The
1st IRISH 2012
is
PRESENTING
6 U.S. SHOWS AND 3 FROM IRELAND
including
2 MUSICALS.
Beginning
Monday September 3, two
world and three American
play
premieres
are happening
This year’s non-competitive edition of 1st Irish;
the world’s only theatre festival devoted exclusively
to Irish playwrights, runs through Monday October1.
1st
Irish
is the dream come true of George Heslin and his Origin
Theatre Company. The illustrious Sponsors include Tom
Moran head of Mutual who celebrates their launch with a
stunning party high in the skyscraper clouds of the
Mutual building.
The six shows produced by American companies
include:
The Cell presents the world premiere of “Hard
Times,” a new musical by Larry Kirwan of Black
47, that daringly juxtaposes Irish and
African-American folk traditions. Directed by Kira
Simring, “Hard Times” re-imagines songs by Stephen
Foster, while telling the story of the “father of
American music” set against the backdrop of New York
City’s Civil War draft riots. Cast of six headed by
Jed Peterson as Stephen Foster. 120 minutes.
(11 performances September 13 to 30, at The Cell,
338 West 23rd Street)
Sept 13, 14, 15 (opening) @ 8pm; Sept 19 @ 3pm
Sept 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 29 @ 8pm; Sept 30 @ 3pm
The Irish Rep’s current well-reviewed revival of “New
Girl in Town,” the 1957 Broadway musical based
on Eugene O’Neill’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play
“Anna Christie” is running through September
14. Directed by Charlotte Moore, with music
direction by John Bell and choreography by Barry
McNabb, this is the first full production of the Bob
Merrill/George Abbott musical since its 1957
Tony-nominated Broadway run. 120 minutes.
(Now through September 14 at the Irish Rep, 132 West
22nd Street
Sept 11 @ 8pm; Sept 12 @ 3pm & 8pm; Sept 13 @ 7pm;
Sept 14 @ 3pm & 8pm
3/ FOR
LOVE (Next Generation Series)
Grand Scheme and The Drilling Co. present the world
premiere of “For Love,” a new play by and
starring Laoisa Sexton, the 1st Irish
2010 Best Actress Award winner (“The Prophet of
Monto”) about three women navigating the choppy
waters of Dublin nightlife. Cast of three includes
John Duddy and Georgina McKevitt.
(4 performances from September 25 to 30 at The
Drilling Company Theatre,
236 West 78th Street)
Sept 25, 27 @ 7pm; Sept 29 @ 4pm; Sept 30 at 7pm
4/ JIMMY
TITANIC (Next Generation Series)
Tir Na Theatre Co. (Boston) and The Drilling Co.
bring the New York premiere of Bernard McMullan’s
new play featuring Colin Hamell “Jimmy Titanic.”
100 years after its historic maiden and last voyage,
an angel still rides the Titanic, steering its
legacy to distant shores. Directed by Carmel
O’Reilly.
(4 performances September 25 to 30, at The Drilling
Company Theatre, 236 West 78th Street)
Sept 25, 28 @ 9pm; Sept 29 @ 7pm; Sept 30 @ 4pm
5/ BRENDAN
(Next Generation Series)
Fat Violet Theater, in association with The Drilling
Co., presents the Irne Award-winning play “Brendan” by
Ronan Noone. Directed by David Sullivan, with a cast
including Dashell Eaves, Kelly McAndrew, Sean
Michael Bowles, Kevin Melendez and Nancy Walsh,
“Brendan” is a funny and touching play about a
recent Irish immigrant in America who struggles to
leave his past behind him.
(4 performances, September 26 to 30, at The Drilling
Company Theatre, 236 West 78th Street)
Sept 26 @ 7pm; Sept 27, 29 @ 9pm; Sept 30 @ 1pm
6/ HOUSE
STRICTLY PRIVATE (Next Generation Series)
New York’s Double Decker Productions, in association
with The Drilling Co., pulls out all the stops on
Jimmy Kerr’s “House Strictly Private,” a dark
comedy set in rural Northern Ireland. (Kerr’s
“Ardnaglass in the Air” was part of 1st Irish
2010.)
