IF you’re looking for something fun to do during the cold winter months, you certainly won’t be barking up the wrong tree by getting involved with the Ennis Musical Society.

Auditions for the society’s newest show Legally Blonde are set to take part this Sunday from 3pm at the Holy Family Hall with would-be singers and actors aged 16 and over encouraged to get involved.

However, it isn’t just stars of the two legged variety who will be taking part in the show, with society chairperson Rachael Culligan revealing they will shortly be looking for performers of the four-legged kind.

“Once we have cast the human parts we will be seeking dogs to audition for two roles in the show. We want to make sure that the dogs work well with who they are on stage with.

“We are going to be looking for one small and one big dog, in the movie there is a Chihuahua, but what it really will come down to is the personality of the dogs. They will have to be docile and happy to be on stage, you don’t want a dog that doesn’t want to be there. We should be auditioning for dogs in a month or two.”

Right now however the society’s thoughts are firmly on casting the human roles, with a special appeal going out to men to join the show. And Rachael tells us it isn’t just a love of performing that may blossom for men who get involved, with the society having a high track record when it comes to romance.

“I don’t know why men are so reluctant to join the musical society, but I will tell you any man who does join tends to get married to somebody in the show, we have a higher success rate than Tinder. Men don’t join our group and leave single.”

The society is a great way for all kinds of people to make new friends, she says. “Anybody who wants to meet anyone, particularly new people living in the town it is a great place to go and do it.

“It’s a wonderful way to meet people. January, February and to an extent March are miserable months with horrible weather and you don’t even have Christmas to look forward to.

“So when you have something like this to go to two or three times a week, it’s just so much fun. It really does take the gloom out of winter. It’s lovely to just get out of the house and do something that’s fun. and it is a very fun group and we are very inclusive.

“It’s just a great place to meet friends. I think you bond with people on stage in a way that you just don’t bond with people in any other activity.

“There is something about sharing the terror of going on stage and then going through with it, and then almost the relief of the bow at the end that just brings people together. I always say if people have problems making friends a Musical Society is a wonderful way because it’s a very non judgmental, inclusive place to be and tonnes of fun.”

Encouraging people to come along and audition she says, “There are parts to suit everybody. There are so many people to help you, there really is nobody stopping you from being onstage only yourself. Please come and get involved. Glór is a tremendous stage and we really want to fill it so the more people on stage the better the show looks.”

She adds that even those who are reluctant to get on stage can still have a part to play with the Ennis Musical Society. “There are lots of things for people to do, they can work backstage, help out with costumes and props. It’s just a great place to meet friends.

For those who want to be in the chorus they do not have to audition and can just turn up when rehearsals start at Clarecastle National School in the new year.

The society are looking forward to being back on stage, having performed their last musical back in 2020 which ended prematurely due to the pandemic.

“Everybody is so excited, I’ve never seen anything like it. I think people are hungry to get back on stage. The story line of the show is based on the famous film, of course the film doesn’t have songs and this does. The music in this show is particularly good, it’s upbeat and the kind of show where you want to get up and dance. It’s one we have wanted to do a while now.”

Directing the show will be Jessica Bray with Shane Farrell as musical director and joining them for the first time as choreographer is Laura Jane Allis of the Breakthrough Dance Company.