Podcasts about irish theatre

Introduced by John Low Narrated by John Kavanagh Read by Jim Norton • Denys Hawthorne Nicholas Boulton • Marcella Riordan William Butler Yeats was born in Dublin in 1865. His father was a lawyer and a well-known portrait painter. Yeats was educated in London and in Dublin, but spent his summers in the west of Ireland in the family's summer house in County Sligo. The young Yeats was active in societies that attempted an Irish literary revival. His early poetry was influenced by John Keats, William Wordsworth, William Blake and many more. His earliest volume of verse was published in 1889. Together with Lady Gregory he founded the Irish Theatre, which was to become the Abbey Theatre, and served as its chief playwright until the movement was joined by John Sing. His plays usually treat Irish legends; they also reflect his fascination with mysticism and spiritualism. After 1910, Yeats's dramatic art took a sharp turn toward a highly poetical, static, and esoteric style. Although a convinced patriot, Yeats deplored the hatred and the bigotry of the Nationalist movement, and his poetry is full of moving protests against it. He was appointed to the Irish Senate in 1922. His poetry, especially the volumes The Wild Swans at Coole (1919), Michael Robartes and the Dancer (1921), The Tower (1928), The Winding Stair and Other Poems (1933), and Last Poems and Plays (1940), made him one of the outstanding and most influential twentieth-century poets writing in English. His recurrent themes are the contrast of art and life, masks, cyclical theories of life (the symbol of the winding stairs), and the ideal of beauty and ceremony contrasting with the hubbub of modern life.

Touring, costumes and props, just like the Irish film sector, Irish theatre is taking steps to improve its environmental impact. We speak to Jo Linehan Editor of the Climate Supplement at the Sunday Times Ireland about how to be more sustainable in the arts.

In this episode I am thrilled to be speaking with the hugely talented Marina Carr – winner of multiple international awards, a member of Aosdána and regarded by many as Ireland's leading playwright. Marina delves deep into the power behind the characters she creates and her writing approach, as well as fascinating insights on how she views history, men, women, and the future of humanity. And having just completed the final script for her latest play, the cast at The Abbey Theatre goes into rehearsals this week for the worldwide debut of Audrey or Sorrow - grab your tickets now!  

Take a trip to the Irish theatre this episode with the Little Sleep Ladies. Riss and Liza read and discuss Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett.

Willie White, Director of the Dublin Theatre Festival, discusses targeted measures to attract youth audiences back to theatre shows at this years event.

William Butler Yeats is widely considered to be one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. He was born in Dublin. His father was a lawyer and a well-known portrait painter. Yeats was educated in London and in Dublin, but he spent his summers in the west of Ireland in the family's summer house at Connaught. The young Yeats was very much part of the fin de siècle in London; at the same time he was active in societies that attempted an Irish literary revival. His first volume of verse appeared in 1887, but in his earlier period his dramatic production outweighed his poetry both in bulk and in import. Together with Lady Gregory he founded the Irish Theatre, which was to become the Abbey Theatre, and served as its chief playwright until the movement was joined by John Synge. His plays usually treat Irish legends; they also reflect his fascination with mysticism and spiritualism. The Countess Cathleen (1892), The Land of Heart's Desire (1894), Cathleen ni Houlihan (1902), The King's Threshold (1904), and Deirdre (1907) are among the best known. After 1910, Yeats's dramatic art took a sharp turn toward a highly poetical, static, and esoteric style. His later plays were written for small audiences; they experiment with masks, dance, and music, and were profoundly influenced by the Japanese Noh plays. Although a convinced patriot, Yeats deplored the hatred and the bigotry of the Nationalist movement, and his poetry is full of moving protests against it. He was appointed to the Irish Senate in 1922. Yeats is one of the few writers whose greatest works were written after the award of the Nobel Prize. Whereas he received the Prize chiefly for his dramatic works, his significance today rests on his lyric achievement. His poetry, especially the volumes The Wild Swans at Coole (1919), Michael Robartes and the Dancer (1921), The Tower (1928), The Winding Stair and Other Poems (1933), and Last Poems and Plays (1940), made him one of the outstanding and most influential twentieth-century poets writing in English. His recurrent themes are the contrast of art and life, masks, cyclical theories of life (the symbol of the winding stairs), and the ideal of beauty and ceremony contrasting with the hubbub of modern life. Dr Selina Guinness is a lecturer in English (Irish Literature) in the Department of Humanities and Arts Management at IADT. Her memoir about farming on the fringes of the city, The Crocodile by the Door, was published in 2012 by Penguin Ireland. It was shortlisted for the UK Costa Book Awards (Biography) and nominated for Best Newcomer at the Irish Book Awards. (Source: The Nobel Foundation)

