May 6th, 2011 by Richard Gaston
Brian Friel and Mark Carruthers at the Gala Opening of the Lyric Theatre
The new £18.1m Lyric Theatre on Belfast’s River Lagan finally opened its doors at the weekend with a series of special events to mark the occasion. On Saturday, a presentation in the Naughton Studio included contributions from actors Adrian Dunbar, Simon Callow, concert pianist Barry Douglas, and children from Braniel Primary School. The Lyric’s Patron, Liam Neeson OBE, sent a message from his filming location in America: “You have taken the Lyric from a dream to a concrete idea, to a physical manifestation. You have made this building an actuality. May it be a living, breathing monument to and for the spirit of the people of Northern Ireland. I congratulate you all, and send my warmest regards for this great achievement.”
On Sunday, celebrated playwright Brian Friel officially opened the theatre. He told the invited audience, “I pray that Belfast, which must be rightly proud of what has been accomplished here, may reap the rewards of sustaining this theatre and that its excellence and excitement find echoes in the daily lives of Belfast people”. The opening celebrations were attended by many of the generous individuals, corporates, trusts and foundations who supported the theatre’s capital campaign, along with the architects and representatives from the arts community, including actors Ciaran Hinds, Conleth Hill, Stella McCusker, Dan Gordon, Simon Callow, Adrian Dunbar and Brid Brennan. Guests were given the opportunity to look around the fantastic new building before taking their seats for a gala performance of ‘The Crucible’, directed by Conall Morrison.
Simon Callow, Mark Carruthers and Adrian Dunbar mark the Gala Opening of the new Lyric
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March 31st, 2011 by admin
Congratulations to our Chairman, Mark Carruthers, who was presented with an OBE by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace last week. Mark was awarded his OBE in the Queen’s New Year honours list in recognition for his services to drama in Northern Ireland.
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January 26th, 2011 by admin
As the Lyric announced its exciting new programme for 2011 and celebrates less than 100 days until its opening performance, Conor O’Malley son of Mary O’Malley, founder of the original Lyric Theatre visited the nearly completed site of the theatre. Here is Conor’s account of his visit to The Lyric Theatre -
L-R: James D. Reid, Nicholas Lloyd Webber, Sophie Franklin, Sean Foley, Emma Randel, Alex Gammie, Richard Croxford, Ciaran McAuley visiting the Lyric on Thursday 20 January with Conor O'Malley
‘The challenge for any theatre building is to meet competing requirements of audience, actors, technical, administrative and public spaces. Almost always, some elements become compromised in the attempt. The Lyric is succeeding in accommodating and integrating all the elements – and as part of a design aesthetic of the highest order. The Lagan’s panoramic setting adds to mounting excitement. The effect of this building is going to be spectacular. It will serve as a constant encouragement to artists to match the designers’ thinking. Three loud cheers as Belfast and Northern Ireland make this theatre theirs!’
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January 5th, 2011 by admin
Mark is pictured here with Meryl Streep, Liam Neeson OBE and Paul Rankin at a fund raising dinner in New York in January 2010
The Lyric Theatre is delighted that Chairman, Mark Carruthers, has been appointed an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List for his services to drama in Northern Ireland.
Mark joined the Board of the Lyric Theatre in 2001 and has served as Chairman for the past five years. Alongside Professor Sir George Bain and the Lyric’s Development Director, Angela McCloskey, Mark has spearheaded the Lyric’s campaign to rebuild on its historic Stranmillis site in south Belfast. In total, the Lyric has had to raise over £18m to pay for the new building, almost £5m of which has come from private sources.
“I am absolutely thrilled that Mark has been recognised for his services to drama,” said Professor Sir George Bain, Vice-Chairman of the Lyric Theatre. “He has fronted the Lyric’s fundraising campaign over many years and has successfully articulated the need to build a new £18.1m producing theatre that will be central to cultural development within Northern Ireland. This award recognises Mark’s personal commitment to the arts and his passion for the Lyric in particular. His ability to enthuse others about the project has ultimately led to this extremely significant combination of public and private investment, as well as a major individual donations, towards a building that will benefit future generations of actors, audiences and young people.”
Mark Carruthers said: “I’m very pleased, of course, on a personal level. I don’t suppose I fully appreciated quite what I was taking on when I agreed to chair the Lyric Board five years ago – but I’m delighted and very proud of what we’ve achieved in that time. I’m also really pleased that this is recognition for the arts sector generally in Northern Ireland – and for the Lyric in particular. I think the award shows that the ‘powers that be’ do recognise that the arts make an important contribution to creating and maintaining a healthy and vibrant society.”
The Lyric Theatre will open the doors of its new building on 1 May 2011.
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