Michael Kelligan presents 'Dylan Thomas Growing Up' at the Torch Theatre, Milford Haven, on Saturday, September 14, at 7.30 pm. The play was first performed by Emlyn Williams at the Bath Festival in 1955 and later in London at the Globe (now the Gielgud), where Michael caught up with it on his first ever visit to Shaftesbury Avenue.
After working for a number of years as a stage manager and actor in theatres in England - Seaford, Morcambe, Doncaster, Weston-Super-Mare, the Isle of Wight, Cromer, Bath and Bristol - Michael returned to Cardiff to become the stage manager for the Welsh Theatre Company at the Casson Theatre, now the Rubicon Dance Centre.
With the opening of the Sherman Theatre, he became the production manager of the new Welsh Drama Company and was responsible for the technical staging of the first production there. He then worked for a while as an actor until he became too ill to continue working. In 1991 he underwent a very successful heart transplant operation at Papworth Hospital.
In 1998 he was fit enough to return to the stage. He presented his first one-man play at the Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff - 'The Spirit of Enniskillen' based on Gordon Wilson's tragic story. More recently he has been seen in 'Jack of Hearts' and 'Lucky Bag' for BBC Wales, 'Y Delyn' on S4C, the BAFTA award-winning risque short film 'A Heap of Trouble' and as George Thomas (Viscount Tonypandy) in the HTV series 'Tin Gods'.
He has also been running Cardiff's first Pub Theatre 'Upstairs at Dempsey's' and writes revues for the Theatre in Wales website - http://www.theatre-wales.co.uk">www.theatre-wales.co.uk
Tickets for 'Dylan Thomas Growing Up' are priced at £5 and £4 (discounts). These may be purchased from the theatre box office (tel: 01646 695267).