Well, how'd we get so lucky?! On this special St. Patrick's Day episode, Ty and Kiera breakdown Irish Theatre, from the beginning! Kiera's vast Irish roots are tested as we discuss notable theatre, playwrights, shows, and more! This episode is DUBLIN the fun! Check it out! Every Thespians dream: a podcast from two lifelong theatre kids talking all things theatre! Join Ty Eatherton and Kiera Sweeney in each episode as they discuss their own theatre fantasies and knowledge! Theme Song, "Thots Thots Thots" by Nick Rogers Cover Art by Madi Spillman

In this episode of Talking History, Patrick Geoghegan speaks with historian Dr Elaine Sisson about the forgotten star of Dublin's theatre scene, Daisy Bannard Cogley, following her profile in History Ireland; broadcaster Simon Jenkins discusses his new book on The Celts; and we journey through a thousand years of Russia's history with Orlando Figes.

Tonight it's all about final girls and chainsaws!! For this episode, we are joined by actress, writer and director Olwen Fouéré; a truly magnificent even ethereal presence of a woman who has dedicated her life to the pursuit of art in its many guises. With a host of accolades after her name including Irish Times Special Tribute Award for her outstanding achievement and contribution to Irish Theatre her range knows bounds having performed in blockbuster fantasy like Fantastic Beasts:The Crimes of Grindelwald to her acclaimed role as the voice of the River in Finnifans wake. And on top of all of this - she has also found a way to capture the essence of one of the most iconic characters in horror history – the final girl Sally Hardesty.For more information check out:http://www.olwenfouere.com/

Monday, 7 February 2022, 10 – 11am ''Not in Flesh': The Construction of the Disenfranchised Woman in Irish Theatre' a talk by Dr Salomé Paul (TCD) as part of the School of Creative Arts Research Forum, in association with the Trinity Long Room Hub. This paper investigates the construction of the figure of the underprivileged woman in the Irish dramatic canon during the Revival movement through the examination of J.M. Synge's theatre and its legacy on the contemporary stage. Synge's plays are considered among the most canonical plays in Irish theatre because they have outlined the constitutive features of archetypal characters still populating the contemporary stage. My analysis will focus on two figures of particular interest to the dramatist, the woman and the disenfranchised, and will examine their intersection through the characterisation of poor women developed in The Shadow of the Glen (1903), Riders to the Sea (1904) and The Tinker's Wedding (1908). In these plays, the representation of this identity appears disconnected from the reality experienced by indigent women in rural Ireland. Indeed, as a middle-class Protestant man, Synge created the figure of the disfranchised woman to support and endorse his Anglo-Irish political vision of Irishness. Yet, relying on the concept of horizon of expectation coined by Hans Robert Jauss in Toward an Aesthetic of Reception (1978), I will demonstrate that this highly fictional portrayal has grown into a topos of Irish theatre still in use on the contemporary stage. The characterisation of underprivileged women in Marina Carr's By the Bog of Cats… (1998) and Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane (1996) appears as a re-enactment of the figure of the disenfranchised woman and problematically addresses Irishness through the lens of rural poverty and womanhood for middle-class urban audiences. In doing so, contemporary Irish theatre produced in influential venues perpetuates the romanticisation of this identity, dismissing the reality and the implications of being a poor woman in Ireland. Bio: Dr Salomé Paul is a current Postdoctoral Fellow in Drama funded by the Irish Council. Her research investigates the transformation of Greek tragedy in Marina Carr's theatre. She is also working in collaboration with Clara Mallon (NUIG) on the edition of a collection of essays examining representation and authorship of working-class women in Irish theatre. The School of Creative Arts Research Forum meets fortnightly at 10am on Mondays during term and is led by the School's doctoral students. The aim of the Forum is to give a space for School researchers, both staff and postgraduate students, to share their ideas in a supportive environment. It is also an opportunity for the School to hear about the research of colleagues both from within TCD and outside who share our research interests. In line with the research agenda of the School, talks will encompass traditional research and practice-based research and will be followed by Q&A.

