THE HAIRY APE Extends Run Through December at Irish Repertory Theatre

Irish Repertory Theatre will present a three-week extension for Eugene O'Neill's The Hairy Ape. Directed by Ciarán O'Reilly, The Hairy Ape began performances September 25, 2026, on the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage and opened October 4. Previously set to close November 15, the production will now run through December 6, 2026. Read reviews for the production!

In 1922, Eugene O'Neill set the theatrical world on fire with his provocative and expressionist play, The Hairy Ape. This journey of a dark-souled, brutish ship laborer known as Yank is a riveting story of a common man's search for belonging in a world controlled by the rich and powerful.

As head coal stoker on an ocean liner, Yank is in his element: he rules his dark world—he powers the ship—he belongs. But when the beautiful, spoiled daughter of the ship's owner visits the engine room for a thrill, she is at once repulsed and terrified by Yank and what she sees there. Half in love with the unattainable and half blinded by rage, the bewildered Yank blunders violently through Manhattan, seeking both revenge and a place in a society which continually refuses him.

A landmark of American theater, The Hairy Ape remains a vibrant, eloquent, and deeply relevant work about finding yourself in a world of relentless constraints. Now, on the 20th Anniversary of Irish Repertory Theatre's acclaimed 2006 production, O'Neill's existentialist masterpiece returns to the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage under the direction of Ciarán O'Reilly.

Originally produced by The Provincetown Players in 1922, The Hairy Ape is widely regarded as one of Eugene O'Neill's greatest achievements and a milestone of expressionist theater.

Irish Repertory Theatre first produced The Hairy Ape in 2006 under the direction of Ciarán O'Reilly. Two decades later, O'Neill's powerful play is coming back to the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage.

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