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theatre · Saturday 27 June 2026 · 7:00pm 
Griese Youth Theatre Summer Showcase 2026
At Riverbank Arts Centre · Main Street, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
At Riverbank Arts Centre · Main Street, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
Griese Youth Theatre brings its summer showcase to the Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge across two evenings at the end of June. This is local youth theatre at its most ambitious - three productions on the programme, a mix of established scripts and original Kildare-rooted work, performed by young people who have spent months rehearsing for this moment. If you want to see what the next generation of Irish performers can do, or simply want a night of genuine theatre at a price that won’t break the bank, this is worth the trip.
The two nights carry different programmes, so you could go both evenings and see entirely different work. Saturday 27 June opens with Don’t Shoot the Messenger by John Morton, a comic play about miscommunication and the chaos that follows, alongside two shorter pieces - Bench Warrant and Wheels by Bradley Hayward. Sunday 28 June shifts in tone with Ruckus in the Garden by David Farr, a play that blends imagination and real-world feeling, followed by Brigid, Spirit of Kildare - a project rooted in the local landscape and the story of the Kildare patron saint. That final piece is the one to catch if you want something genuinely connected to the place you are visiting.
Both performances start at 7:00pm. The Riverbank’s main auditorium seats audiences properly, with good sightlines - this is a real stage, not a school hall.
Newbridge sits on the M7 motorway, roughly 40 minutes south-west of Dublin city. By road from the capital, take the M7 and exit at Junction 10 or 11 for Newbridge town centre. The Riverbank Arts Centre is on Main Street, easy to find once you are in the town. There is parking directly in front of the building, including dedicated accessible spaces.
By rail, Newbridge train station is served by Irish Rail’s Kildare commuter line from Heuston Station. The journey takes around 35 minutes. The Riverbank is a short walk from the station.
Newbridge is a busy market town with a strong local identity - Newbridge Silverware is the best-known draw, but the town centre has good cafés and restaurants worth exploring before or after the show. There is more to see in Newbridge and across Co. Kildare.
Heading to Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge? Kildare has plenty more to see. Read the Newbridge area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.