Bill Irwin, Geraldine Hughes, Robert Cuccioli, and More Set for Irish Rep Season

The Irish Repertory Theatre has announced its fall 2020 online season.

The digital offerings kick off with Geraldine Hughes's Belfast Blues, directed by Carol Kane. Filmed at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast in 2019, the production will be available September 22-27. It has set and lighting by Jonathan Christman and sound design by Jonathan Snipes. The taping was edited by Jude Lynch of Mashmob in Belfast.

Dermot Crowley and Dearbhla Molloy will star in Paul Durcan's Give Me Your Hand, a virtual stroll through London's National Gallery, discovering afresh the Museum's masterpieces from Van Gogh and Van Eyck, to Rubens and Gainsborough. Available October 13-18, the production is directed by Jamie Beamish, who also composes original music, filmed and edited by Daniel Grixti, and features artwork from the collection of the National Gallery.

Ciarán O'Reilly will direct Eugene O'Neill's A Touch of the Poet, running October 27-November 1. The cast and creative team from Irish Rep's planned 2020 production, which was postponed due to COVID-19, reconvened over Zoom to reimagine the play for digital presentation.

The company is led by Robert Cuccioli as Con Melody, alongside Belle Aykroyd as Sara, Ciaran Byrne as Dan, Kate Forbes as Nora, Mary McCann as Deborah, Andy Murray as Cregan, David O'Hara as Paddy, Tim Ruddy as Mickey, David Sitler as Patch, and John C. Vennema as Nicholas. The virtual production has scenic design by Charlie Corcoran, costume design by Alejo Vietti, lighting design by Michael Gottlieb, sound design by M. Florian Staab, original music by Ryan Rumery, hair and wig design by Robert Charles Vallance, and make-up design by Joe DuLude II. April Ann Kline serves as production manager, with video editing by Sarah Nichols and Staab.

Bill Irwin will reimagine his award-winning On Beckett for a new version titled On Beckett/In Screen, airing November 17-22. Brian Petchers will film and edit, with set design by Charlie Corcoran, lighting by Michael Gottlieb, sound by M. Florian Stabb, and production management by Christine Lemme.

Finally, Charlotte Moore will direct a concert version of Dylan Thomas's A Child's Christmas in Wales, with musical direction by John Bell. It will air in December.

Special offerings include Gregory Harrington in concert on September 17 at 7pm ET. The theater will celebrate the 175th anniversary of Frederick Douglass's trip to Ireland with a reading by John Douglas Thompson of Douglass's Letter from Belfast, part of a two-day panel event about intersections of Irish-American and African-American history. They will take place November 9 and 10. Finally, Liev Schreiber will read Paul Muldoon's Plaguey Hill, a new work inspired by the pandemic, on December 1 at 7pm.

All special events are free, though there is a $10 suggested donation. Reservations for the full productions are free to the public, with a suggested donation of $25 for those who can afford to give. To view a performance, audience members must register at IrishRep.org for one of the performance dates. A link will be sent to all registrants two hours before the performance begins. All Thursday evening and Saturday matinee performances will include captions.