In this episode, the boys discuss Christmas in Galway through their articles this week.You can find the articles referenced in this podcast on www.advertiser.ie/galway

Michael P. Toner has been acting, directing, dialect coaching and specializing in Irish theatre for over 49 years. His recent roles include doing Phil Hogan in O'Neill's Moon For The Misbegotten for Walnut Street Theatre (with national tour). Other WST credits include She Stoops to Conquer, Philadelphia, Here I Come!, Conversations With My Father, 1776, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, and The Caretaker. Other Brian Friel plays include Volunteers, Dancing At Lughnasa, Aristocrats, Translations and his one-man play based on Friel's works, The Humours Of Ballybeg. Recent roles include Knacker Woods in Marie Jones's Rock Doves, Vladimir in Beckett's Waiting for Godot and the one-man play Crossing The Threshold into the House of Bach by David Simpson for Amaryllis Theatre.Other Irish roles include Vladimir in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, Krapp in Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape, Mr. Rice in Brian Friel's Molly Sweeney, Owen in the East Coast premiere of Friel's Translations, Michael / Narrator in Friel's Dancing At Lughnasa, Maurice in Conor Mc Pherson's The Night Alive, An Irish Man in Tom Murphy's The Gigli Concert, Trooper O'Hara in Sebastian Barry's White Woman Street, Eugene O'Neill in Pat Nolan's Midnight Rainbows, Doctor McSharry in Martin Mc Donagh's The Cripple Of Inishmaan, among many others.His one-person plays include Beginning to End and Nohow On, based upon Beckett's writings, An Evening with Mister Dooley, drawn from Finley Peter Dunne's writings, his own Ever Yours, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Mr. Toner has performed for the Villanova Shakespeare Festival, the Carnegie-Mellon University Beckett Festival, the New York W.B. Yeats Society, the International James Joyce Symposium, the NYC A Dublin Evening, the NYC Gotham Book Mart Bloomsday, the Meadowlands Irish Festival, the American Shaw Festival, and he is a founding reader for the Rosenbach Museum & Library Bloomsday Festival. ~~~~~~~We'll explore in 50-minutes what it means to create and to think about art during this time. Join us for this weekly virtually existential gathering until we can share stories on the stage again.If you're on the IRC's mailing list, look for an email each Wednesday detailing the upcoming week's guest on Into the Absurd, with links to websites and information.To keep up with who's on deck, join the IRC mailing list: https://www.idiopathicridiculopathyconsortium.org/.... To explore past episodes of Into the Absurd, visit our Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/pg/IdiopathicRidiculopathyConsortium/videos/ORThe IRC's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist...And while you're there, be sure to SUBSCRIBE, so you don't miss any future episodes.

In her discussion with Rania M Rafik Kahil, award winning playwright Marina Carr discusses the trait of transgression in her female characters, its imperative within her writing, and its recurrence across various literary styles and contexts. Expanding on this theme, she elaborates on the challenge of adapting characters from literary history to address contemporary themes and subjects while retaining those components essential to their original creation. She also reads from her 2015 version of Hecuba.

The third keynote at the 2020/21 WHAI Annual conference was given by Dr Sinead Kennedy (Maynooth) at the WHAI Annual conference.

In his conversation with Jonathan McCreedy Jack Harte talks about narrow definitions of the short story that limit the genre's potential, about the emotional force of the aisling, the influence of the Catholic church and of economic migration to the Irish midlands in the 1950s as represented in his novel In the Wake of the Bagger; as well as his literary connections to Bulgaria and writing out a contract on a serviette. The conversation also revolves around the difficulties of staging plays during lockdown, Killing Grandad and Jack Harte's new play The Laughing Boy, Brendan Behan, Michael Collins and Greece; as well as the trilogy of novels he is currently writing.

In her conversation with Hedwig Schwall Lucy Caldwell talks about narrative perspective in general and you-narrations in particular, about the influence of James Joyce and Lucia Berlin on her short story collections Multitudes and Intimacies and about family dynamics. She reflects on motherhood and autobiographical writing, on the act of choosing love over fear, and on the power of literature to hold a space for its readers. She also discusses the Belfast author C.S. Lewis and lipstick, the Northern Irish community in London and the importance of diversity; last not least, she thinks about what it means to be European in times of Brexit.

