Frank McCourt’s widow Ellen and his youngest brother Alphie will fly from New York to Derby to see a musical adaptation of McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes.
Una Heaton, founder of the Frank McCourt Museum in Limerick, and the Mayor of Limerick will also be at Derby Theatre on Thursday (1 November).
Composer-lyricist Adam Howell has had the ambition of adapting the Irish classic for a long time.
He said, “The idea of staging Frank McCourt’s book seemed like it was going to be a real moment of bathos.
“Perhaps it was my own Irish heritage or maybe it was my naivety at 15 when I first read the book, but I never found McCourt’s tale to be one of misery and sadness but of wry humour and hope.
“His story is the very essence of the tenacious human spirit, overcoming all obstacles and surviving awful circumstances.”
The process of creating the musical led Adam to have some extraordinary experiences, visiting the Frank McCourt museum in Limerick and going to New York City to meet the late author’s brother Malachy McCourt who has been very supportive of the project.
The musical will be staged by Uncontained Arts, a professional theatre company established in 2008 by former graduates of the University of Derby theatre arts course based at Derby Theatre, and Theatre Works, which also has its home at the theatre.
Angela’s Ashes—A Musical will feature professional and community actors from across Derbyshire. It runs from Thursday until Saturday (1-3 November).