Mary McCann & Paul O'Brien Join Irish Rep's THE WEIR

Irish Repertory Theatre welcomes Mary McCann, recently seen in BLUEBIRD at Atlantic Theatre Company where she is a founding member, and Paul O'Brien, previously seen at Irish Repertory Theater in MAN AND SUPERMAN, to the cast of THE WEIR by Conor McPherson, beginning July 16. Performances of the hit revival currently run through September 8, Tuesdays through Sundays, on the Irish Repertory's Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage (132 West 22nd Street). Ciarán O'Reilly directs.

Director Ciarán O'Reilly helmed the company's recent productions of Brian Friel's THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY and Eugene O'Neill's BEYOND THE HORIZON and THE EMPEROR JONES (Joseph A Callaway Award winner for Direction; Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Audelco nominations). As an actor, he co-starred in Irish Repertory's 2011 revivals of Brian Friel's DANCING AT LUGHNASA and MOLLY SWEENEY.

In a remote country pub in Ireland, newcomer Valerie arrives and becomes spellbound by an evening of ghostly stories told by the local bachelors who drink there. With a whiff of sexual tension in the air and the wind whistling outside, what starts out as blarney soon turns dark as the tales drift into the realm of the supernatural. Then, Valerie reveals a startling story of her own....

Conor McPherson's THE WEIR is a haunting, evocative evening in the theatre you will never forget.

Mary McCann (Valerie) is an actor and founding member of Atlantic Theater Company where her credits include BLUEBIRD with Simon Russell Beale, HARPER REGAN, THE CHERRY ORCHARD, THE NIGHT HERON, THIS THING OF DARKNESS, THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST, and THE HIDING PLACE, among others Her theatre credits also include OUR TOWN with Spalding Gray and Wendy Wasserstein, Second Stage's revival of UNCOMMON WOMAN; Naked Angel's HOT KEYS, Annie Baker's BODY AWARENESS and Broadway's THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD and SEARCH AND DESTROY. TV and film credits include "Little Children" with Kate Winslet, "A Gifted Man," and Candice
Bushnell's web series "The Broad Room."

Paul O'Brien (Jack) was seen at Irish Repertory Theatre in its revival of George Bernard Shaw's MAN AND SUPERMAN. His Broadway credits include ON A CLEAR DAY, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST, and EQUUS. Off-Broadway he has appeared in IS LIFE WORTH LIVING?, DEATH DEFYING ACTS, WIDOW'S BLIND DATE, and MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTEN.

McCann and O'Brien join Billy Carter (A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN); John Keating (ARISTOCRATS); and Sean Gormley (THE SHAUGHRAUN) in the cast of THE WEIR, replacing Tessa Klein and Dan Butler, respectively.

The production, which opened May 23, features set design by Charlie Corcoran; lighting design by Michael Gottlieb; costume design by Leon Dobkowski; and sound design by Drew Levy. Production Stage Manager is Jeff Davolt; Assistant Stage Manager is Fran Acuña-Almiron.

One of the leading contemporary Irish playwrights, Conor McPherson received Tony nominations for SHINING CITY and THE SEAFARER. His plays also include DUBLIN CAROL, RUM AND VODKA, THE GOOD THIEF, THIS LIME TREE BOWER, PORT AUTHORITY, COME ON OVER, an adaptation of THE BIRDS, and ST. NICHOLAS, presented at Irish Repertory Theatre in 2010. His screenplays include "The Actors" and "The Eclipse," which he also directed, and "I Went Down."

THE WEIR premiered at London's The Royal Court prior to transferring to the West End in 1997 and Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre in 1999. It won the Lawrence Olivier Award as Best New Play of 1997-98. In a poll conducted by the Royal National Theatre, THE WEIR was voted one of the 100 most significant plays of the 20th Century.

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 a 2013 Outer Critics Circle Special Achievement Award in recognition of Irish Repertory Theatre's twenty-five years of producing outstanding theatre.

Performances of THE WEIR run through September 8 at The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues): Tuesdays at 7pm; Wednesdays 3pm and 8pm; Thursdays at 7pm; Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm; and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $55 and $65, and are available by calling 212-727-2737, or online at www.irishrep.org.

Photo by Walter McBride

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