59E59 Theaters to Present US Premiere of MAZ AND BRICKS

59E59 Theaters (Val Day, Artistic Director; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) will welcome the return of Ireland's leading new play company Fishamble: The New Play Company with the US premiere of Maz and Bricks, written by Eva O'Connor and directed by Jim Culleton. Part of Origin's 1st Irish, Maz and Bricks begins performances on Tuesday, January 7 for a limited engagement through Sunday, February 2. Press opening is Sunday, January 12 at 2:15 pm. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Friday at 7:15 pm; Saturday at 2:15 pm & 7:15 pm; Sunday at 2:15 pm. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Single tickets are $25 - $35 ($26 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call the 59E59 Box Office at 646-892-7999 or visit www.59e59.org. The running time is 80 minutes, with no intermission.

Maz is planning to attend a pro-choice demonstration, Bricks is planning to take his daughter to the zoo, but nothing goes according to plan. As the day unfolds, the two become unlikely friends, changing each other in ways they never thought possible.

The play was first produced mere days after Ireland repealed their Eighth Amendment, a landmark referendum that legalized abortion in Ireland. The play was called "particularly timely...excruciatingly funny...powerful" by the Irish Independent and "a provocative comedy" by the Sunday Times in its Dublin premiere.

"The past few years have seen a huge shift in Ireland, as the country has become more liberal, with the nation voting overwhelmingly for marriage equality, women's rights," says director Jim Culleton. "MAZ AND BRICKS reflects a country going through a seismic shift but through the eyes of these two young people, making it an intimate and human story."

Playwright Eva O'Connor, who plays Maz, is proving to be one of Ireland's major young writing talents, known for writing powerfully poetic and lyrical dialogue. The BBC called her one of the top writers to watch in Ireland. Joining Ms. O'Connor in the cast is Ciaran O'Brien as Bricks.

The design team includes Maree Kearns (set and costume design); Sinead Mckenna (lighting design); and Carl Kennedy (sound design). The Production Stage Manager is Miriam Hyfler.

Eva O'Connor (playwright/Maz) is a writer and performer from Ogonnelloe, Co. Clare. She studied English and German at Edinburgh University before completing an MA in theatre ensemble from Rose Bruford drama school in London. Her plays include My Best Friend Drowned in a Swimming Pool, Kiss Me and You Will See How Important I Am, My Name is Saoirse, Overshadowed, The Friday Night Effect (co-written with Hildegard Ryan), Maz and Bricks, and Mustard (Fringe First winner 2019, Lustrum Award 2019). Eva runs her own company Sunday's Child, with Hildegard Ryan. Eva has won various awards for her work including Best Emerging Artist Award, 2012 (Edinburgh Fringe); First Fortnight Award, 2014 (Dublin Fringe); Argus Angel Award, 2015 (Brighton Fringe); Fishamble Award for Best New Writing, 2015; Best Theatre Award, 2017 (Adelaide Fringe); Scotsman Fringe First Award, 2019 (Edinburgh Fringe); and Lustrum Award, 2019 (Edinburgh Fringe). Her play Overshadowed was recently adapted for television by BBC Three and Rollem productions, directed by Hildegard Ryan. It won Best Drama at the Mind Media Award 2019. Her play My Name is Saoirse was adapted for radio by RTÉ Radio 1 and her short story The Midnight Sandwich was recently aired on BBC radio 4.

Jim Culleton (director) is the artistic director of Fishamble: The New Play Company. For Fishamble, he has directed productions which have toured throughout Ireland, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the US. His productions for Fishamble have won over a dozen Irish and international awards, including an Olivier Award for Silent by Pat Kinevane. Jim has also directed for companies including The Abbey Theatre; Woodpecker/the Gaiety, 7:84 (Scotland); Project Arts Centre; Amharclann de hIde; Tinderbox; The Passion Machine; The Ark; Second Age; RTE Radio 1; The Belgrade; TNL Canada; Dundee Rep Ensemble; TCD School of Drama;, CoisCéim/Crash Ensemble/GIAF; RTE lyric fm; Fighting Words; Origin (New York); Vessel (Australia); and Symphony Space Broadway/Irish Arts Center (New York). Jim has taught for NYU, NUIM, GSA, Uversity, the Lir, Villanova, Notre Dame, TCD and UCD.

Photo Credit: Lunaria

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