Ciaran O'Reilly Directs BEYOND THE HORIZON at Irish Rep, Opens 2/26

The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) continues its 24th Season with BEYOND THE HORIZON – Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about two brothers in love with the same woman – with previews set to begin February 15, prior to its official opening on February 26 on the Irish Repertory's Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage.

Ciarán O'Reilly, who returns to O'Neill's work after having directed the Irish Repertory's acclaimed revivals of THE EMPEROR JONES (Joseph A Callaway Award winner for Direction; Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Audelco nominations); and THE HAIRY APE (Drama Desk, Drama League, and Callaway nominations), directs.

BEYOND THE HORIZON (1920) was O'Neill's first full-length play and won the first of his four Pulitzer Prizes.

Irish Rep's statement about the show: "BEYOND THE HORIZON is a harrowing, heart-wrenching domestic tragedy, set on a farm in Massachusetts where two brothers, Robert, a dreamer and poet who longs to go to sea and seek the promise that lies beyond the horizon, and Andrew, a more practical man, whose desire extends no farther than the family farm, find themselves in love with their neighbor Ruth."

"Just as Robert Is about to depart, however, it becomes clear that Ruth loves him and not Andrew. So Robert stays at home to run The Farm – a job for which he is entirely unsuited – and Andrew takes his place on the sailing ship to discover lands he never dreamt of. It is a decision with irrevocable and tragic consequences."

The cast of BEYOND THE HORIZON includes Rod Brogan, Patricia Conolly, Lucas Hall, Jonathan Judge-Russo, Aimee Laurence, Joanna Leister, Wrenn Schmidt (Irish Rep's SIVE), David Sitler, and John Thomas Wait.

The production features set design by Hugh Landwehr; co-costume design by Linda Fisher and Jessica Barrios; lighting design by Brian Nason; music and sound design by Ryan Rumery; sound design by M. Florian Stabb; hair and wig design by Robert-Charles Vallance; and props by
Deirdre Brennan. April A. Kline is production stage manager; Rebecca C. Monroe is assistant stage manager.

Playwright and Nobel laureate in Literature Eugene O'Neill (October 16, 1888-November 27, 1953) won his first of four Pulitzer Prizes for his first published full-length play, BEYOND THE HORIZON, initially produced in 1920. Among his other plays are THE EMPEROR JONES; ANNA CHRISTIE (Pulitzer Prize, 1922); THE HAIRY APE, DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS; STRANGE INTERLUDE (Pulitzer Prize, 1928); MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA; AH, WILDERNESS!; THE ICEMAN COMETH; LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT (Pulitzer Prize, 1957); A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN; and A TOUCH OF THE POET.

Co-founded by Producing Director Ciarán O'Reilly and Artistic Director 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. Ms. Moore and Mr. O'Reilly recently received the 2011 Eugene O'Neill Lifetime Achievement Award from Irish American Writers & Artists, Inc.

Currently at The Irish Repertory Theatre, with performances extended through January 29, is the 20th anniversary production of Brian Friel's DANCING AT LUGHNASA, directed by Charlotte Moore.

Performances of Eugene O'Neill's BEYOND THE HORIZON run February 15-April 8 at The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues): Wednesday-Saturday at 8pm; plus 3pm matinees on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $55 and $65,
and are available by calling 212-727-2737 or online at www.irishrep.org.