2008
• Spraoi produce a new touring
street theatre show “The Box”, a
zany and hilarious piece of physical street
theatre. Directed by Dermot Quinn and designed by
Mike Leahy, with an original soundtrack by Jamie Beamish,
it attracts enthusiastic audiences when it appeared at
several festivals throughout Ireland. Complete
with an original sound track, The Box draws it
inspiration from a diverse range of imagery ranging from
cold war sci-fi and espionage, to slapstick silent movies
of the 1920’s.
• An extended and enlarged programme of street
theatre and music is presented and produced by the
company at the Dublin Docklands Maritime Festival, in
blazing sunshine, in June. Spraoi Festival • Unfortunately June sees the last of the summer
sunshine, as it once again rains just about all summer
long. But the Spraoi Festival is luckier than most
as the weekend stays dry in the main, with just the odd
shower.
• The 2008 festival features acts from 13
countries, and several Irish premieres,
including the large scale street theatre production
“Hydromania”, presented by one of
Britain’s leading street spectacle companies,
Avanti Display, at the Waterford City Courthouse, and
“The Station” by Bash St Theatre, which is
co-commissioned by Spraoi in association with ten other
international festivals.
• Spraoi’s 2008 own production for the
Festival is inspired by the tradition of shipbuilding in
Waterford, when the city was home to the largest steam
ship fleets in the world, and shipyards dotted the
riverbank, forging great ships from iron. Spraoi embarked
on an epic production to celebrate this nearly forgotten
time in the city’s history. “The Iron
Tide” took to the streets on her maiden voyage at
9.30pm on Sunday, August 3rd. Along the length of
the Quay five docks awaited the arrival the great ship.
Waterford’s quays are one of Europe’s great
urban spaces, and it is this setting that was the
inspiration for this unique one- off theatrical
spectacle, celebrating the City and its heritage on a
truly monumental scale.
• Spraoi features several Irish premieres,
including Sienta La Cabeza from Spain, Italy’s Oplas
Teatro with their stunning stilt choreography, the USA
Breakdancers with their amazing dance moves and Mimbre
with their stylish choreographed piece
“Sprung”.
• Increased promenade performances are a major
hit at the festival, with large scale walkabout
performances by companies Close Act from Holland,
Larkin’ About and Los Kaos from the UK, and
Waterford Youth Arts with a specially commissioned piece,
“The Rubbish Pirates
• For 2008 The Guinness Rhythm Route plays host
to varying sounds from around the Globe. Highlights
include The Red Stripe Band, with their unique blend of
boogie woogie and jazz, and the stylish old time sound of
the Fat 45s.
2007
• November sees Spraoi host the very successful
"Perspectives" initiative, in association with
Waterford Institute of Technology. In what is hoped
will become an annual event, a series of masterclasses
and seminars takes place. Artists from around
Ireland, in both Street Arts and Theatre disciplines,
attend the four-day exchange of ideas on various aspects
of outdoor performance led by some of Europe's leading
practitioners.
• Spraoi is commissioned to produce a show for
St. Patricks Festival Cork, while also performing shows
in Dublin and Waterford, so March 17th is a busy one
for the company.
• The company programme and produce the
shore-based performance and music elements of the Dublin
Docklands Maritime Festival again in June. Spraoi Festival • Some of the worst weather excesses of
"Summer 2007" pours down on the Spraoi
Festival, but rain doesn’t stop play. Many
performances are moved indoors or under marquees, but
just about all the events happen in some form or
other.
• One magical highlight is the John Roberts
Square outdoor concert with the Ukulele Orchestra of
Great Britain on Saturday night, when both band and
audience get drenched together, but the show goes on to a
rapturous ovation from the huge attendance.
• The Beat Stage on the WVW Plaza becomes a
showcase for original bands, mostly from the city.
Saviours of Space, Ilya K, Gorbachov and Floyd Soul and
the Wolf are just a few of the many acts who play over
two days.
• The new AOL stage in John Roberts Square is a
big hit, with Saturday afternoon crowds reaching an all
time high, watching and listening to the varying sounds
from the funky tunes of Scottish band Das Contras, to the
Latin American rhythms of Havana Sôn, and the Irish
traditional melodies of Two Time Polka.
