Irish Arts Center Presents Howie the Rookie Opening May 12

The Irish Arts Center (Pauline Turley, Executive Director), Georganne Aldrich Heller, Tom Kibbe, and Naked In The Wings present HOWIE THE ROOKIE written by Mark O'Rowe (writer of Intermission, the recently acclaimed film staring Colin Farrell and Colm Meaney,) opening May 12th at The Irish Arts Center (553 West 51st Street – between 10th and 11th Avenues). This production stars John O'Callaghan (We Were the Mulvaneys) and Mark Byrne (Gangs of New York) and is directed by Nancy Malone (Judging Amy, Dawson's Creek). HOWIE THE ROOKIE begins previews on May 5th. .

HOWIE THE ROOKIE is an epic tale of friendship, betrayal, and vengeance featuring a Mayan death god, Siamese fighting fish…& Matt Dillon, occurring over two days in Dublin, Ireland.

HOWIE THE ROOKIE won the Irish Times New Play Awards 2000, The 1999 George Devine Award, the 1999 Rooney Award for Irish Literature and the Heard Angel for Best Production at the 1999 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and has had critically acclaimed runs in London and Los Angeles. The play has won praise in Dublin, Los Angeles and in a brief, previous New York incarnation at P.S. 122 in the East Village.

Located in the heart of Hell's Kitchen, the Irish Arts Center was founded in 1972 to celebrate the artistic expression of the Irish and Irish American Experience. For the past thirty years, the Irish Arts Center has been, and continues to be the leading non-profit organization in New York. It has brought together all aspects of Irish culture -film, theatre, music, dance, history, language, fiction, and visual arts- under one roof, making them accessible to people of all backgrounds and ages.

The playing schedule for HOWIE THE ROOKIE is as follows: Wednesday through Saturday at 8pm and on Sunday 3pm matinee at the Irish Arts Center, 553 West 51st Street (Between 10th and 11th Avenues). Tickets are $40/$45 and are available by calling 212.868.4444 or visiting www.smarttix.com