| Irish Rep to Own Their Home 
Irish art and culture enthusiasts’ mid-winter blues were lifted
by the February announcement that The Irish Repertory Theater were taking
a bow in the New York property market and buying their own theater.
For the last twelve years the Irish Rep has leased the theater, rehearsal
studio and administrative offices they currently occupy on West 22nd Street,
but now they will lease no more.
Thanks to the $4.7 million raised in donations from foundations, individuals,
city and state grants, the theater will buy the property. M & T Bank
will provide the bridge finance until the company has raised the money
to cover the costs.
To top it off, the theater has also won the prestigious $100,000 Jujamcyn
Award, given to resident theater organizations that have made outstanding
contributions to the development of creative theater talent. The award
will be presented in a ceremony on March 13th. The Irish Repertory is
known for its productions of works by Samuel Beckett, J.M Synge, Brian
Friel and George Bernard Shaw. On March 1st the Irish Rep will begin previews
for
their next production, Stuart Carolyn’s Defender of the Faith, a
thriller set in 1980s Northern Ireland, directed by Ciaran O’Reilly.
– Bridget English
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