Philadelphia, Here I Come!

Written by: Brian Friel

Gar, a young Irish man, prepares to leave his dull Gaelic community–and his seemingly insensitive father–to live with his aunt in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The play’s key conceit is the splitting of that character into two parts: the Public Gar (Ben Griessmeyer), who is shy and frustrated by his lack of ability to communicate, especially with his father; and the Private Gar (Adam Berry), who as the personification of Gar’s inner thoughts articulates every possible notion that travels through Gar’s head. As Gar packs his bags, he and his inner self examine his relationships with his boorish dad, his former sweetheart, his frustrated schoolmaster, and his loving housekeeper.