IRISHTOWN, IN TWO MINDS, A NIGHT IN NOVEMBER Lead Nominations for 2025 Origin 1st Irish Top Prizes
The Closing Night Awards Ceremony will take place on Monday April 28 at 7pm.
By: Emmy Rice Apr. 27, 2025
Plays from the island of Ireland and several East Coast-based productions will vie for top jury prizes as the 17th annual Origin 1st Irish Theatre Festival reaches its finale on Monday. The Closing Night Awards Ceremony honoring crowd-pleasing excellence will take place at the Irish Repertory Theatre, 132 West 22nd Street, on Monday April 28 at 7pm.
Leading the nominations are the Irish Repertory Theatre’s hit satirical comedy Irishtown (which runs through May 25); Fishamble’s production of Joanne Ryan’s haunting two-hander In Two Minds, and a revival of Marie Jones A Night in November -- all with 3 nominations each. Picking up two nominations each are Sinead O’Brien’s ribald comedy No One Is Coming, Gavin Kostick’s hard-hitting Fight Night, and Big Telly’s immersive wonderland Granny Jackson Is Dead. Incidentally, In Two Minds, and Fight Night are the Dublin-based Fishamble: The New Play Company’s 11thand 12th quality productions brought to New York for 1st Irish.
The world’s only theatre festival dedicated to showcasing the work of contemporary Irish playwrights from around the world, the month-long 2025 Origin 1st Irish Theatre Festival began on April 1. Origin 1st Irish is produced by the Origin Theatre Company, whose artistic director, Mick Mellamphy, is the producer.
The list of nominees is as follows: Best Female Actor – Sinead O’Brien (No One Is Coming); Kate Burton(Irishtown); Pom Boyd (In Two Minds); Shelly Atkinson (Granny Jackson Is Dead). Best Male Actor – Alan Smyth(A Night in November); Aonghus Og McAnally (Fight Night); Colin Hamell (Bumbled); Kevin Oliver Lynch (Irishtown). Best Director – Hannah Ciesil (Breezy Point); Nicola Murphy Dubey (Irishtown); Sarah Jane Scaife(In Two Minds); Tim Redmond (A Night in November). Best Play – Sinead O’Brien (No One Is Coming); Tom Moran (Tom Moran Is a Big Fat Filthy Disgusting Liar); Gavin Kostick (Fight Night); Marie Jones (A Night in November). Best Production – Granny Jackson Is Dead, Irishtown, Breezy Point, and In Two Minds. Announcement of The Bairbre Dowling Spirit of the Festival Award will be made at the ceremony on Monday.
This year’s Festival jury includes theater historian Kate Kennon, playwright (and former Best Play winner) John Kearns, community engagement and marketing expert Siobhan McCourt, and attorney Shelley Ann Quilty.
This year’s Origin 1st Irish Pub Partners – a consortium of some of New York’s most beloved Irish pubs -- welcome artists and festivalgoers with the warm-hearted hospitality of the Island. Taking part are Ryan’s Daughter, Pig n Whistle on 36th, Doc Watsons, The Grafton, Blooms Tavern, The Longacre Tavern, Smithfield Hall, Dolly Varden, Finnegan’s Wake, Route 66, and The Scratcher.
Get Broadway News on WhatsApp
Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.
Love Theater in Ireland? Join The Community!
Whether you've got past experience writing about theater or just starting, the BroadwayWorld Community offers a unique opportunity to become a champion for your local arts community, helping raise awareness of local offerings and adding another local voice to the conversation at a time arts coverage is shrinking in the press across the continent. Join us and become a pivotal part of the movement that celebrates and promotes the arts in the digital age.
Learn MoreVideos