2012 Dublin Theatre Festival Announces Program, Set for Sept 27-Oct 14

Today Willie White announced details of his first programme as Artistic Director of the Dublin Theatre Festival. The 55th anniversary Dublin Theatre Festival will run for 18 days from 27 Sept – 14 Oct at various venues around the city. - This year the Dublin Theatre Festival will celebrate 'Your City, Your Stories', putting Dublin at the very heart of this 18 day theatrical spectacular.

On announcing details of this, his first Dublin Theatre Festival programme Willie White said, "This year we are putting Dublin at the very heart of the Festival. Our city is constantly changing and new stories are being written every day in our lives and the lives of those around us. Over the 18 days of the Festival we are inviting people living in, working in or visiting Dublin to experience some of those stories, to take a look at familiar tales reimagined and to discover new ones yet to be heard. It is fitting to be launching this programme in Dublin's iconic City Hall and to open the 2012 Festival with a new adaptation of James Joyce's Dubliners in the Gaiety Theatre. The city and the Festival are on a journey. This is the first year of my own journey with Dublin Theatre Festival and I am thrilled to present such a range of exciting work from established and emerging voices in Irish theatre alongside some of the best of interNational Theatre."

The Festival continues its important work of showcasing new work from many of the leading and new Irish theatre companies and writers, including The Corn Exchange, Hatch Theatre Company and Landmark Productions, Pan Pan, The Gate Theatre, The Abbey Theatre, Tall Tales Theatre Company and Solstice Arts Centre, ANU Productions, The Company, Theatre Lovett, Brokentalkers, Dylan Tighe, Red Kettle and Garter Lane.

The programme includes the only Dublin dates for the hugely successful DruidMurphy and the debut production from new Irish Opera company Wide Open Opera.

Some of the world's leading theatre companies and practitioners will visit Dublin for this 18 day celebration of theatre including the first visit to the Republic of Ireland by renowned US company The Wooster Group, the return of Elevator Repair Service (who brought Gatz to the Festival in 2008), Forced Entertainment (UK) and Winner of Scotsman Fringe First Award 2009, Inua Ellams.

Audiences will have the opportunity to see three successful productions from the last 12 months again when they are restaged as part of the ReViewed showcase in partnership with Culture Ireland and Irish Theatre Institute. - The Festival is setting out to capture the changing mood of Dublin. A giant neon smiley face, Public Face III, will adorn Dublin's skyline during the Festival which, using sophisticated software to read facial expressions of passersby, will capture the humour of Dublin and Dubliners throughout the day and night.

Young and family audiences can experience the best of international productions from Scotland, Belgium and the UK as part of the Family Season at The Ark. - An exciting programme of special events will encourage audiences to offer their opinions, debate and discuss. - Booking opens to the general public on the 15th August. Priority booking for friends of the Festival commences 26th July (for details of how to become a friend of the Festival go to http://www.dublintheatrefestival.com/friends/)

This year, Dublin, her stories and storytelling are at the very centre of the Festival as audiences are invited to celebrate Your City, Your Stories. The 2012 programme is an exciting mix of Irish work, including 12 world premieres and some of the very best international work. The Festival will include 32 theatre productions, staged in 19 venues over 18 days.

IRISH WORK

The Dublin Theatre Festival has always been an important platform for Irish companies, Irish work and Irish writers. On 27 September the Festival will open at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre with an adaptation of Dubliners by James Joyce presented by The Corn Exchange and Dublin Theatre Festival. Following their award-winning Freefall and Man of Valour, Ireland's acclaimed ensemble company, will present this extraordinary opportunity to experience a collection of Joyce's stories in this large scale production.

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