Irish Rep's New Works Reading Series Continues 10/30 with Christine Evans' SLOW FALLING BIRD

The Irish Repertory Theatre continues its New Works Reading Series with a free reading of Christine Evan's SLOW FALLING BIRD on Friday, October 30 at 3:00pm at the Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) in Manhattan

The cast of SLOW FALLING BIRD includes Bianca Amato ("Trumpery," "The Coast of Utopia"), Maha Chehlaoui ("Aftermath," "Betrayal"), Crystal Dickinson ("Broke-ology," "Ruined"), Gian-Murray Gianino ("Freshwater," "Eurydice"), Matthew Rauch ("Still Life," "Edward the Second"), Jamal Rodriguez ("Venus," "Tartuffe"), and Debargo Sanyal ("Queens Boulevard," "Telethon").

Set in an immigration detention center in Woomera in the dead heart of the Australian desert. SLOW FALLING BIRD charts the tinderbox relationships between guards and inmates when a deadly bargain for a child's survival is struck across the wire. Mixing gritty realism with hallucinatory sequences, SLOW FALLING BIRD takes place in both a real desert -- and a desert of the mind. It is a recipient of the Rella Lossy Award (San Francisco) and the Monash National Play Award (Australia).

Playwright Christine Evans is originally from Australia (though proud of her Irish roots). She is an internationally produced playwright now resident in the U.S. In 2009, her multi-award winning play "Trojan Barbie" premiered at The American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) and was published in Theatre Forum, Issue #35. Ms. Evans' work has been produced and developed at venues including the New Vic and RADA (London), Belvoir St. Theatre (Sydney), the Adelaide International Festival of the Arts, Deck Chair Theatre, Vitalstatistix, the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, the Magic Theatre, Theater Simple, Live Girls!, Kitchen Dog Theatre, hotINK Play Festival, Bricolage Theatre, Synchronicity Theatre, Perishable Theatre, New Jersey Rep, Crowded Fire, Ohio Theatre (NYC), Rattlestick Theatre and Cutting Ball. Honors include two MacDowell Colony Fellowships; a Millay Colony Artist Residency; the 2007 Jane Chambers Playwriting Award; the 2009 Playwrights Theatre "Plays for the 21st Century" Award; the 2009 Rhode Island State Council for the Arts Playwriting Fellowship; a Fulbright Award in Visual and Performing Arts; the Rella Lossy Playwriting Award; the Monash National Playwriting Award (Australia); the Weston Award in Dramatic Writing; and Perishable Theatre's Women's Playwriting Award (2000 and 2001). Ms. Evans holds an M.F.A. in playwriting and Ph.D. in theatre and performance Studies from Brown, and lectures in playwriting at Harvard. She is a 2008-10 member of the Women's Project Playwrights' Lab, NYC.

Kara Manning, Literary Manager, hopes that the reading series will "give playwrights, both emerging and more established, the invaluable opportunity to develop their new work in a supportive, safe environment and will also introduce some Irish playwrights, especially those who might not yet have the New York recognition they merit, to an American audience." The Irish Repertory Theatre's 2007 production of Stuart Carolan's Defender of the Faith was an alumnus of the 2006 New Works Reading Series.

Founded by Producing Director Ciarán O'Reilly and Artistic Director Charlotte Moore, The Irish Repertory Theatre opened its doors in September 1988 with Sean O'Casey's "The Plough and the Stars" and is currently celebrating its 21st Season. The Irish Rep is presently the only year-round theatre company in New York City devoted to bringing Irish and Irish-American works to the stage. Recognized with the Jujamcyn Theatres Award, a special Drama Desk Award for "Excellence in Presenting Distinguished Irish Drama," and the Lucille Lortel Award for "Outstanding Body of Work," The Irish Rep has celebrated the very best in Irish theatre for over two decades, from the masters to the new generation of Irish and Irish American writers who are transforming the stage. Nearly 38,000 audience members annually attend productions at their theatre located in the heart of New York's Off-Broadway community. Once here, theatergoers witness The Irish Rep's engaging perspective on the Irish and their unique contributions to the world of drama. The company's current production, "The Emperor Jones," starring John Douglas Thompson and directed by Mr. O'Reilly, runs through November 29.

As part of its mission statement, The Irish Repertory Theatre "encourages the development of new works focusing on the Irish and Irish-American experience, as well as a range of other cultures." The next reading, presented as part of the New Works Reading Series, is slated for November 19; play to be announced. All readings are subject to schedule change. Readings are at 3 PM unless otherwise noted and are located at The Irish Repertory Theatre.

The reading of Christine Evans' SLOW FALLING BIRD on October 30 at 3:00pm is FREE and open to the public at The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street). Seating is limited. RSVP by calling The Irish Repertory Theatre box office at 212-727-2737. For additional information about The New Works Reading Series and Irish Repertory, visit www.irishrep.org.