• Several street theatre companies present new
work at the festival, including Avanti
Display with "Stormbringer" and Ramshacklicious
Theatre Co with "The Road to Nowhere".
2006
• Spraoi is commissioned to programme and
produce the shore-based performance elements of the
Dublin Docklands Maritime Festival in June. An
international programme of street artists and world music
is staged over three days and an estimated audience of
100,000 attends. This commission was secured for 2007
also.
• Also in June Spraoi co-presents a promenade
production of the opera "Tosca" with the
Theatre Royal, Waterford. Spraoi has specific
responsibility for the design, presentation and
performance elements of the outdoor aspect of the
production, staged in a city centre location.
"Tosca" adds considerable weight to
Waterford’s artistic summer calendar and is a
critical and box-office success.
• Spraoi continues to provide studio space for
rehearsal and design and construction to other companies,
artists and organisations on a regular basis. For
example, three young emerging visual artists attached to
the Waterford Institute of Technology use studio space to
complete large-scale works associated with their Diploma
Show.
• The company is busy again for St.
Patrick’s Day, with large scale entries in both the
Dublin and Waterford parades.
Spraoi Festival
• The Royal Drummers of Burundi headline a new
location for the main stage on Saturday evening - John
Roberts Square. Thunderous power, pure precision, amazing
acrobatics and sheer rapture from one of the greatest
percussion ensembles in the world.
• Spraoi in the Park: Saturday evening sees the
festival move to the Peoples Park where huge crowds enjoy
music and street theatre acts perform in brilliant
sunshine. Waterford City Council re-open Wyse Park in the
city centre and large crowds enjoy three days of
programmed activity in the relaxed atmosphere of this
family orientated space.
• An Irish street theatre company, Fidget Feet,
are co-commissioned to produce a new large scale outdoor
show "Wired and Free".
• French company Delit de Façade take over the
top floor windows of Sherwoods Electrical with another
Irish Premiere to present a street show completely out of
the ordinary.
• South African band Freshly Ground are a huge
hit on the outdoor music stage and in the Festival Club.
• Spraoi Parade; Waaargh!
Monstrous monsters and panicking people are a good mix,
particularly when Spraoi are involved. Hideous creatures
born of Water, Earth, Wind and fire create havoc on the
quays of the city
I• ndependent audience research was
commissioned by Spraoi for the first time. Key findings
included: 98% satisfied or very satisfied with the event,
18% were visitors to Waterford for Spraoi, and 68% said
it was their third or more visit to the festival.
2005
• Spraoi produces its’ biggest show to
date in January, Awakening, for the Opening
Ceremony of Cork 2005 European Capital of
Culture. The show, on January 8th,
takes place along the River Lee, spanning the main three
city centre bridges of the city, and features an
international team of designers, lighting specialists,
sound engineers and pyrotechnicans.
• St. Patrick’s Day sees the company
commissioned to provide a large scale entry for the
Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Parade once again.
Spraoi also take part in the Waterford parade, in
partnership with Waterford City Council, while also
designing and producing an entry in partnership with AOL.
• A busy summer beckons, with the company
producing three festivals over a five week period.
As well as the Spraoi Festival, and Tráfest, Spraoi is
commissioned to programme and produce the festival to
coincide with the first ever visit of the International
Tall Ships Sail Training Race to Waterford.
An estimated audience of over 400,000 people attends the
event throughout the three days in July.
Spraoi Festival
• The largest, and most technically challenging
show, ever brought to the city for the festival wows huge
crowds over two nights of the festival as Transe Express
present the Irish Premiere of "Les Maudits
Sonnants".
• German company Bangditos are another huge
hit, with their fiery and watery production of
"The Guardian Angels".
• Waterford Music Network’s "Teenage
Kicks" stage, featuring young, original bands, is
extended to two days, due to popular demand!
• Cuban band Asère, and English band The
Magnets, are big hits on the outdoor stages.
The New Band stage moves to a new location on
O’Connell Street.
• Spraoi Parade; The Oz that
Woz: Dorothy emerges from six decades of
obscurity and finally decides to reveal the gritty truth,
spill the beans, and kiss and tell all about her real
time spent "Over the Rainbow".
