Origin Theatre Company & the Irish Arts Center to Present BLOODY SUNDAY Reading

Origin Theatre Company and the Irish Arts Center are jointly presenting a star-studded commemorative reading of Richard Norton-Taylor's "Bloody Sunday: Scenes from the Saville Enquiry" to mark the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, a seismic turning point in the history of Northern Ireland. The event takes place at the Irish Arts Center, 726 11th Avenue (at 51st Street). For tickets, which are $25, visit www.origintheatre.org

 

The Saville Enquiry (set up as part of the Northern Ireland Peace Process in 1998 and lasting until 2004), heard evidence from over 1000 witnesses and participants in the shocking violence that took place on Sunday January 30, 1972 during a peaceful anti-internment march in Derry, Northern Ireland. On that day 13 civil rights marchers were shot dead, and another 13 wounded by British soldiers. The New York-based Irish actor Ciaran Byrne directs the reading of Norton-Taylor's play, in its first public performance in the US.

 

The cast includes: Hamish Allan-Headley, Billy Carter, Mazvita Chanakira, Una Clancy, Roger Clark, Terry Donnelly, Grainne Duddy, John Duddy, Geraldine Hughes, Labhaoise Magee, Shane McNaughton, Colin McPhillamy, Michael Mellamphy, Shauna Pinkett, Aidan Redmond, Tim Ruddy, Christa Scott-Reed, Cara Seymour, Sarah Street, and ZOE WATKINS

 

"Today more than ever we value our ability to build bridges, break down divisions, and foster mutual respect," says Origin Theatre Company's artistic director Michael Mellamphy. "These are hard lessons learned through a crucible of blood during The Troubles, lessons that, sadly, need to be relearned every day in our increasingly polarized world."

 

("Bloody Sunday: Scenes from the Saville Enquiry" was originally produced by London's Tricycle Theatre in 2005, and the touring production was staged memorably at The Abbey Theatre, Ireland's national theatre, also in 2005)

 

 

Produced by Origin Theatre Company, now in its 19th year, 1st Irish 2022 runs three weeks from January 9 to 31, and will present 20 live and virtual events, bringing together companies and artists from Newry (Northern Ireland), Dublin, Cork, Wexford, Washington DC, The Bronx, Queens and Manhattan. Origin 1st Irish is the world's only theatre festival devoted to producing and presenting the theatrical work of contemporary Irish playwrights from around the world. It is known to present, side-by-side, new productions brought to life in New York, and recently acclaimed productions and special projects from a range of subsidized and independent theatres in Ireland.

 

Plays still to be seen in-person in New York include: 1/ John McDonagh's crowd-pleasing cabbie travelogue "Off the Meter" (Fri Jan 21 @ 7pm; Sat Jan 22 @ 7pm; Sun Jan 23@ 3pm (Theatre 80, 80 St. Marks Place); 2/ the world premiere of John Kearns' "Boann and the Well of Wisdom" (NEW DATES: Sat Jan 29 @ 2pm; Sun Jan 30 @ 1pm; Tue Feb 1 @ 8pm; Wed Feb 2 @8pm, and Thur Feb 3 @ 8pm (all at Ryan's Daughter), and 3/ Clare O'Malley's solo musical "Transatlantic Living" (Tue Jan 18 @ 7pm at the Irish Rep).

 

Already seen were the world premiere of David Gilna's "A Bolt from the Blue" (at the New York Irish Center), and the four-show run of Des Bishop's new comedy show "Mia Mamma" (at multiple venues).

 

Among the plays being seen digitally are acclaimed productions from Dublin's Fishamble ("Duck Duck Goose"); The Everyman in Cork ("City"); About Face in Dublin ("Transatlantic Tales 2"); The Wexford Arts Centre ("One Voice Festival: Tales from the Quay"); from New York's the Irish Repertory Theatre the digital premiere of ("A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing"), and, from Solas Nua in Washington DC, the digital premiere of "In the Middle of the Fields."

 

To find out more about the Festival visit www.origintheatre.org