Mr. Frank Foley:

My day job for the last 30 years has been as a second level teacher working in the area of school shows and also community theatre in Inchicore, Dublin 8. For almost 60 years the AIMS has been the governing body for 120 musical societies based in the Thirty-two Counties on the island of Ireland. We have more than 15,000 members performing in on average 800 productions a year from full scale musicals to concerts and pantomimes. Our audiences average 1.2 million. Although we are seen as an amateur organisation, we stage shows to a very professional standard with an average cost of €40,000 to €50,000. We also employ many technicians, musicians, directors, and choreographers. That is along with lighting operators, sound technicians, set builders and painters, costume suppliers, props, hair and make-up crews, stage crews, front-of-house teams and kitchen staff - the list is endless. There could be an average of 120 people working on every production. Our societies perform in theatres, community halls and schools nationwide. Our societies are a vital part of local communities and are sometimes the first introduction to Broadway or West End shows.

Live theatre and live entertainment is vital in every community in today’s society. It is an opportunity for audiences to socialise, meet friends and family, get out of the house, have somewhere to go, switch off and be entertained. It is also a chance for all members to do the same but also to learn a craft and be educated, be it in singing, dancing, acting or staying fit while also making friends. Most societies rehearse a production for an average of three months, which in many cases carries them through the cold and bleak winter months. Being part of a group, be it sporting or artistic, is so important and is very positive for mental health.

The impact of the Covid pandemic on amateur theatre and amateur musical theatre has been devastating all over the island of Ireland over the past couple of years. For all involved, the absence of this platform created a huge void in towns and villages throughout the country. Putting on stage activities in the autumn and winter periods is to a community what sporting activities are in the summer period. These activities galvanise a community, not just local communities but neighbouring communities, as they support one another in these activities, creating a complex web of social and cultural interaction and networking that is unique to Irish society. After the shutdown due to Covid, I am delighted to say we are now slowly returning to the stage. With 42 societies back on stage last season, we are expecting the return of upwards of 85 societies this season between June 2022 and June 2023. Our participants range in age from infants to people in their 80s. It embraces all age groups, irrelevant of class, gender, orientation, religion or creed.