Out & About

It's almost time to be planning your trip to Ireland and there's never been a better time than this year to travel over for a holiday or to see your cousins and family.

I got to meet the Minister of State for Tourism Michael Ring T.D. last week at the New York Athletic Club and he promised that this is the time.

Now, if all the Airlines got together and cut the sales price for a return ticket to say $500 per person across the board, let me tell yea, you would not have enough planes to carry the passengers to Ireland.

As you can see I am not singling out any one particular airline as it would not be fair but come on, it's not rocket science right?   

We just got news that Jeremy Irons is set to play King Arthur in The Irish Repertory Theatre's concert performance of Camelot on Broadway.

Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's Camelot - the beloved musical that defined an age with its lush romantic score that soars above the legendary tale of idealism, passion and betrayal - is directed by Charlotte Moore and will play for just one night only, Monday, June 6 at The Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street).

The show forms part of off-Broadway's acclaimed Irish Repertory Theatre's 2011 Annual Benefit Gala.

Charlotte Moore, who directed last year's acclaimed concert staging of Brigadoon on Broadway and helms the Irish Repertory's current production of Dion Boucicault's The Shaughraun, directs a cast of Broadway stars.

As mentioned in the lead-in, acclaimed actor Jeremy Irons is set to portray King Arthur. Mr. Irons won a Tony Award for his Broadway debut in The Real Thing. His numerous film credits include 'The French Lieutenant's Woman,' 'The Mission,' 'Dead Ringers,' 'Being Julia,' and 'Reversal of Fortune,' for which he received an Academy Award.

He currently stars as Pope Rodrigo Borgia in the Showtime series 'The Borgias.' In Camelot, King Arthur has created a utopian land of chivalry and civil rule. But when his beloved Queen Guenevere and Sir Lancelot, his most trusted knight, succumb to their passion for one another, he faces a terrible dilemma that will rock his kingdom to its very core.

Some of the enchanting musical numbers in Camelot include 'If Ever I Would Leave You,' 'The Simple Joys of Maidenhood,' 'The Lusty Month of May,' 'How to Handle a Woman,' 'C'est Moi!,' 'I Loved You Once in Silence,' and 'What Do Simple Folk Do?'

As previously announced, James Barbour, who recently starred on Broadway in A Tale of Two Cities, and Melissa Errico, who recently appeared at the Irish Repertory Theatre in its acclaimed revival of Candida, will reprise the roles of Lancelot and Guenevere, respectively, which they initially played at the Hollywood Bowl in 2005, opposite Mr. Irons.

Additional casting, featuring Broadway's exquisite artists accompanied by a full orchestra and chorus of fifty, is to be announced.

Camelot features musical direction by Mark Hartman (Brigadoon, Avenue Q). In the 1960 stage version of Camelot, the original stars were Richard Burton as Arthur, Julie Andrews as Guenevere, Robert Goulet as Lancelot, Roddy McDowall as Mordred, and John Cullum as Sir Dinadan.

Directed by Moss Hart, the original Broadway production opened at The Majestic Theatre on December 3, 1960, and played 874 performances.

It was favorite bedtime listening in the White House for John F. Kennedy. Forever afterward, the name 'Camelot' has been associated with the Kennedy administration.

The Irish Repertory's 2011 Annual Benefit Gala will be followed by dinner with the cast at Sardi's, the Theatre's legendary celebrity restaurant (234 West 44th Street). Kathleen Begala is the 2011 Gala Chair. The evening celebrates the company's 23rd season, which was as varied as it was celebrated: beginning with the world premiere of Kelly Younger's Banished Children of Eve, adapted from the novel by Peter Quinn; Conor McPherson's St. Nicholas; Dylan Thomas's A Child's Christmas in Wales; Thomas Kilroy's My Scandalous Life; and Brian Friel's Molly Sweeney.

Currently at the Irish Repertory Theatre, on the company's Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage, is its revival of Dion Boucicault's comic masterpiece The Shaughraun, which runs through June 12.

For dinner and theatre packages, contact Maureen Cavanaugh at (212) 255-0270 or email maureen@irishrep.org.

Individual tickets to the performance only run $100-$300.

For theatre only tickets, call (212) 727-2737 or order them online at www.irishrep.org.

On my rounds last week I met with Des O'Brien, yes the same man who most times is rushing from one of his restaurants to another... This time I was able to have a pint with himself and of course another busy man Pat Burke and his lovely wife Lillian.

Now isn't that something; you never know, it's normally hard to catch up with these men.

By the time you read this column the URTO Annual Golf Outing will be over and it was sold out with a lot of bar owners and bar staff and their suppliers all heading out to the links. Now, I wonder, was there any drinking? I will let you know next week.

This is a little bit late but, anyhow, here we go: this Tuesday May 17th at 7pm The Brehons are holding a very special joint meeting which is being hosted by Molloy College at its Farmingdale Campus. 

Rita O'Hare, Secretary General for Sinn Fein is in New York for only a few short days and has been gracious enough to lend herself to the Brehons and other Irish groups of interest. 

She will speak on the topic of the 30th Commemorative Anniversary of the Hunger

Strikes and the recent Irish elections in Northern Ireland. 

She has always lent her support to our organizations and I ask that you show your support on May 17th. 

Please spread the word and RSVP to Brian O'Keefe at (516) 398-2471 or Laurette Mulry at (631) 835-6073.

Sandwiches and beer have been generously donated by their friends at Molloy College, Cathy Muscente and Ed Thompson.

The Irish Examiner newspaper has announced that it will honor the New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn as our Woman of the Year 2011 at our annual event.

We will have more news next week on where we will have the event, but in the interim, congratulations to Christine; she has stepped up the the plate to help Irish Arts in New York city and is doing her best for small businesses.

See you all next week...