New York City Premiere of ELLEN'S BOYS Set For This Month

True Repertory Theatre has announced the New York premiere of Ellen’s Boys, a new play by James Sullivan about accepting change amid social upheaval and a shifting moral landscape. Donald Sheehan directs a cast of nine, including Victoria Bond, Julie M. Butler, Patrick Dean, Avery Fischbach, Kylie Logan, Aria Martinelli, Donald Sheehan, Kyle Silver, and Elias Wettengel. Eight performances will be staged from June 20-29, 2025, at West End Theatre at St. Paul & St. Andrew UMC, 263 West 86th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10024.

Set in a working-class Irish American triple-decker home in Dorchester, Mass., 1965, Ellen's Boys follows devoted matriarch Ellen Flaherty as she navigates a transformative year with her three adult sons during a time of profound social change. As she fights to maintain control over her family, Ellen discovers that her boys' lives are spinning beyond her influence. While scheming to find him the perfect wife, Gil faces his own private struggle as he confronts his sexuality in an era when such truths remain unspoken. John, a priest at the local parish, begins to sense the brewing troubles that will soon shake the Catholic Church. While youngest son Michael, freshly enlisted in the army, falls for an Italian girl whom his mother deems completely unsuitable. With no secrets safe and no boundaries respected, only their deep love for one another and their resilient sense of humor can hold the family together through the emotional upheaval that threatens to tear them apart. 

"Exploring themes of acceptance, family loyalty, and the painful process of adapting to change during the turbulent 1960s, this poignant drama captures the universal struggle between tradition and progress, examining how families navigate shifting moral landscapes while holding onto what matters most," shares director Donald Sheehan. "Ellen's Boys embodies everything True Repertory Theatre stands for. It's a deeply human story that will make audiences laugh, cry, and feel something profound while challenging them to think about the complexities of family, love, and acceptance."