In her discussion with Rióna Ní Fhrighil, English and Irish language poet, playwright, screenwriter and librettist Celia de Fréine discusses the challenging dynamic of literary bilingualism, the process of translation as a creative act, and the imperative of writing to matters of public consciousness. 

This time, joining Mia on Fni Wrapchat is one of Ireland's finest, Actors, performers and visual artists. Olwen Fouéré. Wrapchat is sponsored by Wildcard Distribution, Film Equipment Store and Octovid.com. Mixed by Bedford and hosted on the Headstuff podcast Network.  Olwen Fouéré is an actress and writer/director in theatre, film and visual arts. She was born on the west coast of Ireland of Breton parents Yann Fouéré and Marie-Magdeleine Mauger. In 2020, she was listed at number 22 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors. She is the recipient of some of the highest accolades in Irish Theatre over many many years and carries an almost mythical reputation amongst the performing arts. Some recent stage work includes the role of 3 in Ballyturk written and directed by Enda Walsh (Abbey Theatre, Dublin and St Ann's Warehouse, New York 2018) and Unwoman III by The Rabble (Dublin 2018 and Melbourne, Australia 2019). We don't have enough space to mention them all here.  Recent film work includes Violet Gibson, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald, Mandy, Beast, Sea Fever, and The Survivalist by Stephen Fingleton for which she received an IFTA nomination. Olwen will soon feature in the reboot of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. What an inspirational woman. What an incredible career, What lucky people we are to listen. We also have our brand new national networking evening for Writers/Directors/Producers (Only) on the 30th Oct. THIS FRIDAY, We're also joined by Ciaran Foy (Insidius 2, Eli (Netflix) *Hopin and work the room. Places FLYING SO BOOK HERE ASAP. FREE!! https://hopin.to/events/fni-s-hopin-work-the-virtual-room-a-night-of-networking-for-writers-directors-producers Become a patron/Supporter of Fni on: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fni Please share with a friend or colleague and Share/Subscribe for more content. Available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. #WeAreFni #YouAreFNI #StaySafe #StayInformed #StayPositive WWW.WEAREFNI.COM for all things FNI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This time, joining Mia on Fni Wrapchat is one of Ireland's finest, Actors, performers and visual artists. Olwen Fouéré. Wrapchat is sponsored by Wildcard Distribution, Film Equipment Store and Octovid.com. Mixed by Bedford and hosted on the Headstuff podcast Network.  Olwen Fouéré is an actress and writer/director in theatre, film and visual arts. She was born on the west coast of Ireland of Breton parents Yann Fouéré and Marie-Magdeleine Mauger. In 2020, she was listed at number 22 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors. She is the recipient of some of the highest accolades in Irish Theatre over many many years and carries an almost mythical reputation amongst the performing arts. Some recent stage work includes the role of 3 in Ballyturk written and directed by Enda Walsh (Abbey Theatre, Dublin and St Ann’s Warehouse, New York 2018) and Unwoman III by The Rabble (Dublin 2018 and Melbourne, Australia 2019). We don't have enough space to mention them all here.  Recent film work includes Violet Gibson, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald, Mandy, Beast, Sea Fever, and The Survivalist by Stephen Fingleton for which she received an IFTA nomination. Olwen will soon feature in the reboot of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. What an inspirational woman. What an incredible career, What lucky people we are to listen. We also have our brand new national networking evening for Writers/Directors/Producers (Only) on the 30th Oct. THIS FRIDAY, We're also joined by Ciaran Foy (Insidius 2, Eli (Netflix) *Hopin and work the room. Places FLYING SO BOOK HERE ASAP. FREE!! https://hopin.to/events/fni-s-hopin-work-the-virtual-room-a-night-of-networking-for-writers-directors-producers Become a patron/Supporter of Fni on: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/fni (https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buymeacoffee.com%2Ffni%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0kD26R2Tl0YB1WDhfTcIk2kaxFGtra86l3Xn0H5jRead4ww-duXIwz0CY&h=AT3uA2oZ5jDFvi92seoFmEO8IoWlVgC2C8FDMiyt456_btk9OP4WtC3wseLJ8RyjRZdhdZ9U4BZ_E6jetVxgHrB_W1KlESGGuASgTO8wH2H9mpPIRPoC6JA4ijDM22CznS1Vx2QZ1CSwue35GUMSNrqZPSyL) Please share with a friend or colleague and Share/Subscribe for more content. Available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. #WeAreFni (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/wearefni?source=feed_text&epa=HASHTAG) #YouAreFNI (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/youarefni?source=feed_text&epa=HASHTAG) #StaySafe (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/staysafe?source=feed_text&epa=HASHTAG) #StayInformed (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/stayinformed?source=feed_text&epa=HASHTAG) #StayPositive (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/staypositive?source=feed_text&epa=HASHTAG) WWW.WEAREFNI.COM (https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2FWWW.WEAREFNI.COM%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3O86-JGARQ-lEhbDk1tI4iPs-IveYXswBmtrbLFxlCQR87TtNfcUt7IEU&h=AT3aoqXPN-Ji0hWcR7b1U8F1WKOD6ksGhmepWBN4J4fN1fd4U_ZxOnvRmBah-5hEK2uiv1f-OEJzyYl4lIqzYHUv3plISZZxaS3s6YeRNhnBStz1ainqVe67it4j8FxV7BrNOVGO6U51IWACerTgSVYiAaU9) for all things FNI

