The Sheen Center Launches a Celebration of Irish Heritage This March

The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture, named after the late, venerable Irish-American Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, launches a celebration of Irish Heritage this March with four special theatrical, music and storytelling events. Tickets/reservations are available online at SheenCenter.org, by phone at 212-925-2812, in-person at The Sheen Center box office, or OvationTix.com.

THE SIGNATURE PROJECT

March 8 - 25 in The Loreto Theater

Irishman Patrick Dunning was a well-respected painter who left his career behind to pursue one single painting made up of over one million signatures from people around the globe. Directed by Eric Paul Vitale, this performance with art, music, and dance follows Patrick's 25-year journey to unite millions of strangers into a single work of art. Witness this 76x36' mural come to life as artist Patrick ingeniously weaves stories, music, dance, and images in the great tradition of Irish artists.

Tickets: $55 Orchestra, $45 Mezzanine.

PYGMALION by George Bernard Shaw

March 12 - April 22 in the Black Box Theater

After their triumphant Sense and Sensibility, Bedlam returns to The Sheen Center with a new production of Pygmalion by the great Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. Bedlam Artistic Director Eric Tucker will direct.Tickets: TBA.

CELTIC NIGHTS - OCEANS OF HOPE

March 27 - April 9 in The Loreto Theater

Direct from Ireland, this is the epic story of the Irish diaspora seeking a better life with liberty and freedom and,above all, family. Told through Irish eyes via song, music, laughter, dance, and narration featuring a stunning cast of talented performers from Ireland. Tickets: $69 and 89.

STORYTELLING: CELTIC MYTHOLOGY

April 5 in Studios A&B

In ancient Ireland, tales of gods, warriors and magical spells were shared throughout the land. Spend an evening in the realm of epic transformations with world renowned storyteller Laura Simms and two-time Gold Medal winner Marianne McShane as they embody the characters and walk the landscapes of the mythic tales "Children of Lir" and "Diarmud and the Woman Beneath the Waves." Post-performance, our storytellers are joined by Irish literature specialist Jeff Cassvan of Queens College to discuss the stories and the oral storytelling tradition. Producer Maura Kelly will moderate. Tickets: $20. Queens College students free, RSVP required. Space is limited.

The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture is a forum to showcase works highlighting the true, the good, and the beautiful. Located downtown on historic Bleecker Street, the Sheen Center is a vibrant new arts organization that focuses on theater, music, film, and talk. A project of the Archdiocese of New York, the state-of-the-art complex encompasses the 270-seat Loreto Theatre, equipped with five-camera high-definition live-stream capability and a multi-track recording studio; the 80-seat Black Box Theatre; four rehearsal studios; and an art gallery. It was named after the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, best known for his popular, inspirational radio and TV ministry in the 1950s and 60s.