• Spraoi Parade; The Oz that
Woz: Dorothy emerges from six decades of
obscurity and finally decides to reveal the gritty truth,
spill the beans, and kiss and tell all about her real
time spent “Over the Rainbow”.
2004
• Spraoi performs in three cities
simultaneously, when the company participates in St
Patrick's Day Celebrations in Waterford, Cork and Dublin.
It takes top honours in Waterford with Trash It,
and in Dublin with Siege.
• Spraoi are commissioned to build more
conference sets and this year add the G.A.A. to their
list of clients.
• Ireland welcomes twelve accession states into
the E.U. Waterford welcomes Malta and Spraoi are
commissioned to devise and manage the city's
celebrations. Included in the day's schedule of events
are Maltese folk group Etnika and Spraoi's own production
Knight Time.
• Spraoi provide the outdoor entertainment
element for the visit of the E.U. Environment Ministers
visit to Waterford.
• The company receives it biggest commission to
date when invited to stage the Opening Ceremony for Cork
2005 European Capital of Culture celebrations scheduled
for January 8th 2005.
Spraoi Festival
• The Festival basks in summer sunshine and
draws record crowds to the city.
• Acts from Australia, France, Italy, Britain,
Ireland, Germany, the U.S.A., Brazil and Zimbabwe take
part.
• Local acts are again a major element of the
festival, with big band, Opus Pocus, in particular,
taking centre stage.
• This years parade, State of the Art,
has a darker feel, and sees Spraoi take a look at the
edgy side of a society which turns it back on the arts as
mob rule takes over.
2003
•In February Spraoi move to it's new home at
CarrickPherish
• The first production to emerge from the
Studios is Dream Train Steam Train, which takes
the top award at St Patrick's Day Festival, Dublin in
March
• Several conference sets are commissioned and
built by Spraoi in the Studios including the sets for the
A.S.T.I. and P.O.A. annual conferences.
• Spraoi produce Speaking Stones, a show
commissioned by Waterford City Council to celebrate 1000
years of the landmark building in the city, Reginald's
Tower.
• Spraoi use its new facility to full advantage
when the company stages its first indoor production Jonah.
Devised by Artistic Directors Dermot Quinn and Mike
Leahy, the critically acclaimed show represents a new
departure stylistically for the company.
Spraoi Festival
• Elixir, from France, stage a parade and
evening performance as part of this year's festival, to
much acclaim.
• Urban Drum and Bass, from Switzerland, are a
definite highlight with their unique style of bass and
percussion.
• Norwegian accapella group Apes and Babes are
a big hit on the Carlsberg Rhythm Route.
• The Spraoi parade Jinxed draws record
crowds to the Quays.
2002
• Building work begins on the new 10,000 sq ft
Spraoi Studios in Carrickpherish.
• Bedbugs goes to St Patricks Day
Festival Dublin with a cast and crew of 60
• Spraoi begin a three year collaboration with
Waterford Area Partnership, devising and running a series
of workshops. Using the parade as a vehicle the workshops
are aimed at arts development and social integration.
Spraoi Festival
• The Festival's 10th Birthday. A collection of
memorabilia, as well as a film showing highlights from
the last ten years, is exhibited at the Theatre Royal for
the duration of the festival.
• Ten Tall Tales is the theme and title
of the parade, a celebration of urban myth and little
white lies, which draws an audience in excess of 60,000
• Spraoi and Waterford Youth Drama work
together again this year to produce E-tales.
• Musiklab present an outdoor music production
at Spraoi for the first time.
• Dream Engine present The Candle, a
night-time, outdoor, aerial production
2001
• St. Patricks Day Festival is rescheduled due to
the Foot and Mouth outbreak and takes place on May 20th.
Spraoi take silver with their production 2001 - A
Greek Odyssey.
• Waterford City Council lease a site at
Carrickpherish on the outskirts of the city to Spraoi in
order for the company to begin building a new, permanent,
home. Planning permission is sought in December and a
massive fund-raising campaign begins.
• The company secure several new contracts to
undertake commercial projects, which include appearances
at the Budweiser Irish Derby, the Mansion House in Dublin
and the Guinness Hop Store.
