Origin 1st Irish Theatre Festival is the only festival of its kind devoted to producing and presenting the theatrical work of contemporary Irish playwrights from around the world, in a mix of brand new and recently acclaimed productions from both sides of the Atlantic. The 15th annual Origin 1st Irish Theatre Festival returns to a mostly in-person format, running three weeks from Monday January 9 to Tuesday January 31. Participating theatres and cultural organizations in New York include 59E59 Theaters, the Irish Repertory Theatre, the Irish Arts Center, the cell, Ryan’s Daughter and Symphony Space in Manhattan; the NY Irish Center in Queens and An Beal Bocht in The Bronx. Produced by Origin Theatre Company, now in its 20th anniversary season, Origin 1st Irish 2023 is curated by Michael “Mick” Mellamphy, Origin Theater’s artistic director since 2021. This will be the third 1st Irish Festival in a row curated by Mellamphy. This year, the festival presents 21 new plays, productions and special events in venues across New York. Additionally, 13 top Irish pubs team up with the festival to host social gatherings and other ancillary events.
Highlights include:
Heaven
January 11-29 @ 59E59
Set in County Offaly, during the weekend of a local wedding, “Heaven” introduces us to Mairead and Mal, who are struggling to keep their marriage together.
Frankenstein’s Monster is Drunk and the Sheep Have All Jumped the Fences
January 11-29 @ 59E59
Portstewart’s Big Telly in Northern Ireland -- pioneers of immersive, site-specific theatre production -- brings us the New York premiere of their acclaimed, immersive take on the classic Frankenstein myth…
Beauty and the Beast
January 14 & 15 @ An Beal Bocht Café
Poor Mouth Theatre Company in The Bronx lets the Christmas holidays linger on with special encores of their immensely popular holiday pantomine Beauty and the Beast. Staged in the charming and bustling An Beal Bocht Café, the company’s permanent home, which is tucked snugly in a traditionally Irish enclave in The Bronx. Yes, Virginia, it’s always Christmas in the Bronx! Written and directed by Scott Kennedy
Endgame
January 25-March 12 @ Irish Repertory Theatre
A pinnacle of Beckett’s characteristic raw minimalism, Endgame was notably the Nobel Prize-winning Irish-born playwright’s favorite play.
The Smuggler
January 18-February 26 @ Irish Repertory Theatre
An Irish immigrant trying to make it as a writer on Amity, an affluent summer colony in Massachusetts, loses his job as a bartender, and gets drawn into the dark underbelly of the island.
Herself
January 11 @ NY Irish Center
Herself by Irish-American playwright, poet and performer Tim McGillicuddy, takes us to a haunted pub, where a young woman, returning to her hometown following the death of her brother, confronts -- and attempts to transform -- the rumors of the past. A dark and sometimes comic look into the destructive power of gossip.
Femme First - 2 Plays in Rep at the Cell
January 20-29 @ the cell
A women-focused festival-within-the-festival at the cell, “Femme First” features workshop productions of two new plays by distinguished women playwrights.
The Funny Thing About Death
With over 30 million views of her online work, Kim Kalish brings us the Edinburgh Fringe sensation. Told through a series of interconnected stories, The Funny Thing About Death takes us through Kalish’s grief from losing the love of her life at just 23 years old.
It's in the Play
Leading New York actor Orlagh Cassidy appears in the premiere of It's In The Play a new play by Cassidy and Kate Lardner. In the rich tradition of Irish storytelling, It’s In The Play is a brave and intimate reconstruction of the puzzle of a fractured family’s story, exploring memory, loss and love and revolving around the promise of a sister.
The festival will also feature films, multimedia events, readings and more.
COVID-19 Safety Information:
Masks are required at some venues, including Irish Arts Center and select performances at Irish Repertory Theatre.
