Finalists and ticket details confirmed for upcoming RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival

The finalists have been confirmed for the 2024 RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival, which will get underway at the Dean Crowe Theatre in Athlone on Thursday, May 2.

Tickets for the nine plays being performed at the prestigious festival will go on sale online from 10am this Thursday, April 18, on the Dean Crowe Theatre's website.

This year's festival will run from May 2 to May 10, and will feature three plays never-before-performed, including a new Irish play, Margaret.

The festival is also set to feature performances by two first-time qualifiers.

The RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival is held under the auspices of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland, and the draw for the nights on which the plays will be presented took place last Sunday, April 14.

Speaking at the draw Regina Bushell, Festival Director, said: "The RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival has celebrated a number of significant anniversaries in recent years and this year is particularly special as it marks the 20th year of RTÉ as title sponsor."

To mark the occasion, the festival will this year present a special one-off Bride Rosney Memorial Award, recognising a best newcomer from across all skill sets involved.

Here are the nine 2024 finalists:

* Bridge Drama (Wexford) will perform The Wake by Tom Murphy on Thursday, May 2.

* Wexford Drama Group will perform How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel on Friday, May 3.

* Ballyduff Drama Group (Waterford), directed by Ger Canning, will present The Ferryman by Jez Butterworth on Saturday, May 4.

* Prosperous Dramatic Society (Kildare) will perform A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller on Sunday, May 5.

* First-time qualifiers Clontarf Players (Dublin) will premiere Radium Girls by D.W. Gregory on Monday, May 6.

* Dalkey Players (Dublin) will present The Crucible by Arthur Miller on Tuesday, May 7.

* Newpoint Players (Down) present In the Shadow of the Glen: Reimagined (after JM Synge) on Wednesday, May 8.

* First-time qualifiers Ballycogley Players (Wexford), directed by Pat Whelan, will perform Out of Order by Ray Cooney on Thursday, May 9.

* Ballyshannon Drama Society (Donegal) will premiere Margaret, a new Irish play by Shaun Byrne, on Friday May 10.

Tickets go on sale online from 10am on Thursday, April 18, on the Dean Crowe Theatre website and from midday at the theatre box office - phone (090) 6492129.

Admission is €22. Concessions (€20) are available.