Charlotte Jones's AIRSWIMMING Begins 1/9 at Irish Repertory Theatre

Irish Repertory Theatre in association with Fallen Angel Theatre Company, Inc. present the U.S. premiere of AIRSWIMMING by Charlotte Jones, the award-winning author of HUMBLE BOY, with previews set to begin January 9, prior to an official press opening January 13, in Irish Repertory Theatre Company's W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre (132 West 22nd Street). John Keating directs.

Set in 1920's England, Charlotte Jones's AIRSWIMMING is based on the true story of two women (Miss Kitson and Miss Baker), who have been incarcerated in a hospital for the "criminally insane" for having borne illegitimate children. Forgotten by their families and not released until the 1970's, Dora and Persephone adopt alter-egos, Dorph and Porph, to enact their fantasies and survive the silence of incarceration.

Aedin Moloney and Rachel Pickup, recently seen at The Irish Repertory Theatre in its revival of Brian Friel's DANCING AT LUGHNASA, co-star in AIRSWIMMING, as Dora and Persephone, respectively.

The production features set design by Melissa Shakun; lighting design by Jessica M. Burgess; sound design by Kortney Barber; and choreography by Laura Knight Keating. Production Stage Manager is Lauren McArthur.

Charlotte Jones is best known for her play HUMBLE BOY which debuted in London in 2002, garnering its author the Susan Smith Blackburn Award, Critic's Circle Award for Best New Play, and the People's Choice Best New Play Award. HUMBLE BOY premiered Off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 2003, earning a Drama Desk nomination for Best New Play. Her first play, AIRSWIMMING, premiered in London in 1997. Her other plays include IN FLAME (Critic's Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright); MARTHA, JOSIE & THE CHINESE ELVIS (Manchester Evening News Best Play Award, Pearson Television Best Play Award); THE DARK, and THE LIGHTING PLAY. Jones wrote the book for the West End and Broadway musical THE WOMAN IN WHITE, in collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Zippel.

Aedin Moloney has previously appeared at The Irish Repertory Theatre in DANCING AT LUGHNASA, SHADOW OF A GUNMAN, PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD, JUNO & THE PAYCOCK, SAME OLD MOON, and PIGTOWN. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Fallen Angel Theatre Company. She has Produced and performed in Fallen Angel's EVA THE CHASTE, TALENT, and CELL. As an actor, other theatre credits include HOBSON'S CHOICE (Atlantic Theatre), UNDER MILKWOOD (Hartford Stage). Clubbed Thumb's MADAME KILLER, and BAR & GER (Irish Arts Center).

Rachel Pickup made her New York debut at The Irish Repertory Theatre in DANCING AT LUGHNASA, after making her US debut in Washington DC's Shakespeare Theatre production of AN IDEAL HUSBAND. In addition to numerous productions for The Royal Shakespeare Company, she has appeared in West End productions of Neil Simon's BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, THE 39 STEPS, BEDROOM FARCE, LOVE's LABOUR'S LOST, and MISS JULIE for which she was nominated for a Critic's Circle Best Actress Award.

For Fallen Angel Theatre Company, John Keating has directed its full-length productions of EVA THE CHASTE, CELL and TALENT. As an actor, his credits include eleven productions at the Irish Rep, including ARISTOCRATS and AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, Other theatre credits include Atlantic Theatre's THE NEW YORK IDEA, Roundabout Theatre Company's JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK, Mint Theatre's John Ferguson and IS LIFE WORTH LIVING?, and four productions for Theatre for a New Audience.

Founded in 2003 by Aedin Moloney, Fallen Angel Theatre Company is committed to presenting the most outstanding and dynamic new Irish and British plays written by and about woman. A wealth of new female writing has largely been untapped in the United States. Fallen Angel Theatre is the first American company with the goal of interpreting these plays in a fresh, exciting and commercially viable way for New York audiences. Its previous productions include the world premiere of Barbara Hammond's EVA THE CHASTE, the US premiere of Paula Meehan's CELL, and U.S. premiere of Victoria Wood's TALENT. For more information, visit www.fallenangeltheatre.org

The Irish Repertory Theatre recently launched its 25th Anniversary Season with Brian Friel's THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY, which resumes performances January 2 through January 20, in the company's Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage, directed by Ciarán O'Reilly.

Co-founded by Producing Director Ciarán O'Reilly and Artistic Director Charlotte Moore, The Irish Repertory Theatre opened its doors in September 1988 with Sean O'Casey's THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS. The mission of the theatre was and remains to bring works by Irish and Irish American masters and contemporary playwrights to American audiences; to provide a context for understanding the contemporary Irish American experience; and to encourage the development of new works focusing on the Irish and Irish American experience, as well as a range of other cultures. Ms. Moore and Mr. O'Reilly received the 2011 Eugene O'Neill Lifetime Achievement Award from Irish American Writers & Artists, Inc.

Off-Broadway performances of AIRSWIMMING run January 9-February 3 at The Irish Repertory Theatre Company's W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre (132 West 22nd Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues): Wednesdays at 3pm and 8pm; Thursdays at 7pm; Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm; and Sundays at 3pm (with the following exception: opening night, Sunday, January 13 at 7pm). Tickets are $45, and are available by calling 212-727-2737 or online at www.irishrep.org.

For more information, visit www.irishrep.org.

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