A MUSICAL "which drew huge ovations from tiny audiences" lost £65,000 in its three week Christmas run in Limerick, a court has been told.
Judge Kieran O'Connor was told in the Circuit Civil Court that the producer, Mr John Herron, was disputing alleged contractual agreements with promoter Mr Kieran Cavanagh.
Ms Eileen McAuley, for Mr Herron, said her client claimed a £15,000 professional fee for his part in staging the musical, Annie. She said arrangements had been agreed for the payment to Mr Herron of an additional £11,000 expenses before the end of this week.
Ms Pauline Walley, counsellor Kieran Cavanagh Productions, said her client had always accepted the producer's expenses had to be paid but there was a genuine dispute over his fee.
She said Mr Cavanagh, described in court as a wealthy show promoter and owner of Dublin's The Mean Fiddler cabaret pub, claimed Mr Herron had agreed to take a percentage share of net profits from the show and that a flat fee had never been discussed.
Ms Walley said the musical started on December 27th last and ran for three weeks to poor audiences. It had been a total failure and her client had been faced with the shock service of a civil bill in May.
Judge O'Connor accepted an undertaking that Mr Herron's expenses would be paid by Friday. He ordered Mr Cavanagh to lodge £7,500 pending determination of the contractual dispute between the parties.