Spraoi Festival
• The world famous London Community Gospel
Choir visit the city for the festival and wow the huge
audiences who come out to see them.
• Spraoi and Waterford Youth Drama, in
association with The Arts Council, Waterford City Council
and Waterford Youth Committee, combine to produce About
Time, a dance/percussion project involving 63 young
people who spend a month in workshops devising the piece.
• Spraoi parade By Hook or by Crooke
sees the Quays of Waterford swept back in time, with
crusty oul' seadogs and giant squid, ghost ships and
pirates, performing to the thunder and echo of cannon
fire and the smell of gunpowder.
2000
• TráFest, the festival in Tramore, Co.
Waterford which Spraoi helped to establish, grows from
strength to strength, with the introduction of workshops,
exhibitions and readings, to complement the
ever-increasing music sessions.
• Spraoi employ five young full-time apprentices
on a FAS Arts and Culture Scheme for a year.
• Les Géants Portés, a festival in
Steenvorde, France sees the company bring their work to
mainland Europe for the first time.
• Waterford City Council are asked to lease
land to the company, and the Arts Council award Spraoi
capital funding.
Spraoi Festival
• The Spraoi festivals' first fringe event,
sprÓg is born. Aimed specially at 4-8 year olds, the
festival is based in Garter Lane Arts Centre and runs for
five days, with performances and workshops. All shows are
booked to capacity.
• A magical indoor world of light and colour,
The Luminarium, visits the city. An inflatable,
monumental labyrinth of tunnels, mazes and spacious
domes, it has an immediate impact.
• The Spraoi parade Dr. Diabolical and his
Doomsday Devices carves out a new route, down the
Quay, to finish at Adelphi Wharf. An audience of 50,000
turn out to watch both this and Furnace, a show specially
devised by the company, incorporating one of Waterford's
best known maritime landmarks, the dock crane.
1999
• Sea of Temptation, Spraoi's production
for the St. Patricks Day Festival Parade in Dublin wins
Best Overall Entry Award.
• In association with Millennium Festivals,
Spraoi joins with Macnas and Bui Bolg to create Ghost
Train for the Wexford Opera Festival in October. An
old steam train is transformed into three separate
performance areas and the show is staged on the Quays in
Wexford.
• Spraoi is commissioned by the city of
Waterford to stage Phoenix, a spectacular fire and
light show, on the Quay, Waterford for Millennium Eve.
Spraoi Festival
• Black Umfolosi from Zimbabwe wows the huge
audiences in the city over the weekend. The festival
programme in general includes, for the first time, a
strong international element.
• Waterford Area Partnership and Spraoi
undertake a series of community workshops, and the
results of one project, with Ferrybank Women's Community
Group, sees a spectacular display of flags adorning the
entrance to the city on the Festival weekend.
• To cope with the ever increasing audience
size, a new parade route is devised, to take in Parnell
Street, the Mall and the Quay. Time stands still for an
hour and a half on Sunday evening as Time wends
its way through the city. This year, it snows (!) as the
company use snow machines and other special effects to
great effect. An estimated audience of 40,000 become part
of the whole experience.
1998
• Spraoi moves to a new base on The Glen,
Waterford.
• The company is contracted by St. Patricks Day
Parade, Dublin to design and construct a section of the
national St. Patricks Day parade.
• A new Arts and Culture training scheme is
undertaken in partnership with FAS, involving 15 trainees
based in the Spraoi workshop for three months. This
culminates in Alcatraz, a production at Garter
Lane Arts Centre, Waterford, which attracts a capacity
audience. Spraoi Festival
• Spraoi Junior Drummers make their debut.
• New areas of the city, such as Cathedral
Square, Alexander Street and Lady Lane are opened up to
street theatre as the volume of street theatre acts and
the size of the audience grows.
• It rains again - but just for the Parade on
Sunday evening! It's no deterrent, however, for the
30,000 strong crowd who turn out to watch Here Comes
the Night, featuring all the things that night brings
out; ghosts, ghouls, cats, nightmares, the moon
……… and the biggest firework display yet
brings another great Spraoi to a close.
1997
• The largest section yet of the Waterford St.
