Irish Rep presents US Premiere Of NOCTU., Opens 9/12

The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) continues its 24th Season with the 20th Anniversary production of Brian Friel's Tony Award-winning play DANCING AT LUGHNASA, with previews set to begin October 19 on the Irish Repertory's Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage, prior to an official press opening October 30.

Charlotte Moore, who helmed the company's recent productions of Brian Friel's MOLLY SWEENEY, A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS IN WALES, THE IRISH...AND HOW THEY GOT THAT WAY, ERNEST IN LOVE, WHITE WOMAN STREET, and CAMELOT IN CONCERT at Broadway's Shubert Theatre, directs.

DANCING AT LUGHNASA, opened on Broadway in October 1991, winning the Tony Award for Best Play in 1992, and has been called Brian Friel's masterpiece. The play summons back the memories of the end of the summer of 1936 on the eve of the celebration of the Harvest God, Lugh.

The five unmarried Mundy sisters -- named for Friel's Mother and Sisters ("those five brave Glenties women") -- live in a modest Irish cottage in Donegal. On this threshold of golden autumn, the house revolves around 8-year old love-child, Michael, and the brother priest, Father Jack, who has recently returned from 25 years in a leper colony in Uganda. Tribal Customs and Christian beliefs clash as blazing fires stoke an abandon to Lugh leaving the Mundy sisters sentenced to live purely in the past or absolutely in the present. With unfailing courage, and loving forgiveness all things conspire to irretrievably change the golden season of the Mundy's as they dance in a final celebration of life before it changes forever.

Cast and creative team are to be announced.

In addition to DANCING AT LUGHNASA and MOLLY SWEENEY, Brian Friel's best known plays include TRANSLATIONS and Tony Award-nominated play PHILADELPHIA, HERE I COME! which was revived at Irish Repertory Theatre in 2005. His plays ARISTOCRATS and MAKING HISTORY were
presented at Irish Rep. in 2009 and 1991, respectively, directed by Ms. Moore. Mr. Friel's other plays include FAITH HEALER, WONDERFUL TENNESSEE, THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY, THE MUNDY SCHEME and among others, the Tony Award-nominated LOVERS. DANCING AT LUGHNASA ran for more than 400 performances on Broadway, winning the Tony Award for Best Play and garnering a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding New Play. In 1998, it was adapted for film starring Meryl Streep.

Co-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. The mission of the theatre was and remains to bring works by Irish and Irish American masters and contemporary playwrights to American audiences; to provide a context for understanding the contemporary Irish American experience; and to encourage the development of new works focusing on the Irish and Irish American experience, as well as a range of other cultures.

Launching The Irish Repertory Theatre's 24th Season is the American premiere of the new Irish dance performance piece NOCTÚ, an Èriu Dance Company production, with previews set to begin September 6, prior to an official press opening September 11, choreographed and directed by RIVERDANCE Principal Dancer Breandán de Gallaí.

Performances of DANCING AT LUGHNASA begin October 19 (opening October 30) through December 11 at The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues): Wednesday-Saturday at 8pm; plus 3pm matinees on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $55 and $65, and are available by calling 212-727-2737 or online at www.irishrep.org.

For more information, visit www.irishrep.org

 

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