The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) continues its fifth season of the New Works Reading Series, supporting new plays and emerging playwrights, with a free reading of RoseMary Jenkinson's THE WINNERS on Friday, March 25 at 3 p.m. at the Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) in Manhattan.
The cast of THE WINNERS includes David Wilson Barnes (Becky Shaw, THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE), Patch Darragh (KIN, THE GLASS MENAGERIE), Henry Pettigrew (BEAUTIFUL BURNOUT, BLACK WATCH), and Heidi Schreck (THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION).
In THE WINNERS, Eddie is tired of life. He's in debt, his marriage to Maggie is failing and he's thinking of ending it all. If only he could win the lottery, that would solve all his problems. Or maybe he could just pretend he's won? THE WINNERS is a black comedy set amidst the underbelly of "new" Belfast, a fast-paced ride through double-dealing and deception.
Playwright RoseMary Jenkinson is from Belfast. She was writer-on-attachment at The National Theatre Studio in London 2010. Her first play, THE BONEFIRE, was produced at the Dublin Theatre
Festival by Rough Magic in 2006 and subsequently won the Stewart Parker BBC Radio Award. Her plays include THE WINNERS, by Ransom Productions in Belfast (2008), and JOHNNY MEISTER AND THE STITCH, produced in Belfast (2008) by Jigsaw, then touring the West Belfast, Edinburgh and Dublin Fringe Festivals, and also produced by Solas Nua in Washington D.C. in 2010. Her short play, THE LEMON TREE, was performed as part of SPINNING THE TIMES by Origin Theatre Company in
the 1st Irish Festival, in New York in 2009. STELLA MORGAN (2010) and BASRA BOY (2011) were both produced by The Keegan Theatre in Washington D.C. Her radio play, CASTLERAGH TO KANDAHAR, was broadcast as part of BBC3's "The Wire." She is also a short story writer and her
collection of stories, "Contemporary Problems Nos. 53 & 54," was published by Lagan Press in 2004.
Literary Manager Kara Manning hopes that the reading series will "give playwrights, both emerging and more established, the invaluable opportunity to develop their new work in a supportive, safe
environment and will also introduce some Irish playwrights, especially those who might not yet have the New York recognition they merit, to an American audience." The Irish Repertory Theatre's 2007 production of Stuart Carolan's DEFENDER OF THE FAITH and 2010 world premiere of Kelly Younger's BANISHED CHILDREN OF EVE were alumni of the New Works Reading Series.
As part of its mission, The Irish Repertory Theatre "encourages the development of new works focusing on the Irish and Irish-American experience, as well as a range of other cultures."
Founded by Ciarán O'Reilly and Charlotte Moore, The Irish Repertory Theatre opened its doors in September 1988 with Sean O'Casey's THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS and is celebrating its 23rd Season. The Irish Rep is currently the only year-round theatre company in New York City devoted to bringing Irish and Irish American works to the stage. Recognized with the Jujamcyn Theatres Award, a special Drama Desk Award for "Excellence in Presenting Distinguished Irish Drama,"and the
Lucille Lortel Award for "Outstanding Body of Work," The Irish Rep has celebrated the very best in Irish theatre for over twenty years, from the masters to the new generation of Irish and Irish American writers who are transforming the stage. Nearly 38,000 audience members annually attend productions at our theatre located in the heart of New York's Off-Broadway community. Once here, they witness The Irish Rep's engaging perspective on the Irish and their unique contributions to the world of drama.