Patricks Day Parade is built by Spraoi, with commissions
from companies including Waterford Crystal, Bausch &
Lomb and Waterford City Council.
• Various workshops are undertaken by the
company, including Home/School Liaison workshops between
Spraoi and parents in St. Pauls National School and St.
Saviours, Ballybeg.
Spraoi Festival
• The year of the rain - so torrential that the
Sunday Street Carnival has to be brought indoors to
various hotels, pubs and social centres.
• The parade, Sleepstealers is postponed
24 hours, and finally takes to the streets, still under a
downpour, on Monday evening. 25,000 people brave the
weather to come out and watch.
• Acts from Africa, India, South America and
all over Europe take part in the festival. Highlights
include Abasindi from the Caribbean, the Chaski Inkas
from South America, a local choir, Janus, and the trash
percussion sound of Urban Strawberry Lunch.
• The Spraoi Festival wins The Jury's Overall
Achievement of the Year Award.
1996
• Spraoi office and workshop moves to the
Auction Galleries (now Waterford Museum of
Treasures).
• The company writes and produces Voodoo
Nation involving twelve trainees as part of a FAS
Arts and Culture course run by Spraoi.
• Spraoi take their work abroad for the first
time when they are invited to take part in the Notting
Hill Carnival, London. The company also visits several
other festivals around Ireland.
Spraoi Festival
• Spraoi present their first street parade Ragnorak
with a cast of 150, based on an ancient Norse legend. An
estimated crowd of 20,000 turns out to watch the event,
followed by a fireworks display, which takes place on the
Sunday evening.
• Carlsberg are the new sponsors of the Rhythm
Route
• Outdoor music sessions include Ebony
Steelband on stage in Red Square and the Café Orchestra
playing an exquisite set in the French Church.
• Taiko drumming band, Sen Ryo Taiko, travel
from Japan to take part in the festival. Street theatre
acts include Swamp Circus, Pat Bracken and Bui Bolg.
1995
• Spraoi brings it's work outside Waterford for
the first time when it visits the Cats Laugh Festival and
the Kilkenny Arts Festival with specially commissioned
shows.
• The company begins to provide training and
workshop opportunities to community groups.
• The Spraoi Festival finally decides to anchor
itself to the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Spraoi Festival
• The Spraoi production Bibelot is
staged on Saturday evening, followed by a firework
display. It attracts over 10,000 people to Red Square.
• The Sunday Street Carnival is added to the
festival programme.
• Hoffmans Rhythm Route features The Frames,
The Tallafornia Mandolin Band and The Prayer Boat.
• Percussion is once again a central theme with
performances from The Belfast Carnival Band, Lambeg
Drummers, Metronomes Steel Orchestra, Drogheda Samba Band
and Spraoi Drummers.
• Streets and buildings are decorated with
weird and wonderful creatures.
1994
• Spraoi's first full-time staff begin work as
twelve people are employed on a FAS Community Employment
Scheme. The company is based in a former cattle shed on
The Quay
• Spraoi takes part in Waterford St. Patricks
Day Parade for the first time.
• The company begins to do other commercial
work throughout the year, including interactive Christmas
production, Darkwood
Spraoi Festival
• Based on rhythm in all its forms, with the
Drogheda Samba Band, Different Drums of Derry and the
Spraoi Drummers performing over three days.
• Lighting the Walls becomes Spraoi's
most ambitious project to date, incorporating 200
volunteers and 500 flaming torches.
• Hoffmans Music Fringe is added to the
programme. Bands appearing include Harmonious Wail, The
Madrigal, the Freudian Slips and Lion's Den.
• Macnas present Tribes on Sunday
afternoon, with an estimated crowd of 15,000 people
watching.
1993
• The first Spraoi Festival is officially
launched and called “Summer
Spraoi’93”.
• Footsbarn Theatre Company present “Romeo
and Juliet” in a circus tent in Kilbarry Sports
Centre.
• Macnas present “Noah’s Ark” on
Sunday afternoon in the city centre.
• Spraoi present their first ever production
“Africa to Arann” with percussion led by Tommy
Hayes and choreography by Camila Dorcey.
• Live music sessions are held outside five city
centre pubs after the parade on Sunday evening.
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