TN Shakespeare Co. to Host St. Patrick's Day Salon with UNDER AN IRISH MOON
Explore Irish heritage through tales and tunes at Tennessee Shakespeare Company's literary salon
Tennessee Shakespeare Company will celebrate St. Patrick's Day with its song-filled Literary Salon featuring the legacy and writing of the first lady of the Irish literary revival -- Under an Irish Moon: Tales & Tunes from Lady Gregory's Hearth on Sunday, March 15 at 3:00 pm and Tuesday, March 17 at 7:00 pm.
Presented on TSC's Tabor Stage and curated/directed by Stephanie Shine, Under an Irish Moon is sponsored by Pat & Ernest Kelly and James R. Humphreys. The running time is approximately 75 minutes. Audiences may arrive 30 minutes early to purchase Irish-inspired cocktails at the lobby bar.
TSC's Literary Salons are fun social hours of curated readings of poetry, prose, playwrighting, and correspondence, enhanced by discussions and music, that explore ground-breaking authors and their works.
Co-founder of the Irish Literary Theatre and The Abbey Theatre in Dublin at the dawn of the 20th Century, Lady Augusta Gregory was responsible for her country's literary revival – an awakening that would prove the birth of Ireland's fight for independence.
A friend and supporter of writers W.B. Yeats, J.M. Synge, Sean O'Casey, George Bernard Shaw, and Henry James, Lady Gregory was an inspired dramatist, poet, and correspondent in her own right. She collected and adapted Irish folklore, wrote plays rooted in Irish history and culture, and championed the work of emerging Irish writers. Her letters and writings offer a profound insight into Ireland's literary and political landscape in the early 20th century.
The Salon will feature many Irish tunes of the period, sing-a-longs, and excerpts from Gregory's published fiction, folklore, and plays.
The cast includes Shine, Lauren Gunn, Marquis Dijon Archuleta, Natalie Tangeman, Marian Claire Barber, Ethan Shaw, Matthew Alter, and Taylor Slonaker.
In its lobby, TSC will present an original fine art photography show featuring the works of Rose Mieras of Wild Blue Rose Photography. The subject of the show is “The Irish Landscape.” The pieces also will be available for sale that day. For more information: wildbluerosephotography.com
“Lady Gregory is an especially inspiring person to explore right now,” says Shine. “She discovered the value of bringing ancient Irish culture and its fading language to the forefront of the island's psyche. This allowed Ireland's daughters and sons, living for centuries under an oppressive rule, to move their culture into literary prominence. Lady Gregory and W.B. Yeats mourned the absence of a distinct Irish Dramatic Tradition. All of Ireland's great playwrights: Wilde, Congreve, Goldsmith, Farquar, and even G. Bernard Shaw wrote for the English Stage. Through Lady Gregory's vision and support, Irish theatre was born.
“I am fascinated by how she navigated masculine spaces and achieved so much. She was a great playwright herself and the author of international best sellers. She did it all during her 40-year widowhood, living during an immensely turbulent and frightening time. Her story is not to be missed. Our exceptionally musical cast will invite us into the songs of her time and before, adding a rich layer to our celebration.”
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