Claiming the first ever production in the new UL Student Centre’s Luna Theatre, Triple Threat stunned audiences throughout their performances on November 19 and 20.
Triple Threat was the UL Musical Theatre Society’s (ULMTS) semester one show. This year’s production was highly anticipated, with tickets selling out within 24 hours.
A multi-musical production, Triple Threat contained three separate ‘mini musicals’. The shows selected were all popular Broadway scripts, condensed to about 30 minutes. With three different casts, all who auditioned were guaranteed a spot in one of the three shows. The Society had a record high of 80-90 auditionees this year.
ULMTS Productions Chairperson, Daniel Tuohy, detailed the process of how shows are selected. “During the summer, our committee calls out for production teams for Triple Threat. They come to us with their ideas for shows and pitch in detail their script and plans for choreography, direction and musical direction. We then select the 3 shows best suited to our society with the most passionate production teams.”
Liv Surrat, a UL study abroad student from Minnesota, was cast as an ensemble member in Triple Threat. She mentioned she was interested in joining the Society even before arriving in Ireland, due to her love for performing and the possibility of meeting new people.
Liv recalled, “during welcome week, I had become friends with a lot of other American study abroad students, and joining Triple Threat was a great way to spend time with Irish students who share my interests.”
Liv credited her show’s director, Emma Wright, on the shining passion she exuded into the mini-musical’s costume design. Emma curated a unique look for each cast member, sending them vision boards to reference when putting together their character’s costume and makeup look.
With a limited budget, cast members were to source their own costumes. Liv mentioned that many were willing to loan out what they had in their personal closets, which helped to bring Emma’s vision to life.
As Liv is wrapping up her semester at UL and heading back to Minnesota, she shared, “Triple Threat was made special by the spirit of each and every individual involved, and that spirit is one of the things I cherish the most about my time here. Joining ULMTS and the Triple Threat production was one of the best decisions I made as a study abroad student.”
This is the Society’s second year of putting on Triple Threat. The ULMTS Vice Treasurer, Charlotte Balfe, felt this year’s show “really took Triple Threat up a notch” compared to last year.
Charlotte recommends anyone who is interested to join the society, saying, “everyone is so nice and supportive; there’s such a great atmosphere at rehearsals, and show nights are always so fun.”
Charlotte’s good praises are backed by ULMTS’s award-winning reputation across the UL campus. The Musical Society has won the ‘Best Society’ award in 2022, 2023 and 2025, along with the ‘Best Event’ award in 2023 and 2025.
There are many musical events to keep an eye out for during the 2026 spring semester. Not only will there be social opportunities like karaoke nights, table quizzes, and musical bingo, but there will also be two stage productions to anticipate. ‘All Shook Up’, a largely adored jukebox musical, is the Society’s full-scale spring show.
ULMTS is also participating in a nationwide competition, Féile Ardáin (Intervarsity) 2026, where they will produce and perform an original musical show against other universities across Ireland. This year’s submission is “The Search for Elle: a 20-minute parody adapted for stage.” Auditions for the Intervarsity show will be held in the spring semester.