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Suzie Seweify' as Princess Jasmine with Billie Ba
rry Kids LORRAINE BARRY “The Billie Barry kids have been associated with the Gaiety panto for 49 years. I remember being part of the first one which was Robin Hood and starred Austin Gafney and Danny Cummins and was directed by Ursula Doyle. They came out to the school (founded by her mother Billie in 1964) and auditioned us. Maureen Potter would always insist the kids would learn from the professionals. She insisted they stand in the wings and observe. She also set up a mock panto in her Green Room where they would come in and rehearse for her. It’s a tradition we have continued and now the children get to perform their own versions of the panto on the main stage on the last Friday. l don’t think there’s anything more magical than live theatre – for many the first thing they hear is a live orchestra – you can see the excitement, their eyes open wide and interaction with performers. Daryn Crosbie, the director of Aladdin, is a former Billie Barry kid who went on to become a dancer and choreographer before becoming a writer and director. What’s important in the casting of children, besides their acting skills, is that they have stamina. They need to want to be on stage from November until January. Every single show is precious and you want them to want to be happy here. You can feel the history of all the legends who performed here in the building.” Kids from the Billie Barry Stage School form part of Aladdin which runs at the Gaiety Theatre until Sunday January 19 A Christmas Spectacle: The Story of Panto in Dublin runs in the Dublin Room of the Pearse Street Library (138-141 Pearse Street) until the end of January. Lorrane Barry You can feel the history of all the legends who performed here in the building. 28 Jack and the Beanstalk, 2004 Sinbad, 1996