WATCH Limerick Hollywood star Constance Smith celebrated with theatre show and new sculpture

Limerick Hollywood star Constance Smith celebrated with theatre show and new sculpture. Picture: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick

Limerick is honouring one of its incredible women this month with the Theatre Royal show ‘Connie’ running October 18 to November 9th and a sculpture dedicated to Hollywood actress Constance Smith

Limerick is honouring one of its incredible women in history, telling the story of Constance Smith through ‘Connie’ at Theatre Royal from October 18 to November 9th, and Ormston House has unveiled a new sculpture in honour of the Hollywood star at People’s Park.

Staged in Limerick’s historic Theatre Royal, Connie will be the first public performance in the building for almost 30 years. The new Limerick play is a bold, immersive theatrical event that reimagines the incredible life of Limerick-born Hollywood actress Constance Smith.

Born on Limerick’s Wolfe Tone Street in 1929, a series of incredible events led Constance Smith to Hollywood fame in the 1950s when she starred in over 30 films and presented at the 1952 Academy Awards.

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The unveiling of the Hollywood Star, the first piece of sculpture dedicated to a Limerick woman in the city, created by Ormston House Artist-in-Residence Mary Conroy, comes days before the premiere of ‘Connie’ at the Theatre Royal on Saturday, October 18.

Artist, Mary Conroy told I Love Limerick, “ We’ve been working on this project for quite some time, and we’ve been looking for a legacy for Constance.

“As you know, there’s a theatre production coming. So we’ve been working with Ormston House with the help of Sharon Slater, who’s a local historian, and we wanted to create a legacy for Constance.”

Niamh Brown of Ormston House says the journey to recognising Constance Smith in this way began five years ago at an International Women’s Day event where historian-in-residence Sharon Slater highlighted three Limerick women, one of whom was Constance Smith.

Niamh said, “That talk led to the inspiration for Ann and Joanne to create the wonderful theatre piece, Connie, and throughout that process, as well, Ann and Joanne opened up the artistic process in the development, and welcomed other artists into that.  Mary Conroy was one of those artists, and we kept coming back to this idea of legacy for Constance.”

Featuring Pom Boyd as Constance alongside an all-female cast, the production blends live performance, archival film, and an original score with the Irish Chamber Orchestra.

Seeing the star unveiled, Joanne Ryan, Producer and Co-Creator of Connie, said, “ Oh my God, it’s amazing. I was just saying to somebody, I’ve never been more excited to see a show in my life. I think it’s going to be fantastic. We have such an amazing team, such an amazing cast; Ann has been doing such an incredible job directing it. I can’t wait to see it.”

Ann Blake, Director and Co-Creator, said this was a moment to make sure Constance Smith will not be forgotten. She said, “ It’s really incredible to have this sculpture and to bring her back and then living on into the future.

“The soil that contains her ashes is in the Star. We brought it back from Islington Cemetery. That features in our storyline as well. So to have this level of collaboration and artistic vision all coming together in one big explosion of women working together, it’s incredible to celebrate this forgotten woman.”

Local resident Ann Giltenane says it is amazing to have Constance Smith remembered. She said, “ My family knew her and knew her well for the time that she was there. My brother Harry talked about her often.”

Speaking about the residents’ input, she added, “There were meetings in Charlie Malone’s, and they were trying to decide what was most favourable to acknowledge her and to be proud of her. Wolfe Tone Street is on the map again.”

Tickets are available from €28/€25 with showtimes at 7:30pm evening shows, and 2pm Matinees. Connie runs from Saturday, October 18th to Sunday, November 9th, with previews on October 18th, October 19th and October 21st at 7.30pm ahead of opening night on October 22nd at 7.30pm.

Running from October 23rd-9th November with shows at 7.30pm (except Monday 27th) with matinee performance on Saturday 25th October at 2pm, Connie was commissioned by Ormston House and is presented by Joanne Ryan in partnership with Ormston House, Lime Tree Theatre, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Film in Limerick, Dance Limerick, lyric fm, Piquant, Limerick City and County Council, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, Mary Immaculate College and No 1 Pery Square Hotel and Spa.

Connie is made possible with the support of The Arts Council of Ireland / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Limerick City and County Council, Limerick Arts Office, Limerick Festivals and Events, and the International Music and Art Foundation.

Pictures: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick