Those involved really are Super Troupers.

It's been quite the journey since launch night on 28 June last in the Greville Arms Hotel for the cast members of the seven mini-musicals that combine to form the spectacular Mullingar Shamrocks Sound of the Musicals show that will be staged in the Mullingar Park Hotel on 28 September. The launch night when lead roles were assigned, cast members announced and the seven abridged musicals revealed was followed by a few weeks of calm before the serious business of rehearsals began in mid-August. Prior to this the homework was distributed by Shane and the cast members were tasked with becoming familiar with the rehearsal medleys and lyrics. Musical director Greg then took charge of the singing rehearsals.

At the end of August dancing began with Siobhan in charge of the choreography and Shane working on the blocking moves. Soon the safety nets were removed and the live performance medley tracks were introduced to the cast members of Team Grease, Team The Greatest Showman, Team Mamma Mia, Team The Commitments, Team Chicago, Team Les Mis and Team Mary Poppins. Rehearsals have been a movable feast of venue, time and place with Mullingar Shamrocks Clubhouse, Gainstown National School, Canton Casey's and Mullingar Arts Centre providing refuge.

And while the men and women, and boys and girls were coming to terms with the intricacies of their song and dance routines, they also sourced props and costumes and assembled the ingredients for the glitz and glamour that will be a feature of the night.

AND there was more than that. The object of the exercise is to raise funds for Mullingar Shamrocks and cast members were also engaged in securing sponsorship and selling advertisements in the event programme.

AND the teams also engaged in some fundraising events that ranged from coffee mornings to stand-up sit-down bingo, from car boot sales to art in the Clubhouse with Andrina, to Grass Head sales and clothes sales.

Those involved really are Super Troupers.

And now, several thousand What's App messages later we are just ELEVEN days away from the BIG night and the all-singing, all-dancing, big budget, high production value show The Sound of the Musicals that launches in Mullingar for the first time on 28 September. The show members have now received their final schedule for the final week and it's a brutal one; we wish the best of luck to all those involved. Preparing for an All-Ireland final would be easier.

There won't be a spare moment between now and curtain-up at 7.30 on Saturday week.

The quest for perfection is never easy.

Tickets are available at www.mullingarshamrocksgaa.com