Marsha Mason and More Star in LITTLE GEM: A PERFORMANCE ON SCREEN Presented by Irish Repertory Theatre
Three women find strength in one another and discover the beauty and complexity of family.
Irish Repertory Theatre announced today that their next Performance on Screen digital production is Little Gem by Elaine Murphy (Shush) and directed by Marc Atkinson Borrull (Beginning). Reprising their roles from Irish Rep's 2019 production are Brenda Meaney (Indian Ink), Lauren O'Leary (The Awkward Years) and four-time Academy Award nominee & Outer Critic's Circle Award winner Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl). The virtual production of Little Gem will premiere on Tuesday April 27, 2021 at 7pm ET and run through Sunday May 9, 2021 in free scheduled streams. Beginning on Monday May 10, 2021, Little Gem: A Performance on Screen will be available to watch on demand from IrishRep.org.
Amber, Lorraine, and Kay, three generations of North Dublin women, find themselves suddenly facing the unexpected. Young Amber's case of indigestion grows into something more, while her mother Lorraine reluctantly attempts therapist-suggested self-care, and Grandmother Kay struggles with a personal itch while adjusting to life as a caretaker for her beloved Gem. In this hilarious and poignant award-winning work, three women find strength in one another and discover the beauty and complexity of family.
Irish playwright Elaine Murphy's debut play, Little Gem, premiered at the Dublin Fringe Festival in 2008 where it won the Fishamble New Writing Award. It then transferred to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it won the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award, the festival's top prize.
This new digital production was filmed remotely at the actors' homes in Connecticut, London and New York. It is an adaptation of Irish Rep's acclaimed 2019 production, for which Marsha Mason was honored with a 2020 Outer Critic's Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play.
Little Gem: A Performance on Screen features set design by Meredith Ries, costume design by Christopher Metzger, lighting design by Michael O'Connor, sound design by M. Florian Staab and sound design and original music by Ryan Rumery. Arthur Atkinson and Rebecca C. Monroe serve as production coordinators and Simon Patrick Geaney as production assistant. Editing is by Sarah Nichols and casting is by Deborah Brown.
Irish Repertory Theatre's 2019 production of Little Gem also featured properties by Sven Henry Nelson and Assistant Stage Manager Shanna Allison.
The performance schedule for Little Gem: A Performance on Screen is as follows, all times ET: Tuesdays at 7pm, Wednesdays at 3pm & 8pm, Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3pm & 8pm, and Sunday at 2pm. All performances include closed captions.
Little Gem: A Performance on Screen is free during its initial release, with a suggested donation of $25. Advance registration is required. A link to Irish Rep's viewing platform will be emailed to all attendees prior to the performance. Beginning on May 10, 2021 at 12pm ET, Little Gem: A Performance on Screen will be available to rent on demand from IrishRep.org for $25.
