How It’s New York: It’s all over town, there’s so much to do!
How It’s Irish: Two Irish theatre companies, a collaboration between the New York Public Library and the National Library of Ireland, an Irish rockabilly singer!
Once again, tons o’stuff competing for your attention! Two of them are one-offs that are tonight only; two are plays that are running just through this weekend so you could potentially go tomorrow or Friday– but there are some great contenders for tomorrow and Friday too! Would love to have your comments for the blog if you make it to any of these. Sadly we can’t cover them all ourselves! (If you’d be interested in writing for us, drop us a line at newyorkirisharts@gmail.com)
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| Frank Delaney |
1. Salon Series. The last one of the summer! Lucy Healy-Kelly reviewed last week’s outing featuring Dermot Bolger and sons and Colum McCann last week. Tonight’s Salon at the New York Public Library of Performing Arts features novelist Frank Delaney, essayist Robert Sullivan, singer Susan McKeown (whose latest CD Singing in the Dark is not to be missed; read my piece about it in Irish Examiner USA here) and harpist Cormac De Barra. De Barra just released a new CD with Clannad’s Moya Brennan; spoke to Moya this week and will have an interview and review up soon, and look for her on a forthcoming podcast too! The event is at 6:30, at the Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Plaza Level. Admission is free, but they advise reservations: call 212-870-1617.
These collaborations between the National Library of Ireland and the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center bring writers and musicians come together to present fiction, music, and song inspired by the libraries’ collections in Dublin and New York, presented by Culture Ireland.
2. Imelda May at Central Park’s Summerstage, with Wanda Jackson! The rockabilly chanteuse has a new cd Mayhem, featuring great original songs that you’d swear were written in the 50s. She’s a little person with a great big voice and a winning presence. May has performed with Eric Clapton, Lionel Richie and Jeff Beck.
Wanda Jackson was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and is often called the “Queen of Rockabilly.” She dated Elvis Presley, who also released one of her songs, and has a new album, The Party Ain’t Over. Event is at 7 pm, and is FREE. The stage is right smack in the center of Central Park; get directions here.
3. Dermot Bolger’s play The Parting Glass only runs this week! It’s gotten great reviews in The New York Times, Back Stage, and on our site. Michelle Woods writes:
If you’ve any inkling of the Irish international soccer hopes and crashes (“the economy soared, Irish football collapsed”) and the plain Irish hopes and crashes (“we were every multinational’s rogue state”) over the last few decades, it’ll make you cry with laughter and, well, cry.
4. Druid Theatre’s Production of The Silver Tassie at the Lincoln Center Festival! The Druid Theatre Company production opened last night and like The Parting Glass, is here and gone (though I wish it could have a proper run on Broadway or at least a larger Off-Broadway house, because it well deserves it). I’m going tonight and will have the review up tomorrow, and will also be chatting with director Garry Hynes for an upcoming podcast, but meanwhile you can read our preview, including my review of the play at the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival last October, here! This 1928 play by Seán O’Casey is a searing indictment of the waste of war, told with humor, expressionism and compassion. Only through July 31; get tickets here.
Gerald W. Lynch Theater, 899 Tenth Avenue between 58th and 59th Streets, NYC.
And coming up:
6. John Michael McDonagh’s vibrant, funny buddy pic The Guard opens the 29th! We had McDonagh on the podcast May 16, did a short review when it screened at Tribeca Film Festival, and attended the round table with him, Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle Tuesday. Watch for a full review Friday, and new podcast to come! I loved this film just as much the second time I saw it. I want to move into it. But more on that later. Meanwhile, it will be opening at Angelika Film Center, Lincoln Plaza Cinema, and the Empire on Friday.
7. Battle of the Bands at Paddy Reilly’s Saturday night! Now the winner will be playing at the Mets Citi Field Irish Night August 27, so go along and put in your vote now. Steve Duggan Promotions. 519 2nd Avenue, begins 12 noon!
