Photos: Irish Repertory Theatre Celebrates Opening Night of ARISTOCRATS

Irish Repertory Theatre just celebrated opening night of Aristocrats, the second production in The Friel Project. A retrospective of the work of renowned Irish playwright Brian Friel, The Friel Project celebrates Irish Rep’s 35th Anniversary and will take place through May 2024.

Directed by Charlotte Moore (Two by Synge), Aristocrats will play through Sunday March 3, 2024, on the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage at Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street).

The cast of Aristocrats includes Roger Dominic Casey (Bent), Meg Hennessy (London Assurance), Tom Holcomb (Meet Me in St Louis), Colin Lane (Three Small Irish Masterpieces),Shane McNaughton (The 8th), Tim Ruddy (A Touch of the Poet), Danielle Ryan (The Cordelia Dream) and Sarah Street (Belfast Girls).

Aristocrats will feature scenic design by Charlie Corcoran (Endgame), costume design by David Toser (A Child’s Christmas in Wales), lighting design by Michael Gottlieb (Translations), sound design and original music by Ryan Rumery (A Touch of the Poet) & M. Florian Staab (Endgame), and properties by Nicole Rozanski (Andersson). Pamela Brusoski is the Production Stage Manager and Rebecca C. Monroe is the Stage Manager.

Set in Ballybeg Hall in County Donegal, Brian Friel’s Chekhovian masterpiece chronicles the decaying home of District Justice O'Donnell, where the family congregate for a wedding, but stay to attend a funeral. Friel's tale of three sisters and their “eccentric” brother reveals the way in which the ache of one family becomes the microcosm for the ache of a society.