Happy New Year to all our readers from all over the world! We are so proud to tell you we had the best year ever and we hope 2019 will be even better thanks again to you, our readers and sponsors.
Just remember that in 2019 every one should reach out to your family and friends and tell them how happy you are to be part of their life as it is so short and always have a laugh as believe me it feels good when you do.
No, I am not getting sentimental I am just saying it’s nice to be nice, so go on and do it. Pick up the phone and tell them how happy you are to know them; it will do you good.
Yes 2019 is getting off to a great start and we are all excited about it as well as the 11th Annual Origin’s 1st Irish Theatre Festival which is settling in to a new January time slot.
Events and Productions from Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Belfast, Derry and New York can be seen as part of the festival in venues all across the City from January 9th to the 28th.
The 2019 Origin’s 1st Irish Theatre Festival, New York’s all-Irish theatre festival and the world’s only festival devoted exclusively to producing the plays of contemporary Irish playwrights from around the world, will feature a total of 17 events, including six mainstage productions from Belfast, Derry, Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Queens and Manhattan.
Among the productions, five are US premieres; one is a world premiere. Fifteen contemporary Irish writers are represented with work in performance.
Origin’s 1st Irish 2019 takes place in a number of distinguished venues across New York City, including the 59E59 Theaters (two theaters), the cell, the American Irish Historical Society, Scandinavia House, The NY Irish Center, The Playroom, A.R.T. New York, The Irish Consulate, the Irish Arts Center, and NYU’s Glucksman Ireland House.
Produced by Origin Theatre Company, now in its 16th season, Origin’s 1st Irish is a highly curated festival that mixes brand new and recently acclaimed productions and special projects from both sides of the Atlantic.
Since its founding in 2007, the Festival has been recognized for its focused size, and emphasis on audience engagement through mainstage productions, parties, panels and workshops.
Its Next Generation and Breaking Ground series have proven to be a launch-pad for new projects developed collaboratively by artists from different cities, that have gone on to further success and acclaim.
In 2015 The NY Times called Origin’s 1st Irish “an important event that offers New York theatergoers the chance to see fascinating new work.”
A competitive festival, this year’s Origin’s 1st Irish culminates in a Closing Night Ceremony on Monday January 28, staged at Rosie O’Grady’s Manhattan Club (800 Seventh Avenue) in the heart of Times Square. There the Best of Festival Awards, chosen by the festival’s blue-ribbon panel of judges (whose names will be announced soon), will be handed out.
For Festival details and tickets visit www.origintheatre.org.
I just got this in from The Irish Repertory Theatre here in New York: “Welcome to Irish Repertory Theatre’s Sean O’Casey Season! From January through May of our 30th Anniversary Season, we are presenting a comprehensive retrospective of the work of renowned Irish playwright Sean O’Casey.
“The celebration will feature The O’Casey Cycle – O’Casey’s renowned “Dublin Trilogy” in repertory: The Shadow of a Gunman (1923), Juno and the Paycock (1924), and The Plough and the Stars (1926) – and free readings of all of O’Casey’s other plays.
“Other planned events include symposiums, lectures, film screenings, a musical evening, and two exhibitions (details for these events and more will be announced soon).
“Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars inspired the first collaboration between Irish Rep founders Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O’Reilly; we are delighted to return to the work that started it all in The O’Casey Season – Irish Rep’s most ambitious project to date!
O’Casey Season partners include Shivaun O’Casey (daughter to Sean O’Casey), Neil Pepe (Artistic Director, Atlantic Theater Company), the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dr. Maureen Murphy (HOFSTRA University), Robert Lowery (Sean O’Casey Review), and more.”
The O’Casey Cycle is on sale now! Other events will be announced soon. In the meantime, get along to The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street), call their box office on (212) 727-2737 or visit them online at www.irishrep.org for tickets.
Now for some sad news. Longtime LGBT activist Larry Lombardi passed away peacefully on Saturday in his apartment in his own bed. Larry was the longtime treasurer of the Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens. He was an active member of the Queens Center for Gay Seniors in Jackson Heights. Larry was also active in the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee which runs the borough’s LGBT Pride Parade annually. He was 83 years old.
“Larry was an amazing human being and he will be sorely missed by all who were lucky to know him,” said NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm. “Larry spent at least the last 26 years of his life fighting for the rights of LGBT people in Queens and beyond. He was a progressive fighter who took to the streets to fight for the things he believed in.
“He was active in LGBT causes until the very end. Daniel said he was fortunate to spend time with Larry on Wednesday in the Queens Center for Gay Seniors. He was on oxygen but was in good spirits. Rest in peace my friend and ally.”
A memorial service will be held in January. Details will be forthcoming.
This just came in so I have to let you know about it. Alan Foley, the Artistic Director of Cork City Ballet is presenting the New York premiere of ‘Breaking Pointe’ on January 22 at 7pm at Scandinavia House (58 Park Avenue) to celebrate the company’s 25 years in existence in Ireland.
Cosponsored with Origin 1st Irish Festival and Tourism Ireland, this film shows spectacular footage of the dancers in the company and provides direct access to behind the scenes to see up close the rarely seen aspects of a professional dancer the daily life.
Included are Excerpts from favourite ballet’s such as ‘Swan Lake,’ ‘Giselle,’ ‘Le Corsaire,’ ‘The Dying Swan,’ ‘The Sleeping Beauty,’ and ‘The Nutcracker’ feature in this stunning documentary. A fantastic opportunity for all dance lovers NOT TO BE MISSED.
I hope to see you all again when I am back Out&About in 2019.