Irish Rep's The Field Extends Through August 6

The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) has extended its current production, the American premiere of John B. Keane's The Field, directed by Ciarán O'Reilly (Philadelphia, Here I Come!), through Sunday, August 6.

The show was initially scheduled to run through July 16, following previews that began May 23 and an official press opening on June 1. It extended due to strong popular and critical response.

The play "is a fierce and tender study of the love a man can have for land and the ruthless lengths he will go to in order to obtain the object of his desire. Bull McCabe, a farmer, has leased four acres of poor land from a widow for five years during which time he nurtured it into prime pasture. Now she wants to sell the land to the highest bidder, and Bull, having invested his time and effort, believes that he has rights to the property. When an 'outsider' from England appears on the day of the auction to offer an unusually high price, Bull decides to take justice into his own hands. The iconic John B. Keane, one of Ireland's foremost dramatists, takes us on a primal journey exploring powerful themes such as tradition, birthright, and obsession for land that is as potent as it is universal," state press notes.

The cast includes Craig Baldwin, Orlagh Cassidy, Malachy Cleary, Paddy Croft, Karen Lynn Gorney, Chandler Williams, Ken Jennings, Laurence Lowry, Marty Maguire, Paul Nugent, John O'Creagh, and Tim Ruddy.

Keane is best known in the United States for the movie of The Field, which was adapted for the screen by Jim Sheridan. His first play Sive won the All-Ireland Drama Festival in 1959 and its enormous impact immediately made Keane's reputation. Subsequent plays include Big Maggie, Sharon's Grave and The Man from Clare. In 1967, with Letters of a Successful T.D., Keane began a series of epistolary novellas. The other titles include Letters of an Irish Parish Priest, Letters of a Love-Hungry Farmer, and Letters of a Country Postman. In his mid-fifties, Keane wrote a series of best-selling works including The Contractors, The Bodhran Makers and Durango. He died on May 30, 2002.

Set design is by Charlie Corcoran, costumes design is by Martha Hally, lighting design is by Jason Lyons, and sound design by Zachary Williamson.

In the past seventeen years, The Irish Repertory Theatre has presented major works by O'Casey, Synge, Shaw, Wilde, Dion Boucicault, Brendan Behan, Dylan Thomas, and Samuel Beckett, as well as the contemporary artistry of Hugh Leonard, Frank McCourt, Tom Murphy, Brian Friel, Peter Sheridan, Patricia Burke Brogan, Pat McCabe, Geraldine Aron, Jennifer Johnston, Tommy Makem, Shivaun O'Casey, Enda Walsh and Harold Prince. The Irish Repertory Theatre has won the New York Drama Desk Award for "Excellence in Presenting Distinguished Irish Drama." In 1995, The Irish Repertory Theatre moved to its present location on West 22nd Street, New York City, in which it is currently undertaking a capital campaign to purchase its theatre.

Performances, through August 6, of The Field run Wednesdays – Saturdays at 8 PM. Matinees are Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 3 PM. Tickets are $55 and $50 and can be purchased by calling The Irish Repertory Theatre Box Office at (212) 727-2737. For more information, call (212) 727-2737 visit www.irishrep.org.