Lyric Stage Boston Presents Eugene O'Neill's THIRST

Lyric Stage Boston presents Thirst, playwright Ronán Noone’s captivating and compelling look into the Irish immigrant experience and the struggles in building a meaningful life in a new world. 

Imagine if behind the drama of Eugene O’Neill’s classic drama Long Day's Journey Into Night there was an equally compelling story happening in the kitchen of that same home amongst the cook, maid, and chauffeur. There’s a whole other story unraveling on the other side of the kitchen wall. 

Two Irish immigrants, including a disappointed cook whose shuttered heart only blooms when she has a bottle in her hand and a vibrant young maid who survived a trip on the Titanic, pass the day amid their gloomy daily chores alongside a resilient American chauffeur with a troubled past. As tensions rise, high-spirited humor and harsh cynicism boil over as the trio confront abandoned dreams and heart-breaking misfortunes. Underneath it all, hope is not as far away as it seems.

Director Courtney O’Connor° says, “This is a story near and dear to my heart as I honor the journey of my own great-grandmother leaving Ireland to pursue a life in America. Ronán Noone takes us behind the walls with the servants in the kitchen, with yearning souls and lyrical banter. This will be the second-ever production of Ronán’s play, giving us the opportunity to support this important local playwright. And thanks to the brilliance of our entire artistic team, there will be actual eggs and bacon cooking on stage.”

Performances begin Friday, February 23 and run through Sunday, March 17.

Featuring Aimee Doherty*, Kate Fitzgerald, and Michael Kaye*. Scenic Design by Janie E. Howland**, Costume Design by Mikayla Reid, Lighting Design by Karen Perlow**, and Sound Design by Dave Remedios**.

About the Artists

Aimee Doherty* (Bridget Conroy) – Lyric Stage:  Preludes (Dahl), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (Sibella), Into the Woods (The Witch), On the Town (Claire), Follies (Young Phyllis), Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play (Bart), Grey Gardens (Young Edie) and Animal Crackers (Arabella).  Recent credits include: Indecent (Halina/the Middle) at Wilbury Theatre, The Addams Family (Morticia) at Wheelock Stage, Umbrella Stage: 42nd Street (Dorothy Brock), and The Stranger (Edith) at the Barnstormers Theatre. Other regional theaters include: The Huntington, Shakespeare & Company, Company One, Moonbox Productions, SpeakEasy Stage Company, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Ballet, New Repertory Theatre, Greater Boston Stage, Gloucester Stage, and Theatre By The Sea, among others. Aimee soloed with the Boston Pops under the baton of Keith Lockhart and appeared in the film Don’t Look Up. She is a two-time recipient of the Elliot Norton Award and a three-time recipient of the IRNE Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.  www.aimeedoherty.net 

Kate Fitzgerald (Cathleen Mullin) – Lyric Stage: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (Swing). North Shore Music Theatre: Peter Pan (Wendy). The Gamm Theatre: The Children’s Hour (Rosalie Wells). Goodspeed Opera House Festival of New Musicals: Double Helix. Bay Street Theatre: Double Helix. Trinity Repertory Company: House and Garden, A Christmas Carol. Boston Theatre Marathon: Circles. Boston Conservatory: Candide (Cunegonde), Her Naked Skin (Eve). Kate is a recent Boston Conservatory graduate with a BFA in Musical Theatre and a specialization in Playwriting/Dramaturgy. Special thanks to the Fitzgeralds, the McCartys, and the rest of her Irish ancestors for getting her where she is today. Website: KateFitzgerald.net, Instagram: @katefiitz

Michael Kaye* (Jack) – Lyric Stage: Ears on a Beatle, Book of Days. Boston area credits include: The Huntington: Common Ground, Art of Burning, Dead End and Two Lives Admissions. SpeakEasy Stage Company: Mothers and Sons, Clybourne Park. New Repertory Theatre: Good, Broken Glass, Opus, Amadeus, Straight White Men, Lonely Planet, The Elephant Man and Silence. Actors’ Shakespeare Project: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Michael has worked in various regional theatres all over the country including D.C., Chicago and New York. Michael received both his BFA and MFA from the Boston University School of Theatre where he is currently an Assistant Professor of Acting.

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
** Represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 of the IATSE
° Stage Directors and Choreographers Society

Five Dollar Fridays

On Friday, February 23, Lyric Stage offers Five Dollar Friday which makes tickets affordable for all for $5 each. There will be a limited number of $5 tickets available for sale with code THIRST5. Five Dollar Fridays are possible through the generous support of Jan and Stuart Rose. 

“Lyric for All” Affordable Price Options

In an effort to integrate live theater into the lives of all residents of Greater Boston, Lyric Stage offers multiple options including $30 Under 35, advanced Student Tickets, Senior Tickets, and partnerships with MassWIC and EBT Cardholders that allow audiences to visit as often as they like. More information at: https://www.lyricstage.com/tickets/lyric-for-all/

History of the Lyric Stage Company of Boston

Founded in 1974 and in residence at 140 Clarendon Street since 1991, Lyric Stage Company is Boston’s longest-serving resident theater company. Its mission is to produce and present live theater in Greater Boston with an intimate approach that promotes inclusivity and connection. The Lyric Stage leads an effort to integrate live theater and theater education into the lives of all residents of greater Boston.

Lyric Stage and Beacon Communities, LLC, the owners of 140 Clarendon Street, have agreed that the building will be Lyric Stage’s “forever” home, ensuring that the theater will remain a vital and essential part of the cultural fabric of the city. 

In partnership with Beacon Communities, LLC, Lyric Stage will continue its commitment to improving the lives of Bostonians alongside a partner who shares those same values. With the partnership of Pine Street Inn, 111 of the units in the building will become supportive housing for people exiting homelessness. The combined energy of Beacon’s supportive services alongside one of the city's cultural gems makes 140 Clarendon a paragon of two institutions coming together to make the city a better place for its residents.

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