Mum got shock diagnosis in darkest days, now we face new challenge on 1st day in mega role, says Fair City's Johnny Ward

The Irish Sun

4 days ago

ACTOR Johnny Ward will take to the stage in Little Shop Of Horrors next week - but he will be wracked with nerves for a completely different reason.
The
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Johnny Ward with his beloved mum Kathy who will attend the opening night of Little Shop Of Horrors
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Johnny told how he channels his pain into his work
Credit: Alamy
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The show will run at Dublin's Bord Gais Energy Theatre for several weeks
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Johnny with supportive wife Brenda
The 38-year-old told the Irish Sun: "Tuesday is going to be a strange day because we are going to get the results from St Vincent's Hospital about whether a lump my mother found is cancerous or benign and what the next six months will hold."
That evening as Johnny is processing the results, the musical will have its opening night in Dublin.
Johnny will play the role of the demented dentist Orin Scrivello, made famous by Steve Martin in the movie of the same name.
He told us: "This might sound strange, but this is like doing
"I want to work in situations like this because I find it strangely therapeutic, in that dancing or acting helps me to escape the pain I'm feeling."
'I WAS GRIEVING'
The
Johnny said: "I should have taken mum's condition more seriously, but I guess I was grieving myself.
"Then lockdown happened, and mum got
Speaking of the close bond between mother and son, Johnny said he would always be there for Kathy, who encouraged him to follow his dream and become an actor when he was young.
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Proud son...Johnny said he'll be there for Kathy no matter what
The TV star revealed how he feared he had lost her last year when he got a call to say Kathy was unresponsive in St Vincent's Hospital.
However, she has staged a comeback since, so much so that she will be in the Docklands theatre next Tuesday to support him on his opening night, alongside his wife Brenda who he says has
'DARKEST DAYS'
Johnny said: "In the darkest days of last year, I never thought we would come so far.
"Mum came out of the convalescent home in March and has been making steady progress with us since.
"It's the little things that you notice, like she wouldn't know whether you turn left or right for the bathroom at home.
"But she really is an incredible woman."
Meanwhile, Johnny was thrilled to land a major role in the groundbreaking new production, the first full-scale musical theatre production produced in-house by the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, in partnership with TheatreworX.
He said: "I had to do three auditions, then I got the call to come in and meet the other cast.
"We've been rehearsing for the past four weeks, and it really is something special."
The Walkinstown man is thrilled to be playing sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello in the new production, a role made famous by Steve Martin in the original 1986 movie.
Johnny revealed his own experience of suffering at the dentist as a child.
He said: "When I was about eight-years-old, I had this dentist who really hurt me.
"He stuck a needle in me so hard, I kicked him in the balls.
"I remember if your visit to the dentist went well, you got a lollipop, but I kicked this guy, so all I remember is that I got a new dentist really quickly."
'COOLEST THING'
But his molars survived, and he had a good enough set of teeth to land a gig in Boyzonly, a
Johnny previously told us: "There wasn't a lot of dancing, really, just a step and a click performing No Matter What.
"But for about three or four years, we thought we were the coolest thing.
"It got very difficult soon after because I was Stephen Gately, and when he came out, I was in an all-boys' school.
"I meet the other guys from the tribute the odd time in the pub, and we remember Boyzonly."
However, he soon progressed to serious musical theatre, then winning roles in Love/Hate and
Johnny's next TV part is in the Amazon Prime drama Suga: Ride or Die, out this September, in which he plays a hitman sent to Holland to recover a gangster debt.
He said: "The other actors are literally talking Dutch, but all my lines are in English."
'TOTALLY DIFFERENT'
Playing the second lead in Little Shop of Horrors couldn't be further from his last stage role, playing Gino Wildes, the star of the Dublin football team, in Copper Face Jacks: The Musical.
Johnny said: "Yes, it's totally different from that. For one thing, Little Shop of Horrors is not set in Copper Face Jacks."
Other big names in Little Shop of Horrors include David O'Reilly, who stars as the hapless florist Seymour Krelborn, opposite Jacqueline Brunton, a rising star of musical theatre, who takes on the role of the sweet and soulful Audrey.
Producers have hailed the new musical, featuring an entirely Irish cast and creative team, as a landmark moment for Irish musical theatre and a bold new chapter for the theatre itself.
The casting process began back in December 2024, with over 2,000 hopefuls applying from across the country.
Following an intensive audition process, the list was whittled down to 150 talented finalists who auditioned in January 2025.
The final cast showcases a dynamic blend of established names and emerging talent, making this a truly exciting production for audiences to experience.
'TRULY OVERWHELMED'
The cast were in full bloom this week as they came together for their very first official group photo at iconic Dublin flower shop Howbert and Mays.
Surrounded by vibrant foliage and floral charm, the moment marked a fresh beginning for the production.
Speaking at the cast launch, Stephen Faloon, General Manager of the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, said: 'We were truly overwhelmed by the extraordinary wealth of talent that came forward during the audition process.
"What we witnessed throughout was every bit as strong as the calibre we've come to expect from the biggest West End productions that have graced our stage.
"It's a proud and significant moment for us to announce this phenomenal cast, made up of both established and emerging Irish talent.
"We are confident that audiences are in for something really special in this bold, high-energy and unforgettable production of Little Shop of Horrors this summer."
Little Shop of Horrors runs until August 9. For more information, check out
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Johnny dances with Emily Barker on Dancing With The Stars in 2019
Credit: Kyran O'Brien
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Johnny as Ciaran Holloway on Fair City