In her discussion with James Gallacher, Belfast playwright and short story writer Rosemary Jenkinson discusses her time in Europe, the continuing visibility of Northern Irish writers within European literature amidst the saga of Brexit, and gives her perspective on COVID 19's impact on the arts in Ireland. She also discusses themes of poverty, death, and sex trafficking in her latest short story collection Lifestyle Choice 10mg, while also reflecting on the legacy of conflict and residual paramilitarism in contemporary Belfast.

In his discussion with Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha, Alan Titley talks about the significance of the Irish language in contemporary Ireland, takes a critical stance towards Europe, reflects on his experiences in Africa, on writing in different genres, an author's inspirations, and the joys of writing provocative texts; he also discusses the longevity and social relevance of Irish language literature and the challenges that Irish language authors face on the book market today.

When we think of Irish theatre, we tend to think primarily of playwrights and theatre companies from the Republic of Ireland, not northern part of the island. Those Northern Irish playwrights we do know, such as Brian Friel, tend to be men. Fiona Coffey’s new book, Political Acts: Women in Northern Irish Theatre, 1921-2012, challenges these preconceptions, exploring how female playwrights and theatre practitioners have navigated the difficult political and social landscape of Northern Ireland.

Listen to founder of the London Irish Theatre, John Dunne talk about his work in theatre and at the London Irish Centre library in Camden.

Listen to founder of the London Irish Theatre, John Dunne talk about his work in theatre and at the London Irish Centre library in Camden.

The physical embodiment of a triple threat, TKB has exploded onto the Irish Theatre scene in the last year. Here we talk about growing up in Dublin’s North inner city, his love of dance, training at both Bull Alley and The Gaiety School, and his prolific career as a playwright. It’s the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast, Series 2, Episode 46 – Enjoy!

A star of stage and screen, Laurence Kinlan is one of the most likeable characters in Irish Theatre. Here he talks about breaking into the business aged 14, filming with the legendary Heath Ledger, the phenomenon that was Love/Hate, his love for pranks in the rehearsal room, and the time he kidnapped his best friend. It’s the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast, Series 2, Episode 41 – Enjoy!

Growing up surrounded by leading lights in Irish Theatre, it's no surprise Gemma Reeves has made such a mark on the business. Here we talk about being the child of two theatre artists, her parents remarkable successes, breaking into the business as an ASM, playing iconic leading roles at the Abbey, transitioning into theatre administration, and her current role as General Manager at Rough Magic. It’s the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast, Series 2, Episode 29 – Enjoy!

With one of the most diverse skillsets in Irish Theatre, Laura Honan is a hardworking powerhouse with a serious passion for new writing. Here we talk growing up with Red Kettle in Waterford, her first forays into working lights and stage management, her ongoing work at the Abbey, and her pivotal role as Creative Director of Theatre Upstairs. It’s the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast, Series 2, Episode 23 – Enjoy!

With over 50 years experience across almost every theatrical discipline, Michael Scott is a genuine trailblazer. Here he chats about growing up in a theatrical home, making his debut as a child actor, woking with many of the greats of Irish Theatre, his formative years at Project, his work with iconic writers from Yeats to Keane, and his innovative touring model. It’s the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast, Series 2, Episode 19 – Enjoy!

