The Irish Repertory Theatre Unveils New Work by Stained Glass Artist Peadar Lamb

On November 10, The Irish Repertory Theatre will unveil a new work by renowned staiNed Glass artist Peadar Lamb. Celebrating Irish and Irish American theater, the 100-square-foot installation in six separate windows is the largest commission ever completed by the artist. It will be on permanent display above the façade of the building, located at 132 West 22nd Street in Chelsea.

The vibrant, evocative work, commissioned by The Irish Repertory Theatre in 2007, is a contemporary exploration of the primal influences that have shaped Irish and Irish American drama over the centuries. Using images from the written word of such stage masters as O'Neill, O'Casey and Synge, as well as leading contemporary Irish playwrights such as Friel, Murphy and McPherson, Lamb's illuminated landscape reflects a tradition as rich as the source of his inspiration.

Employing techniques rooted in the 11th century, Peadar Lamb composed the work from handmade French and German glass, which is cut, painted in multiple stages, fired and joined together with lead and putty to form the distinctive panels. From a bold colorful palette that is uniquely Lamb's, gritty images emerge to reveal themes of emigration, Celtic folklore, politics, domestic conflict, and romance, evoking a broad vision that has defined Irish writing over the ages.

Lamb comes from an artistic lineage that included his grandfather, the painter Charles Lamb, his great grandfather the writer Ford Maddox Ford, and his great great great grandfather the painter Ford Maddox Brown, a member of the William Morris firm of staiNed Glass manufacturers in the 19th Century. He also grew up in the glow of the footlights experiencing first hand his parents, the renowned actors Peadar Lamb Sr. and Geraldine Plunkett, perform on the stages of the Abbey and Gate Theatres in Dublin, London and Broadway.

Peadar, a graduate of the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, has had numerous exhibitions in Ireland and internationally in England, Germany, Denmark and Japan. This is his first work in New York City.

The Irish Repertory Theatre, under the direction of Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O'Reilly, is pleased to dedicate the staiNed Glass windows in honor of Tina Santi Flaherty in recognition of her generous gift to the Capital Campaign.

About The Irish Repertory Theatre

Founded by Ciarán O'Reilly and 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.

In 1995,The Irish Repertory Theatre moved into its permanent home in Chelsea on three completely renovated floors of a former warehouse, allowing for both a Main Stage theatre and a smaller studio space, the W. Scott McLucas Studio. The only year-round theatre company in New York City devoted to bringing Irish and Irish American works to the stage, the Irish Repertory Theatre serves more than 38,000 audience members annually.

Recognized with the 2007 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 Repertory Theatre has celebrated the very best in Irish theatre for 21 years, from the masters to the new generation of Irish and Irish American writers who are transforming the stage.

The Irish Repertory Theatre's current production of the critically acclaimed Emperor Jones, starring John Douglas Thompson, has been extended until December 6, 2009.

 

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