Ronan Noone News

Three offerings from the U.S. and an Irish import begin performances this week as the sixth annual edition of Origin's 1st Irish hits its stride.

Fat Violet Theater is thrilled to announce the NYC premiere of Ronan Noone's THE COMPASS ROSE, directed by David Sullivan. Part of 1st Irish, THE COMPASS ROSE begins performances on Thursday, September 12 for a limited engagement through Sunday, September 29. Press Opening is Monday September 16 at 7 PM. Performances are at Ryan's Daughter (350 East 85th Street, at 1st Ave. Subway info: 4, 5, 6 to 86th Street). The performance schedule is Thursday - Saturday at 8 PM, Sunday at 7 PM, with an added performance on Monday, September 16 at 7 PM for Opening Night. The regular ticket price is $18. For tickets, call SmartTix on (212) 868-4444 or visit www.smarttix.com. For more information, visit www.fatviolettheater.com.

The sixth annual edition of Origin's 1st Irish, the world's only theatre festival dedicated to Irish playwrights, runs from September 2 to 29. Curated and coordinated by the New York-based Origin Theatre Company, the month-long festival features plays and productions in a stimulating array of styles, by contemporary Irish playwrights from Belfast, Dublin, Boston and New York.

The Dorset Theatre Festival has just completed its 6th Annual Writers Retreat hosted by Theresa Rebeck in collaboration with The Lark New Play Development Center. This year's writers in attendance were Theresa Rebeck (Seminar/Broadway, Smash/NBC), Ronan Noone (Lepers of Baile Baiste/Kennedy Center & Irish Rep), Jackie Reingold (In Treatment/HBO, String Fever/EST), Neena Beber (Misreadings/Humana), Suzanne Bradbeer(Shakespeare in Vegas/Dreamcatcher Rep), Marisa Smith (Saving Kitty/W.H.A.T.) and Eric Holmes.

Boston Playwrights' Theatre presents the 15th annual Boston Theater Marathon and the fifth year of The Warm-Up Laps. The Boston Theater Marathon features 53 ten-minute plays, by 54 New England playwrights, produced by 53 New England theatres in 10 hours.

Boston Playwrights' Theatre presents the 15th annual Boston Theater Marathon and the fifth year of The Warm-Up Laps. The Boston Theater Marathon features 53 ten-minute plays, by 54 New England playwrights, produced by 53 New England theatres in 10 hours.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded the Huntington Theatre Company $245,000 so that Huntington Playwriting Fellow Melinda Lopez (Sonia Flew, Becoming Cuba) can join the company's full-time staff as playwright-in-residence. The award is one of 14 residency grants at theatre companies around the US announced this month. Lopez will begin her residency on July 1, 2013.

Huntington Theatre Company will hold a by-invitation-only Breaking Ground developmental reading of (Shoe) Shine Safari by Huntington Playwriting Fellow John Oluwole ADEkoje (Cry Baby Jones) on Tuesday, December 11 at 7:30pm at the Huntington's Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA. Niegel Smith (Neighbors at The Public Theater) directs a cast that includes: Stephen Tyrone Williams as Shoe Shine; Johnny Lee Davenport (Vengeance is the Lord's and the upcoming Invisible Man at the Huntington) as Driver/Father; Robert D. Murphy as Lincoln Douglas; Joniece Abbott-Pratt (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at the Huntington) as Amina; Reg Cathey as General Butt Naked/Big House/Rebel 1; James Milford as Rebel 2; and others.

Huntington Theatre Company announces its 2012-2014 cohort of Huntington Playwriting Fellows: Lila Rose Kaplan, Walt McGough, and Lenelle Moise. This artistically diverse group of writers began their two-year residency in September. They follow in the footsteps of renowned past Huntington Fellows Lydia R. Diamond (Stick Fly), Rosanna Yamagiwa Alfaro (Before I Leave You), Kirsten Greenidge (The Luck of the Irish), Melinda Lopez (Sonia Flew), Ronan Noone (The Atheist, Brendan), and Ryan Landry (the upcoming "M") to name a few.

The 1st Irish Next Generation Series, a new programming initiative of the 1st Irish Festival, takes off next week as four new productions in development will be seen in short, 4-show runs at the Drilling Company Theatre, 236 West 78th Street, from tonight, September 25 to Sunday September 30.

The 1st Irish Next Generation Series, a new programming initiative of the 1st Irish Festival, takes off next week as four new productions in development will be seen in short, 4-show runs at the Drilling Company Theatre, 236 West 78th Street, from Tuesday September 25 to Sunday September 30.

The Huntington Theatre Company announces the inaugural Summer Workshop, a two-week new work retreat for selected members of the Huntington's Playwriting Fellows program. The artist-driven workshop opens today, July 10 and runs through July 22.

The Huntington Theatre Company announces the inaugural Summer Workshop, a two-week new work retreat for selected members of the Huntington's Playwriting Fellows program. The artist-driven workshop will occur July 10 - 22

The Huntington Theatre Company's production of Huntington Playwriting Fellow Kirsten Greenidge's The Luck of the Irish closed yesterday as the highest grossing and attended Huntington world premiere at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA since the fall of 2004. The Luck of the Irish played for a total of 41 performances from March 29 through May 6, including a one-week extension due to popular demand that was announced on April 13. Ticket demand for The Luck of the Irish was so high that an advanced waiting list was introduced in April and final extension performances were sold out.

Boston Playwrights' Theatre presents the 14th annual Boston Theater Marathon and the fourth year of The Warm-Up Laps. The Boston Theater Marathon features 53 ten-minute plays, by 53 New England playwrights, produced by 54 New England theatres in 10 hours.

Boston Playwrights' Theatre and the School of Theatre at Boston University today announced a new Master of Fine Arts Degree in Playwriting. This collaboration-the only one of its kind in universities and colleges across the nation-combines resources from both these award-winning programs for the first time.

Playwrights' Theatre at Boston University and Dominic D'Andrea of The One-Minute Play Festival are pleased to present the very first Boston One-Minute Play Festival featuring more than 70 hot-off-the-presses, new one-minute plays.

Playwrights' Theatre at Boston University and Dominic D'Andrea of The One-Minute Play Festival are pleased to present the very first Boston One-Minute Play Festival featuring more than 70 hot-off-the-presses, new one-minute plays.

Central Square Theater presents the gender-bending, Off-Broadway hit about our own hometown boys' rise to fame, MATT & BEN by Mindy Kaling (of NBC's The Office) and Brenda Withers, featuring Marianna Bassham and Philana Mia. M. Bevin O'Gara directs. The press production will end on July 31, 2011.

Central Square Theater presents the gender-bending, Off-Broadway hit about our own hometown boys' rise to fame, MATT & BEN by Mindy Kaling (of NBC's The Office) and Brenda Withers, featuring Marianna Bassham and Philana Mia. M. Bevin O'Gara directs.