Abbey Theatre Director Speaks At US-Ireland Alliance Event In NYC

Fiach Mac Conghail, Director of Ireland's Abbey Theatre, was the guest of honor last Wednesday night at an event hosted by the US-Ireland Alliance at Y92 Tribeca in New York City. 

Among the guests were leaders in the theater community including:  Neil Pepe and Jeffrey Lawson, the Artistic and Managing Directors of the Atlantic Theater Company; Edgar Dobie, Managing Director of Washington, D.C.'s Arena Stage; Mark Russell, producer of the Public Theater's Under the Radar festival; producer Tony Micocci; Heidi Mathis of the Shubert Organization; George Heslin, Artistic Director of Origin; Mara Isaacs, Producing Director of the McCarter Theatre; and Michael Rose, Managing Director of the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. 

Also on hand were Ireland's Ambassador to the United Nations, Anne Anderson, Kate and Gerry Hathaway, and Cormac O'Malley.

The last time the US-Ireland Alliance hosted an event for Fiach in 2006, it introduced him to Oskar Eustis, which led to successful relationship between the Public Theater and the Abbey.

The next generation of the US-Ireland relationship was well-represented by a host of the Alliance's George J. Mitchell Scholars who have forged connections with their contemporaries in Ireland, including with Megan Riordan who is in New York for her one woman show Luck at 59E59.

Fiach was in New York to finalize plans for the January, American premier of Ages of the Moon at the Atlantic Theater. Next fall, the Abbey's production of Mark O'Rowe's Terminus will be seen coast to coast in the US. 

Having just arrived in New York after celebrating Brian Friel's 80th birthday at the Abbey, Fiach spoke of the ties between Irish and American playwrights as well as the Abbey's connection to America, dating back to the early part of the 20th century when W.B. Yeats visited America to raise funds for the Abbey. 

Fiach talked of Sean O'Casey's impact on Eugene O'Neill, and Samuel Beckett's influence on David Mamet and Sam Shepard.  He also thanked the many of producers and directors in attendance responsible for bringing Irish plays to US audiences.

Under Fiach's leadership, the Abbey made a commitment to new writing - staging nine World Premieres by Irish Writers, two by Sam Shepard and four Irish Premieres, including Doubt. 

In introducing Fiach, US-Ireland Alliance president, Trina Vargo noted their shared concern about cuts in arts funding, "theater, music, and writing are what make Ireland attractive to tourists and, in places like the US, Ireland's creative industries are what sets Ireland apart."  Fiach talked about the current economic crisis in Ireland noting that, "In Ireland we need theatre and the promotion of culture more than ever.  Our writers and poets have yet to fail us."  He also noted the importance of Ireland's need for re-imaging its relationship with the US, a theme regularly promoted by Vargo and the US-Ireland.

Sponsors of the event were the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs and John Gardiner, Alliance board member and partner at Skadden Arps.