One of the most dynamic partnerships in Irish Theatre, Jeda de Brí and Finbarr Doyle are the engine behind Sickle Moon Productions. Here we chat about their roots into the business via Film School and DramSoc, how their writing partnership began, their ambitious residency at Theatre Upstairs, their process for making new work, their freelance careers outside the company, and the revival of their Fringe smash hit Tryst. It’s the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast, Series 2, Episode 18 – Enjoy!

Sean Doyle is a Dublin-based actor well known on the Irish stage and screen. Sean has just been cast alongside Tommy Tiernan and a host of other theatre stars in The Druid Theatre Company’s production of Sive at The Gaiety Theatre which will be directed by Irish Theatre legend Garry Hynes. Sean has also appeared […] La entrada Sean Doyle plays Personality Bingo with Tom Moran se publicó primero en Headstuff.

Thursday 1 November 2012For this, the final podcast, there was only one person we could have as our guest – the Vince McMahon of Irish Theatre, Fiach Mac Conghail. Here he chats about his early days directing Irish language student drama at Trinity, highlights from his time at Project Arts Centre, the challenges of taking over the Abbey at such a tempestuous time in its history, his work with Brother Films, and balancing the day job with his new role as Senator. It’s Episode 52 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Thursday 13 September 2012One of the most influential figures in Irish Theatre, Róise Goan’s time in charge of Dublin Fringe Festival has been a resounding success. Here she discusses breaking into the businiss as a child actor, the significance of relocating to Connemara as a teenager, her first forays as a writer, studying at Trinity College, her time with Randolf SD, and taking on the Fringe Festival at such a young age. It’s episode 45 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Thursday 9 February 2012A true rock star of Irish Theatre, Karl Shiels has done it all. Here he discusses leaving his job as a qualified sparks to follow his dream of being on stage, his journey from being almost kicked out of the Gaiety School of Acting to currently serving on its board, the huge successes of his own company Semper Fi, his extensive working relationship with Mark O’Rowe, and his recent world tour with the renowned Druid Theatre Company, not to mention all his upcoming screen roles for 2012. Hell, we even get in a naked Tadhg Murphy story! It’s Episode 14 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

Thursday 15 March 2012So often the backbone behind many of the Abbey Theatre’s best shows, stage manager Tara Furlong is one of the real unsung heroes of Irish Theatre. Here she talks about her early days working box office in the old Project, her evolution into the role of Stage manager, the perceived divide between between “Techies” and “Creatives,” the differences between The Gate and The Abbey, and her views on future plans for our National Theatre. It’s episode 19 of the Rise Productions: Irish Theatre Podcast – Enjoy!

The next theatrical production from the Irish Theatre Group Brussels is a play where two shabbily dressed men in bowler hats talk nonsense to each other while standing on the side of the road. Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett takes place on October 6, 7 and 10-14 at the Warehouse Studio Theatre, Rue Waelhem 69, Schaerbeek 1030. https://irishtheatrebrussels.com/

