Irish Rep's Reading Series Begins Season with Janet Noble's LOUISE BROOKS: FOR THE HELL OF IT Today

The Irish Repertory Theatre begins the ninth season of its Reading Series with Janet Noble's LOUISE BROOKS: FOR THE HELL OF IT. The staged reading will be held today, October 30 at 3pm at the DR2 Theater, 103 East 15th Street, the Irish Repertory Theatre's temporary home during its current renovation. Tickets are free, and the event is open to the public. An RSVP to 212-727-2737 is suggested.

LOUISE BROOKS: FOR THE HELL OF IT is a ghost play, a cosmic encounter of this legendary silent film star with two men who figured prominently in her life: Jim Tully, the Irish American writer whom she met at the top of her Hollywood career while on location starring in Beggars of Life, the film adaptation of his novel; and James Card who met her much later and influenced her out of a bottle in NYC and up to the Eastman House film archive in Rochester where she was rediscovered and feted internationally by the likes of Henri Langlois at the Cinematheque Francaise and ultimately found a second career writing about cinema.

LOUISE BROOKS: FOR THE HELL OF IT will be read by Quentin Maré (Rock 'n' Roll, The Castle), Tony nominee Howard McGillin (Gigi, It's A Wonderful Life ...Drood) and Tony Winner Maryann Plunkett (The Apple Family Plays, A Man For All Seasons, Me and My Girl).

Janet Noble (Playwright) has enjoyed an adventurous life in the theater. As an actress she worked with repertory companies around the United States and at off-off-Broadway venues in NYC. She appeared as The Moon in The Grand Tarot with Charles Ludlam's Ridiculous Theatrical Company and in many plays at The Irish Arts Center. Her one-act plays have been included in The Ensemble Studio Theater's annual Octoberfests. Her first two full-length plays were staged at the IAC: Kiss the Blarney Stone and Away Alone. Away Alone has been produced around the country and at The Peacock in The Abbey Theatre of Dublin. Ultimately, her film version of the play, Gold in the Streets, was produced by Noel Pearson and directed by Liz Gill. She's had residencies at The Millay Colony for the Arts and Edward Albee's William Flanagan Foundation for Creative People and was a recipient of a NYS Council on the Arts grant for and with which she wrote a radio play, Squirrel Stew. She is a member of The Dramatists' Guild and the Irish American Writers and Artists. Noble was born in Grovers Mill, New Jersey, fabled site of the Martian landing in Orson Wells's radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds. She was in vitro at the time, while her parents played pinochle at the kitchen table ... and the radio played.

The Irish Repertory Theatre "encourages the development of works focusing on the Irish and Irish American experience, as well as a range of other cultures."

Kara Manning, Literary Manager, hopes that the reading series will "give playwrights, both emerging and more established, the invaluable opportunity to develop their new work in a supportive, safe environment and will also introduce some Irish playwrights, especially those who might not yet have the New York recognition they merit, to an American audience."

The 2014-15 Irish Rep Reading Series is underwritten in part the members of our Patron's Circle.

The Irish Rep Reading Series readings are at 3 PM unless otherwise noted and during our renovations are located at the DR2 Theater (103 East 15th Street).

Tickets are free and the reading is open to the public. Seating is limited. RSVP by calling The Irish Repertory Theatre Box Office at (212) 727-2737.