The Shaughraun at the Irish Rep from 21 Apr 2011

The Irish Repertory Theatre continues its 23rd Season with a new Off-Broadway production of Dion Boucicault's The Shaughraun, opening on 1 May 2011, following previews from 21 Apr, and running through to 12 Jun 2011.

The Shaughraun is the story of a swashbuckling vagabond hero whose fiddle is the soul of every fair and the life of every funeral, set against a background ripe with the intrigue of the secret Fenian Uprising in Ireland in 1866.

The drama is directed by Charlotte Moore, who helms the company's current production of Molly Sweeney, and recent productions of 'A Child's Christmas in Wales,' 'The Irish... and How They Got That Way,' Ernest in Love' and 'White Woman Street.'

Patrick Fitzgerald as 'Conn,' and Terry Donnelly as 'Mrs. O'Kelly,' reprise their roles from the Irish Repertory's 1998 revival. Joining them in the ensemble are Rory Duffy, Katie Fabel, Sean Gormley, Laurence Lowry, Emma O'Donnell, Kevin O'Donnell, Tim Ruddy, Mark Shanahan, Geddeth Smith, Gwenfair Vaughan, Allison Jean White, Jake Zachry and Tatters, the dog.

The production has choreography by Barry McNabb, set design by Klara Zieglerova; costume design by Linda Fisher and Jessica Barrios Wright; lighting design by Brian Nason; and sound design by Zach Williamson.

Playwright Dion Boucicault was one of the most popular entertainers and significant theatrical innovators in the second half of the 19th Century. Born in Dublin in 1820, Boucicault's first success came when he was only 20, with 'London Assurance.' He was the first dramatist to write plays with truly Irish characters, situations and places. His plays 'After Dark' and 'The Colleen Bawn' introduced cliffhangers and the "sensation drama" into Victorian society.

As manager and producer of his own work, Boucicault is credited with instituting the royalty system, and his most important victory was getting some copyright protection for playwrights. He is also credited with such innovations as fireproofing scenery, popularizing the matinee, and shortening performance times.

The Shaughraun, first performed in New York in1874, was Boucicault's last big success.