Booth One welcomes back co-host Paul Stroili, and special guest Kevin Theis, actor, writer, director and audio book narrator, for some wild and wacky conversation. Kevin recently directed The My Way Residential, a world premiere play by Geraldine Aaron for the Irish Theatre of Chicago, running though June 25, 2017 at the Den Theatre. Can't wait to see it! In our ongoing fascination with shark stories, we discovered this: When porn star Molly Cavalli dropped down under water into a shark cage wearing a "white hot swimsuit," her presence apparently enticed a 10-foot lemon shark. The next thing you know she's screaming as she clutches her bloody foot. Check out the video. Further evidence to never get out of the boat! Kevin describes his audio narrating career reading some of the world's great books, like Jack London's Call of the Wild, the Autobiography of Charles Darwin, Sun Tzu's The Art of War, and of course the classic, Bigfoot and Frankenstein! Kevin records for Audible, and has newly formed his own audio book company, Fort Raphael Publishing Company. Booth One gets health conscious by reporting on gluteal amnesia, commonly known as Sleeping Butt Syndrome. Sitting all day can lead to a flat butt because muscles are disengaged for so long they forget how to wake up. The cures? Walk around for 30 seconds every half hour. Get a standing desk like most Scandinavians have (of course). Use a foam roller. Vary your workouts to include donkey kicks, squats and planks. Testing for sleeping butt syndrome is easy - squeeze each butt cheek to see if it engages. Keep moving and stay healthy! The world's oldest person has died....again! Emma Morano, 117, the last person known to have been born in the 1800s. Born in Piedmont, Italy in 1899, Morano credited her longevity to ending her abusive marriage in 1938 and a diet of raw eggs and cookies. She held the Guinness World Record titles for oldest living person and oldest living woman. Stay tuned for more updates on the world's oldest living humans. Paul Stroili's first feature film begins shooting in Long Beach in June. We are excited for him and will keep you posted! Gary, Paul and Kevin take a crack at 36 Questions Designed to Help You Fall in Love with Anyone. Asking thirty-six specific questions plus four minutes of sustained eye contact is purportedly a recipe for falling in love, or at least creating intimacy among complete strangers. After sampling select questions, the guys feel increased familiarity and trust, though 4 minutes of silent eye contact is bad for the podcast medium. Try this technique the next time you're out on a date or to create sparks between you and your companion. Or just as a parlor game! It's a marvelous alternative to Chat Pack. Kiss of Death: Lawrence Anthony, who grew up in the bush and was known as the "Elephant Whisperer." Following his death on March 2, directed by no one, two herds of wild South African elephants slowly made a 12-hour journey to the home of Mr. Anthony in a stirring procession to make a call on the bereaved family at the deceased man's home. Known for his unique ability to calm traumatized elephants, Anthony had become a legend for rescuing and rehabilitating "rogue" elephants. You can buy The Elephant Whisperer book through Amazon.            

A Bishop, a money-lender and a car mechanic walk into a bar.......and so we wonder what sort of hilarity may ensue with the punch line to come. But tonight on Windy City Irish Radio, we are treated to just that scenario as Mike and Tim welcome esteemed Chicago actor, Peter Bradley Armacost, into the studio to discuss his many current rolls on stage and screen. Brad is awfully busy these days portraying characters in the ghostly realm and channeling the words of some of our greatest playwrights. As Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at the Drury Lane, Brad plays Dickens' curmudgeonly miser with aplomb, portraying his journey to redemption with the help of haunted visitors of his past, present, and future. Bah Humbug, indeed! In his role as Chicago's Bishop Egan in The Exorcist FOX each Friday night on our television, we learn very quickly that Satan takes no holiday! Finally, in his role as Jack in Conor McPherson's triumphant play, The Weir, Brad reprises the role that won him a Jeff Award in 2010. Irish Theatre of Chicago's presentation of The Weir opens on December 17 and runs into January. Attending this show is the ONLY way to hear the ending of the oh-so-spooky tale that Brad weaves on tonight's show. With music from Nanci Griffith, Séamus Begley / Oisín Mac Diarmada / Samantha Harvey, Roseanne Cash with Welshman Tom Jones and Catriona O'Leary, a new one from Offaly's JigJam, The High Kings, The Saw Doctors and Cathie Ryan, this show, like most of Brad's work, is a must listen! Join us and listen at www.windycityirishradio.com.

Lecture by Naomi McAreavey as part of the UCD/Abbey Theatre Shakespeare Lectures 2015.

Lecture by Naomi McAreavey as part of the UCD/Abbey Theatre Shakespeare Lectures 2015.

We continue our series looking at some of the Playwrights currently writing for Irish Theatre. Tonight we focus on Frank McGuinness. Sean Rocks presents Playwrights in Profile:

President Michael D. Higgins launches 'A Digital Journey Through Irish Theatre History'; a partnership between the Abbey Theatre and the National University of Ireland, Galway. This digitisation project will unlock a new era of theatre scholarship and will shed new light on the history of Irish theatre and Irish life. The Abbey archive, which contains over 1.8 million items, is one of the world’s most significant archival collections. It has a wealth of extraordinary and unique material providing a fascinating insight into Irish theatre, history, culture and society. The archival material ranges from show posters, programmes, photographs, minute books to lighting plans, set and costume designs, sound cues, prompt scripts and audio files. This digitisation project began in September and will take place over a three to four -year period. The digitisation process, which is currently taking place on the NUI Galway campus, will bring together multidisciplinary teams of the University’s researchers, students and archivists to realise this exciting project. To view a video on the project visit http://youtu.be/79Z9VNBsWs0 To learn more about the project visit the Abbey Theatre's website http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/a-digital-journey-through-irish-theatre-history/