HALF AN HOUR IN HEAVEN to Play Chicago and Peoria Irish Festivals
Directors Betty Kort and Denise Beattie bring independent performances of Cinzi Lavin's comedy-drama to Chicago's Gaelic Park and Peoria's Irish Festival.
The transatlantic comedy-drama Half an Hour in Heaven by award-winning playwright Cinzi Lavin will add new chapters to its U.S. production history this August. The piece will be featured at Chicago's Gaelic Park Irish Festival on August 21-23, with a separate engagement the following week at the Peoria Irish Festival.
Irish-American dramatist Cinzi Lavin was honored when her play, Half an Hour in Heaven, premiered in Ireland in March of 2025 at the Charlestown Arts Centre in County Mayo. The play is set in the early 1960s and revolves around four Irish immigrants who have established themselves in New York while fiercely retaining the traditions of their beloved homeland.
The show made its American debut in Chicago five months later at the Gaelic Park Irish Festival, where it takes the spotlight again this year. Directed by Betty Kort, Half an Hour in Heaven will come to life on the Tara Stage during the festival's August 21-23 run.
The play will next be featured at the Peoria Irish Festival during the weekend of August 28-30. Under the direction of Denise Beattie, a fresh ensemble of actors will bring Lavin's characters from page to stage during Peoria's famous riverfront celebration.
A celebrated creator of historically based theatrical works produced nationwide and internationally who is recognized for her outstanding contributions to the arts, Lavin's influence on American culture has earned her multiple state and national awards. Her distinguished career includes a 2010 performance by invitation at The White House and the honor of having her work archived by the U.S. Library of Congress.
"Seeing American theater groups and festivals embrace this script is a joy," says Lavin. "Talented actors from various ensembles are illuminating, through the characters, what it means to be an American. The immigrant experience helps us remember who we are, so ultimately, it's connecting with our common history that has the power to unite us."
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