The Tina
Santi Flaherty Ist Irish 2009 Theatre Awards,
for
New York’s all-Irish theatre festival, that
welcomed 21 Irish playwrights and 375 Irish
artists, held its awards ceremony, at a cocktail
reception at Hudson Terrace,
1st Irish, powered by George Heslin
and his Origin Theatre Company, (
which
co-ordinates the festival), was hosted by 12
New York City theatres, and arts and
culture-related venues. Among the prominent New
York non-profits presenting shows are 59 E 59
Theaters, helmed by Elysabeth Kleinhaus and
Peter Teer, The Irish Repertory Theatre’s Ciarin
O’Reilly and Charlotte Moore, The Mint, and The
Vineyard Theatre.
Sebastian Barry’s
The Pride of Parnell Street,
directly from Ireland, was the big winner,
earning best production, best actor Aiden Kelly
and best actress Mary Murray. The award was
named for the amazing philanthropist, author,
past VP of three major corporations, etc, Tina
Santi Flaherty, who serves on the board of
Heslin’s Origin Theatre Co. Winners, amongst
others included
Tim Ruddy (Best
Direction),
Susan Zeeman Rogers (Best Design)
and Jury Special Achievement award: writer,
Barbara Hammond,
As actor
Christopher Joseph Jones quipped: “Irish Theatre
is in New York not Dublin.”
Funding
support for 1st Irish 2009 is
generously provided by Festival Sponsors: the
Irish Consulate NY; the Northern Ireland Bureau;
Tourism Ireland; the American Ireland Fund;
Culture Ireland; Mutual of America; The Irish
Examiner; Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty; Tina Santi
Flaherty; McVicker & Higginbotham, and the NY
State Council for the Arts. The Event Sponsors
include The Irish Arts Council; Dublin City
Council, and Wexford City Council.
(The festival’s
jury -- included Jack Doulin (casting director
of New York Theatre Workshop); the actress
Xanthe Elbrick (Tony nominee for Coram Boy);
Mabou Mines
artistic director Sharon Fogarty; Irish Voice
newspaper, arts editor Cahir Doherty; and Dr.
Eileen Reilly, professor at NYU’s Glucksman
Ireland House )
.