By Paddy McCarthy
Hi everybody, it’s great to be Out&About again after over two years and boy was it though for everybody, just not me. Well, we seem to be getting back to near normal right across the board in all walks of life. I am so excited that I can now visit places I have not seen for over two years, yes, I know I am repeating myself but it’s true. I was all over the place this week meeting people that I have not seen for a while and yes, I did visit a few establishments for some refreshments as it is hard work doing what I do. Somebody has to do it ha-ha.
You know, I do reflect on how privileged I am to get to meet so many nice people when I am Out&About that are so normal just like we all are. Some take the leader position, again because somebody has to do it, and they work so hard without any awards and they don’t want any awards for what they do. I am going on and on for a reason, I respect all of them as for all us Irish and Irish Americans they make it easy for us all and never look for anything in return and I should know because I got help from one of those leaders.
That’s enough of me-me as I am now on Broadway, I knew I would get there one day so that I can introduce some unbelievable talent that again has the Irish flavor attached to it, now where would yea get it? Only in New York. I am going to introduce to a lady I spoke about in the last column that I truly respect a lot and that is a lady I know quite well as a friend and an inspiration in all that she does, yes that is Loretta Brennan Glucksman, who received the Irish Repertory Theatre’s Visionary Leadership Award in recognition of her philanthropic support of Irish communities and her tireless work in promoting Irish culture and heritage in the US and around the world. Kevin Curley, Chairman and CEO of Curley Financial Group, serves as Chair. I have to hand it to The Irish Repertory Theatre they could not pick a better person than Loretta.
Now getting back to the Irish Repertory Theatre 2022 Gala, what a blast it was from start to finish. The Irish Rep with Charlotte Moore as Artistic Director and Ciaran O’Reilly, their Producing Director were responsible for this marvelous production of this event, a celebration of the musicals of Harold Prince. Under the direction of Charlotte Moore and music direction by John Bell it was just fabulous and with the talent that was starring you could not get better than the list of talent that included Michael Bell, Len Cariou, Howard McGillin, Amanda Jane Cooper, Mark Evens, Joel Grey, Donna Kane, Chita Rivera, Ciaran Sheehan, Max Von Essen, Kaley Ann Voorhees and Delaney Westfall. It was an evening I will remember for a very long time as I got to meet so many people that I can’t remember them all. I will have to say this that one of the main hosts behind this spectacular Gala was none other than Ciaran O’Reilly who could not be more generous with his time, he is a true professional.
This weekend, Joaquina Kalukango won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a musical for her outstanding performance as Nelly O’Brien in Paradise Square. “I’ve got to give thanks and praise to God,” she said in her acceptance speech on Sunday. “Thank you, God, for giving me the best parents in the world. My parents sacrificed everything for me to live my dreams.”
Thanks also to my friend Larry Kirwan, a New York musician and book writer who conceived the show, not too bad for a fellow from Wexford, Ireland.
Paradise Square takes place in the former Five Points neighborhood in lower Manhattan, where Black Americans and Irish immigrants lived peacefully alongside each other. That is, until the Draft Riots that summer, wherein a white mob, angered about being called to fight in the Civil War and about freed slaves taking their jobs, destroyed the neighborhood and the Black businesses within it, killing 120 people.
Kalukango’s Nelly runs the Paradise Square saloon in Five Points with her Irish husband Willie (Matt Bogart), his sister Annie (Chilina Kennedy) and Annie’s husband Samuel (Nathaniel Stampley), who is Black. But this interracial family is put in jeopardy when Nelly agrees to illegally hide a runaway slave named Washington (Sidney DuPont). Plus, there’s the simmering white resentment just outside her door.
You have to see this show and you will know how proud we are of Larry, who always keeps his feet firmly on the ground. I would advise you to book your tickets now as I am told they are flying out the door fast and I have seen it and I have to tell you not to miss it.
Hope to see you all again next week when I am Out&About.