Brian Gilligan taking over from Killian Donnelly in The Commitments.

Killian Donnelly leave  the Commitments at the Palace Theatre this weekend to join the cast of Memphis the Musical which starts previews at the Shaftesbury Theatre on 9th October. The role of Deco Deco" Cuffe lead singer of the band will be taken over by Brian Gilligan.

He trained at the Abbey School of Music and Drama, and is a self-taught instrumentalist.  Credits while training include: Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi, Mr Upfold in Albert Herring, Bill in A Hand of Bridge, Robert in The Drowsy Chaperone and Thisby/Flute and Bottom/Pyramus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Theatre includes: Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof (Jim Molloy Productions 2011), Man 1 in Songs for a New World (Mermaid Arts Centre, Dublin, 2011), The Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (Helix DCU, Dublin 2011), Robinson Crusoe in Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates pantomime (Gaiety, Dublin 2011-12), Anglo Boy 4 in Anglo the Musical (Olympia, Dublin 2013), Sean Og O Coileain in The Promise Musical (Irish premiere, Helix DCU, Dublin 2012), Curly in Oklahoma! (National Concert Hall 2012) and Michael Collins in Michael Collins a Musical Drama (Tivoli, Dublin 2013).

Opera and operetta include: Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance (Festival Productions 2008 and New Lyric Opera Productions 2010), Marco in The Gondoliers (Festival Productions 2009), Parpignol in La Bohème (Lyric Opera Productions 2009), Giuseppe in La Traviata, Normanno in Lucia di Lammermoor and The Registrar in Madame Butterfly (Lyric Opera Productions 2010), Blink in Die Fledermaus (Loughcrew Garden Opera 2011), Camille in The Merry Widow and Un Messo in Il Trovatore (Lyric Opera Productions 2011) and Lensky in Eugene Onegin, Ferrando in Così Fan Tutte and Sam in Street Scene (Opera in the Open 2012).