Molly Sweeney Plays Shadow Lawn Stage

Three professional actors who have performed all around the United States and beyond are returning to Shadow Lawn Stage at Monmouth University this season for its Irish drama, Molly Sweeney. Molly Sweeney is the off-Broadway hit by Brian Friel, the prize-winning Irish dramatist who also authored Dancing at Lughnasa, Translations, and Philadelphia, Here I Come! This is the first production of Molly Sweeney in New Jersey since its successful run at the Irish Repertory Company in New York this past spring.

The central character of Molly, who has been blind since childhood, is played by Katrina Ferguson, who previously appeared in Shadow Lawn's 2010 season in The Sunshine Boys and The Au Pair Man. Originally from Australia, Ms. Ferguson arrived directly from her performance in Connecticut in Barefoot in the Park. Molly undergoes an operation to restore her sight because, as everyone says, "what has she got to lose?" Her husband Frank is portrayed by Patrick Toon, who was in Brian Friel's Lovers at Shadow Lawn back in 2004 and is returning after performances at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and the Pearl Theatre in New York. Mr. Rice, who performs the operation, is played by Bradley Mott, who was ½ of The Sunshine Boys last season, and provided many laughs as Signor Geronte in the just completed Shadow Lawn production of Scapino. Mr. Mott came to Monmouth directly from a run in Chicago in the musical Spamalot and Adam Rapp's The Metal Children.

Molly Sweeney is being directed by John J. Burke, director of Monmouth's Theatre Arts program. The show opens July 15 and then runs Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. until July 31, with a preview performance on July 14 at 8 p.m. Shadow Lawn Stage is a professional Actor's Equity theatre, performing at the beautiful Lauren K. Woods Theatre on the campus of Monmouth University, at the junction of Cedar and Norwood Avenues. It is supported in part by the NJ State Council on the Arts and is an affliate member of the NJ Theatre Alliance. For tickets or more information, call 732-263-6889 or visit www.monmouth.edu/shadow_lawn_stage.