(4 performances, September 26 to 30, at The Drilling
Company Theatre, 236 West 78th Street)
Sept 26 @ 9pm; Sept 28 @ 7pm; Sept 29 @ 1pm; Sept 30
@ 9pm
The productions from Ireland include:
59E59 Theaters presents the U.S. premiere of the
Belfast-based Green Shoot Productions critically
acclaimed production of Marie Jones’ hilarious
comedy
“Fly Me to the Moon.” Written and directed by
Jones, the author of the hit Broadway show “Stones
in His Pockets,” which won the Olivier Award for
Best New Comedy and the 1999 Irish Times/ESB Theatre
Award for Best Production, “Fly Me to the Moon”
stars Tara Lynn O’Neill and Katie Tumelty as two
care workers who go to extraordinary lengths to make
ends meet.
(31 performances from September 5 to 30, at 59E59
Theaters)
Tues, Wed, Thur 7:15, Fri 8:15 Sat 2:15, 8:15, Sun
3:15 & 7:15
Sept 5 (not available), 6 @ 7:15pm; Sept 7 @ 8:15pm;
Sept 8 @ 2:15pm & 8:15pm; Sept 9 @ 3:15pm & 7:15pm
Sept 11, 12 (opening), 13 @ 7:15pm; Sept 14 @
8:15pm; Sept 15 @ 2:15pm & 8:15pm; Sept 16 @ 3:15pm
& 7:15pm
Sept 18, 19, 20 @ 7:15pm; Sept 21 @ 8:15pm; Sept 22
@ 2:15pm & 8:15pm; Sept 23 @ 3:15pm & 7:15pm
Sept 25, 26, 27 @ 7:15pm; Sept 28 @ 8:15pm; Sept 29
@ 2:15pm & 8:15pm; Sept 30 @ 3:15pm & 7:15pm
Produced by Fishamble, the New Play Company, the
Edinburgh Fringe winner “Silent,” by the
award-winning writer/performer Pat Kinevane, is one
of the most talked-about shows in Ireland. It comes
direct from its sold-out run at the Abbey Theatre to
the Irish Arts Center where it is presented in
association with Georganne Aldrich Heller. Directed
by Jim Culleton about a homeless man who’s lost it
all. (Well-known to 1st Irish audiences,
Dublin’s Fishamble brought us “Noah and the Tower
Flower” last season, and “The Pride of Parnell
Street” in 2009.) 80 minutes.
(14 performances from September 6 to 23, at the
Irish Arts Center, 553 West 51st Street)
Thurs Sept 6, 7, 8, @ 8pm; Sept 9 @ 3pm (opening)
Sept 12, 13, 14, 15 @ 8pm; Sept 16 @ 3pm
Sept 19, 20, 21, 22 @ 8pm; Sept 23 @ 3pm
9/ AUDITIONS, ZOE’S AUDITIONS, PART 2
The U.S. premiere of the award-winning Dublin
sensation “Auditions, Zoe’s Auditions, Part 2” written
and performed by Suzanna Geraghty. The farcical
send-up of an actor’s life, introduces us to Zoe, an
aspiring actress with a heart of gold and an
ambition made of the toughest alloy. Directed by
Andy Crook, presented by The Be You, All Others Are
Taken Co. in association with The Drilling Co. 70
minutes.
(14 performances, September 5 to 22, at The Drilling
Company Theatre, 236 West 78th Street)
Sept 5, 6, 7, 8, @ 8pm; Sept 9 @ 3pm
Sept 12, 13, 14, 15 @ 8pm; Sept 16 @ 3pm
Sept 19, 20, 21, 22 @ 8pm
This year 1st Irish launches its 1st Irish
Next Generation series, featuring plays advancing in the
development process that are post-workshop, and being
mounted for the first time in full productions.
1st Irish 2012 runs from September 3
through October 1. For festival information, visit www.1stIrish.org
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