee and bring my whole class to see the show. She got me a really kind card and got the whole class to sign it, it was so nice."
The young actor says appearing on The Late Late Show was another highlight.
"It was amazing, I was there with the two other girls I'm in the show with, so we were spending loads of time together. I loved it.
"I'm going to have a really busy Christmas but it's going to be an amazing one."
It's a family affair of talent with Ceola's mum Ann Harrington making waves in the music world and her three brothers also performers.
"We are super proud of Ceola," said Ann. She lives and breathes performing, she was singing before she could talk!
"Through the audition process for Toy Show The Musical she got the part in Evita at the National Concert Hall. She absolutely loved it and cried the day after it finished!"
The stage show tells the story of 12-year-old Nell, who is preparing for one of the biggest nights of the year – watching the annual Late Late Toy Show on RTÉ.
She is determined to recreate her mother’s favourite Toy Show traditions, but not everyone wants to remember the past. Even worse, disaster strikes, placing the entire show in jeopardy, and Nell and her friends must find a way to keep everyone’s favourite festive TV show alive.