Irish Times journalist and "Pearse In Pictures" author interviewing then Minister of State Roisin Shortall in 2012. LAURA HUTTON/ROLLING NEWS.IE
Fíbín, Ireland’s largest Irish-language theatre company, is returning to North America for 10 shows at eight venues with its new production “Pearse in Pictures,” which uses the same artistic and musical techniques as “An Rón Dall” (The Blind Seal) which toured the States in 2014. The two-week tour, beginning at the New York Irish Center with performances on April 11 and 12, is part of the 1916 Easter Rising Centenary Celebrations with support from Culture Ireland.
“Pearse in Pictures” is a re-imagination of the Rising by Harry McGee, political correspondent with the Irish Times, and his brother Dara McGee, who performs the live art throughout the show. The performance focuses on five leading figures of the Rising with a dramatic unexpected twist at the end.
This is the full list of dates for the tour:
April 11: 2 p.m. & 8pm New York Irish Center, Long Island City, N.Y.
April 12: 8 p.m., New York Irish Center
April 13: 8 p.m. Cheng Library Auditorium, William Paterson University, N.J., US
April 16: 7.30pm Schooner’s Lounge, St. Lawrence College, Brockville, Ont., Canada
April 18: 8pm Irish Club of Mississauga, Toronto, Canada
April 19: 8 p.m. Kingston Brewing Company, (The Brew Pub), 34 Clarence Street, Kingston, Canada
April 20: 7.30 p.m. St. Brigid’s Center for the Arts, Ottawa, Canada
April 22: 8 p.m. Irish Cultural Center, Canton, Mass.
April 23: 4pm Maine Irish Heritage Center, Portland, Me.
Delaney chats with Cunningham
On Monday, April 18, at 7:30, novelist Michael Cunningham will be in conversation with BBC host and Booker Prize judge Frank Delaney at the Irish Arts Center. This Pen, Paper and Palate event will bring together someone who “writes some of the most beautiful prose in contemporary American fiction” (the Daily Beast on Cunningham) and "the most eloquent man in the world," (Delaney, according to NPR). Go to irishartscenter.org for more information.
As reported yesterday, Camille O'Sullivan is performing onstage at the Irish Arts Center through April 16. Then, for one night only, on Friday, April 22, Paul Muldoon and Bill Whelan will present “Ireland Rising: Words and Music for a New Century,” which will include Paul Brady, Cassandra Wilson, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Mick Moloney, Declan O'Rourke, Anne Enright and Colm Tóibín.
Michael Cunningham.
Rising symposium
Glucksman Ireland House NYU’s two-day conference “Independent Spirit: America & The 1916 Easter Rising” on Thursday, April 21 and Friday, April 22, at Pier A Harbor House, 22 Battery Place in Manhattan. For details, go to http://irelandhouse.fas.nyu.edu.
Michael Doorley of the Open University in Ireland
will be among the speakers at "Independent Spirit" at NYU.
PHOTO: PETER MCDERMOTT
Jazz’s New York connection
Charles Hale of Artists Without Walls is producing and narrating, "Jazz and the City: The New York Connection," at the Cell Theatre on Friday, April 15, 7:30 p.m. Pianist/vocalist David Raleigh and a trio of jazz musicians will be performing the tunes tell the musical history of jazz in New York City, including music composed by New Yorkers Gershwin, Arlen and Kern, songs performed by Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker and Lena Horne, as well as Broadway show tunes that became jazz classics. Tickets for the event are $20 at Brown Paper Tickets, though there is a discount code “awow” for AWoW members and supporters.
Charles Hale.
PHOTO: VERA HOAR
Roberts to celebrate Bealtaine
And looking ahead a little to May 1, Maura Mulligan’s Nollaig Na mBan will present poet Connie Roberts at its next fundraiser for the Dwelling Place of New York There will be an afternoon of poetry and dance to celebrate Bealtaine. This event is a second fundraiser for the Dwelling Place of NY – a shelter for homeless women located on West 40th Street: thedwellingplaceofny.org. The event will take place at Ripley Grier Studios, 520 8th Ave, NYC at 3:00 p.m.
Connie Roberts signing some books.
PHOTO: VERA HOAR
