The Irish Repertory Theatre commissioned playwright Kelly Younger to write this bristling drama set during the Civil War in New York City. BANISHED CHILDREN OF EVE follows a motley assemblage of New Yorkers through a few days in the terrible summer of 1863 when the Civil War had just entered its third bloody year.
Against the backdrop of the dangerous, sweltering Civil War summer of 1863, the Bowery explodes with racial tension and the City of New York rushes headlong toward the fatal July draft riots. Moving to the music and rhythms of these dangerous times, a diverse band of characters are drawn together in a net of intrigue and violence. Jack Mulcahey, leading an Irish Minstrel Troupe, stars opposite his true love, a beautiful Mulatto girl who whites her face and crosses the ice as Eliza in "Uncle Tom's Cabin." On the blistering streets outside, corrupt Tammany Hall bosses plot to take advantage of the chaos to enrich themselves whilst destroying any hopes of escape to a place of freedom and peace for Jack and his little family. The famous songwriter, Stephen Foster, himself one of the BANISHED CHILDREN OF EVE, wends his way through this entrancing drama as he produces the beautiful melodies which have given the country its lasting evocation of the times.
Malcolm Gets, previously seen at Irish Repertory Theatre in its revival of FINIAN'S RAINBOW and on Broadway in THE STORY OF MY LIFE and AMOUR, co-stars as Stephen C. Foster. David Lansbury, who appeared at Irish Rep in THE HAIRY APE and DEFENDER OF THE FAITH and on Broadway in 2001 revivals of HEDDA GABLER and MAJOR BARBARA, co-stars
as Irish minstrel Jack Mulcahey.
Joining Messrs. Gets and Lansbury in the cast of BANISHED CHILDREN OF EVE are Christopher Borger, Rory Duffy, Amber Gray, Patrice Johnson, Graeme Malcolm, Kern McFadden, Jonny Orsini, and Amanda Quaid.
BANISHED CHILDREN OF EVE features set design by Charlie Corcoran; costume design by Martha Hally; lighting design by Brian Nason; sound design by Ryan Rummery and Christian Fredrickson; puppet design by Bob Flanagan; and choreography by Barry McNabb. Production Stage Manager is Pamela Brusoski; Assistant Stage Manager is Rebecca C. Monroe. Additional scenic design funding support is provided by The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund.
Kelly Younger's plays include OFF COMPASS, winner of the 2007 John Gassner New Play Award; I THINK YOU THINK I LOVE YOU; FORGIVE ME, FATHER; LADY GREGORY'S INGREDIENTS; and ONCE A MARINE. New works include RORSCHACH, a finalist for the JoAnne Woodward/Paul Newman Drama Award, and TENDER, developed with New Repertory Theatre and given its premiere by Gloucester Stage Company in July 2010.
In addition to "Banished Children of Eve," winner of the 1995 American Book Award, novelist and chronicler of Irish America Peter Quinn is the author of "The Hour of the Cat," and "Looking for Jimmy: A Search for Irish America." His most recent novel is "The Man Who Never Returned."
Last season, director Ciarán O'Reilly helmed Eugene O'Neill's THE EMPEROR JONES, which received Lortel and Drama League nominations for best revival. The production garnered a Joe A. Calloway Award as well as Drama Desk, Lortel and Drama League nominations for its star, John Douglas Thompson. The design team was recognized with a Drama Desk nomination (Outstanding Costume Design, Antonia Ford-Roberts and Bob Flanagan); Lortel nomination (Outstanding Sound Design, Ryan Rummery and Christian Fredrickson); and Henry Hewes Design Award nomination(Scenic Design, Charlie Corcoran).
