ADJUDICATORS 2024/25
Gilbert Section - Pat McElwain
We are delighted to welcome Pat McElwain as the Gilbert Adjudicator for the 2024-2025 season. He holds a MA in Theatre Studies from Dublin City University and brings a wide, valued and extensive experience to this role from his work as a Producer, Actor, Writer and of course his work as an acclaimed Director. His directing credits include Honk!, Fiddler on the Roof, Michael Collins-A Musical Drama and Crazy for You to name a few and along the way he has on nine occasions shows he’s worked on have been nominated for Best Overall Show at the AIMS Awards. He has also won and been nominated on multiple occasion for Best Directors, Best Comedian and Best Supporting Actor. He is a three time winner of the Best Director Award for the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera.
Pat brings with him a wealth of experience and he is really looking forward to an exciting and memorable year ahead when talent will be centre stage throughout.
Sullivan Section - Therese Maher
Therese holds a B.A. in Music (Mary Immaculate College), a diploma in Event Management (Limerick Business School), and a post-graduate in Stage Management and Technical Theatre (Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama). In 2018 she graduated with a M.F.A in Performance through American College Dublin, and is currently a PhD candidate in Drama and Theatre Studies in Mary Immaculate college. For 14 years Therese has run Dwan Academy Performing Arts School in Thurles, providing music, drama, dance and art classes and lessons, as well as outreach programmes in schools, and with Down Syndrome Tipperary.
Her directing & choreography credits include; Miss Saigon (2013), West Side Story (2014), Beauty and the Beast (2014), Les Miserable (2016), Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (2018), High School Musical (2019), The Little Mermaid (2021), In the Willows (2022), Footloose (2023), Copacabana (2024).
As a Production Manager she has worked all over the world, including at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival and at the Royal Albert Hall. Her credits include; Only the Brave (World Premier, Edinburgh 2010), Austentatious, (British Premier, 2011), Totem, Cirque du Soleil (2011), The Barge Project, Olympics Arts Festival (2012), Jordan Productions Pantomime (2011, 2012, 2013), East End Film Festival, (2013, 2014), Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2012 – 2016).
In 2023, Therese set up Limelight Theatricals, a youth musical theatre group. With an ethos of kindness and inclusion, they provide performance opportunities for 14-19 year olds.
Gilbert Programme Adjudicator - Brian Gunning
Brian has been a member of Tullamore Musical Society for 41 years appearing in 33 productions and serving on various
committees in positions of Chairman, President. Hon. Treasurer and PRO. As PRO, he was editor of show programmes for which he won AIMS awards in 1991 and 1992 and received a nomination in 1993.
In 2010 in recognition of his service honorary life membership was bestowed upon him by the society.
Brian has been a member of the board of directors of Tullamore Credit union for the last 30 years serving as president in 2007and 2008.
In his spare time he enjoys a round of golf and was greatly honoured to serve as captain of Tullamore Golf Club in 2018.
Sullivan Programme Adjudicator- John Grayden
Belfast-based, John’s 49-year involvement with musical theatre has spanned the amateur, semi-pro and professional worlds and for the greater part of that time ran in conjunction with a long career in journalism. It has seen him perform in, direct and produce shows and concerts as well as broadcast and write extensively on musical theatre and review hundreds of shows. For the Association, he has acted as an adjudicator as well as editing the AIMS Bulletin, the forerunner of Show Times and more recently co-edited the 50th anniversary brochure.
