Irish Rep Presents WHITE WOMAN STREET, Previews 5/7

The Irish Repertory Theatre continues its 22nd Season with WHITE WOMAN STREET by Sebastian Barry, author of "Our Lady of Sligo" and "The Steward of Christendom". Directed by Charlotte Moore

Previews begin May 7; Off-Broadway opening set for May 16

Off-Broadway's acclaimed Irish Repertory Theatre continues its 22nd Season with WHITE WOMAN STREET by Sebastian Barry, author of OUR LADY OF SLIGO, THE STEWARD OF CHRISTENDOM and THE PRIDE OF PARNELL STREET, with previews to begin May 7, prior to its official press opening May 16. Charlotte Moore, who helmed the company's recent revival of ERNEST IN LOVE, directs.

Set in Ohio in 1916, WHITE WOMAN STREET tells of five outlaws led by Irish expatriate, Trooper O'Hara, who converge on the town of White Woman Street. Haunted by dark memories of a long ago visit, O'Hara leads his rag-tag gang into the town -- and into the brothel, wherein he must face his demons. Against a poetic narrative of Irish and American history, Sebastian Barry weaves a searing tale that evokes a time of change and personal displacement. Stories are told, songs are sung, wild boars are shot and eaten, and a train filled with gold is approaching fast!

The cast features Charlie Hudson III, Greg Mullavey, Stephen Payne, Gordon Stanley, and Evan Zes. WHITE WOMAN STREET has scenic design by Hugh Landwehr; costume design by David Toser; lighting design by Clifton Taylor; and sound design by Zach Williamson.

Sebastian Barry was born on July 5, 1955 in Dublin and educated at Trinity College, Dublin. Mr. Barry's academic posts include Honorary Fellow in Writing at the University of Iowa (1984) and Writer Fellow at Trinity College, Dublin (1995-96). His early plays include BOSS GRADY'S BOYS, which opened in 1988, and won the BBC/Stewart Parker Award. His play THE STEWARD OF CHRISTENDOM was first staged at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in March 1995, an "Out-of-Joint" Production with Donal McCann in the title role, subsequently transferred to BAM. It won the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize, the Ireland/America Literary Prize, the Critics' Circle Award for Best New Play and the Writers' Guild Award (Best Fringe Play). Sebastian Barry also won the Lloyds Private Banking Playwright of the Year Award in the same year. OUR LADY OF SLIGO was joint winner of the Peggy Ramsay Play Award, and was seen at the Irish Repertory Theatre, starring Sinead Cusack. WHISTLING PSYCHE and THE PRIDE OF PARNELL STREET are two interweaving monologues. His latest play is TALES OF BALLYCUMBER.

Barry has also written poetry, including the collections "The Water-Colourist" and "Fanny Hawke Goes to the Mainland Forever"; a novel for children, "Elsewhere: the Adventures of Belemus," and the short novels, "Time Out of Mind/Strappado Square." His novels include "The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty," translated into seven languages; "Annie Dunne," set in Wicklow in the 1950s; and "A Long Long Way," short listed for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, and winner of the 2006 Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award.

Sebastian Barry lives in County Wicklow, Ireland. His latest novel is "The Secret Scripture," short listed for the 2008 Man Booker Prize for Fiction and winner of multiple awards, including the 2008 Costa Book of the Year Award, the 2009 Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of the Year, and the 2009 James Tait Black Memorial Prize (for fiction).

Earlier this year, Director Charlotte Moore helmed Irish Repertory's revival of ERNEST IN LOVE, a musical adaptation of Oscar Wilde's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST.

Ms. Moore's recent directing credits also include FINIAN'S RAINBOW, TAKE ME ALONG, THE YEATS PROJECT, ARISTOCRATS, GASLIGHT, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION, and MRS. DOOLEY'S AMERICA. Other credits include FINIAN'S RAINBOW at JoAnne Woodward's Westport Country Playhouse; SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER; Samuel Beckett's ENDGAME, the adaptation and direction of FINIAN'S RAINBOW; Dion Boucicault's THE COLLEEN BAWN; J. Harley Manner's PEG O' MY HEART; J.M. Synge's PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD; and Mr. Boucicault's THE STREETS OF NEW YORK, which she adapted and scored. As an actress, she has appeared on New York stages in MAJOR BARBARA, A PERFECT GANESH, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, THE PERFECT PARTY, MORNING'S AT SEVEN, PRIVATE LIVES, LOVE FOR LOVE, HOLIDAY, CHEMIN DE FER, THE GREAT GOD BROWN, A LOVELY SUNDAY FOR CREVE COEUR with directors who include Harold Prince, Tony Walton, John
Tillinger, Vivian Matalon, Paul Weidner, Brian Murray, Michael Montel, Edward Berkeley, Arvin Brown, Louis Burke, Steven Porter, and Ellis Rabb. Ms. Moore has directed forty-nine Irish Repertory Theatre productions and all twenty Gala Benefits. She has received two Tony Award nominations, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Drama Desk Award, The Irish America Top 100 Irish Award, and the 2008 Irish Women Of The Year Award. She is the recipient of the 2008 Ambassador Award, the St. Patrick's Committee in Holyoke's John F. Kennedy National Award, and is listed as one of the "50 Most Influential Women" in the Irish America Magazine/Irish Voice Newspaper.

Co-founded by Producing Director Ciaran 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.

Recently, the Irish Repertory received four Lucille Lortel Award nominations, including Outstanding Revival nods for Eugene O'Neill's THE EMPEROR JONES and its current production, George Bernard Shaw's CANDIDA, which has been extended through April 25.

Performances of Sebastian Barry's WHITE WOMAN STREET run May 7 through June 27 at The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues): Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8pm; plus 3pm matinees on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $65 and $55, and are available by calling 212-727-2737 or online at www.irishrep.org.

For more information about Irish Repertory Theatre, visit www.irishrep.org.

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