7th Annual Origin 1st Irish Theatre Festival Set For Next Month

Origin 1st Irish 2025, the only festival of its kind devoted to producing and presenting the theatrical work of contemporary Irish playwrights from around the world, will take place this year from April 1 to April 28 in New York.  The month-long festival's opening night will be the first night of “Fight Night” at 59E59 Theaters, one of two productions from Fishamble The New Play Company, based in Dublin, on Tuesday April 1.  This knock-out production of Gavin Kostick's play, which features Aonghus Og McAnally, runs to April 20.

A total of 12 new productions – 5 from Ireland and 7 produced locally – will be vying for awards on the Festival's closing night. Tickets go on sale on Fri March 7.  For tickets and a complete schedule, visit www.origintheatre.org

Among the imports are these new productions: 1/ Tom Moran's bawdy comedy “Tom Moran is a Big Fat Filthy Disgusting Liar,” courtesy of Dublin's revered Abbey Theatre (at the Irish Repertory Theatre Apr 13 to 20); 2 & 3/ Two from Fishamble --“Fight Night” Apr 1 to 20 and “In Two Minds” by Joanne Ryan Apr 2 to 20 (both at 59E59 Theaters); 4/ Sinead O'Brien's 5-star Edinburgh Fringe hit “No One Is Coming” from Fairplay Productions (which Poor Mouth Theatre hosts at An Beal Bocht Apr 6 and 7); and 5/ from new festival mainstay Big Telly, out of Portstewart in Northern Ireland, “Granny Jackson Is Dead” (at The American Irish Historical Society). This immersive show by Zoe Seaton is in partnership with the Philadelphia-based Tiny Dynamite, Big Telly's partner on last year's festival sensation “Storytime Café, which nabbed the Festival's Innovation Award.

These imported shows are all generously supported by Culture Ireland.  All are US and NY premieres except for “No One Is Coming” which will be seen in a sneak preview Mar 11 to 16 at The Wild Project.

The locally produced shows include 1/ Ciara Elizabeth Smyth's searing comedy “Irishtown,” directed by Nicola Murphy Dubey (at the Irish Repertory Theatre Apr 2 to May 25); 2/ “A Cop, a Cabbie and a Crusader,” a new show from radio personality and veteran cabbie John McDonagh (alternating nights at Ernie O'Malley's, Apr 5; at the Greek Cultural Center, Apr 12; at the Irish Rep Apr 21); and 3/ “Breezy Point,” a new play by Rosie Coursey, produced by Ayla Rosen (at the Churchill Tavern Apr 6 to 27). 

Local incubator the NY Irish Center, will host two projects in competition: 4/ “A Night in November” by Marie Jones featuring Alan Smyth (Apr 16 and 17); 5/ a retrospective of the prolific local comedy writer Derek Murphy who has been produced six times by the Festival in a special “Celebration of the Work of Derek Murphy” (Apr 5).  Actors who appeared in his plays will return to reprise special moments from Murphy's comedies, three of which traveled to Ireland after premiering at 1st Irish.

Also in competition, 6/ Ed Garavan performs in his bracing one-man story “Loud Memory,” with direction by The Moth's longtime artistic director Catherine Burns for five nights (at Ernie O'Malley's Apr 11 to 19); 7/ a special encore of last year's festival favorite “Bumbled” by Bernard McMullan & Colin Hamell. The hilarious story of Pascal, a high-achieving bumble bee played by Colin Hamell, was unaccountably left out of the awards, which led to the short-lived protest movement #Originalltoohuman. “Bumbled” is co-produced by Boston-based Tir Na Theatre and Here Comes Everybody. (Dates and venue TBA)

Seen out of competition will be these 6 special events:

Two play readings: 1/ a reading Canada-based Irish playwright John Doyle's new play “Shelter” (at The American Irish Historical Society Apr 4); and 2/ a reading of Tim McGuillicuddy's historical fiction "Fanny Mendelssohn, A Fantasy" about Felix Mendelssohn's prodigiously talented sister, whose life and career took a different turn than her brother's.  McGuillicuddy's “Herself” was a highlight of last year's Festival.

Two cabaret/concerts: 3/ a concert performance of Dublin-based Lauryn Gaffney's new musical about love, loss and redemption, “Jilted” (at Broadway's 54 Below on Apr 22); and 4/ New York cabaret star Tim Connell encores his highly praised nightclub act “Lucky Me” (at East Village supper club Pangea on Apr 6).

And these two special events: 5/ a live broadcast of the widely popular and far-reaching “Irish Stew” podcast hosted by John Lee and Martin Nutty (Date and venue TBA); and 6/ a book celebration of Larry Kirwan, who will read from his new novel “Rockin' the Bronx” (Fordham University Press) (NY Irish Center on Apr 23).

The 17th annual Origin 1st Irish Theater Festival running Apr 1 to April 28 presents a mix of new shows, readings and talks produced locally, and acclaimed work from Ireland, in venues across the city.  A total of 16 plays will be seen in all, 11 of which are in competition.

Participating theatres and cultural organizations include The American Irish Historical Society, 59E59 Theaters, the Irish Repertory Theatre, 54 Below, Ernie O'Malley's, Pangea and Churchill Tavern, in Manhattan; the NY Irish Center, and the Greek Cultural Center in Queens, and An Beal Bocht in The Bronx. Tickets for the Festival at www.origingtheatre.org.

This year's Origin 1st Irish Pub Partners – a consortium of some of New York's most beloved and unique Irish pubs -- welcome artists and festivalgoers with the warm-hearted hospitality of the Island. Taking part are Ryan's Daughter, Pig n Whistle on 36th, Doc Watsons, The Grafton, Blooms Tavern, The Longacre Tavern, Smithfield Hall, Dolly Varden, Finnegan's Wake, Route 66, and The Scratcher.

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