For Immediate Release: February 21, 2006
Media Contact: Karen Gross, Arden Theatre Company, 215.922.8900 x49

Arden Theatre Company presents Dancing at Lughnasa, a lively, poignant portrait of a family of Irish sisters widely regarded as playwright Brian Friel's masterpiece. Directed by Aaron Posner, resident director and co-founder of the Arden, and featuring an all-star cast of Philadelphia actors, Dancing at Lughnasa begins previews on Thursday, March 2; opens Tuesday, March 7; and runs through Sunday, April 2.

The Tony and Olivier Award-winning Dancing at Lughnasa (also seen as a feature film starring Meryl Streep) has captured the hearts of audiences since its debut. A fascinating reflection of the joys and pains of family, Dancing at Lughnasa follows five sisters from a poor, rural county in Ireland as they awaken long-buried desires dancing to the music of a Marconi radio. Director Aaron Posner describes the play as, "so full of love and loss and life that it looks straight back at you, almost daring you to engage it."

The cast of Dancing at Lughnasa is a reunion of some of Philadelphia's most prominent actresses. The roster includes Megan Bellwoar, Jennifer Childs, Grace Gonglewski and Suzanne O'Donnell who have appeared together in numerous combinations on Arden's stages. Arden Artistic Director Terrence J. Nolen refers to these actresses as, "part of the Arden's extended theatrical family who have given some of the most memorable and moving performances." Combine these veterans with longtime local actor Tony Lawton, straight off the success of his original work The Foocy, Mary McCool, and newcomers Scott Barrow and Russell Leib, and Dancing at Lughnasa promises a stellar, dynamic cast.

Resident director and co-founder, Aaron Posner returns to the Arden after directing nationally at such institutions as the Folger Shakespeare Theatre, where he recently won the prestigious Helen Hayes Award for outstanding direction; Actors Theatre of Lousiville; Arizona Theatre Company and many others. At Arden Theatre Company, Posner has directed over 40 plays including nine of his own literary adaptations. He is excited about this poetic portrait of family and says that, "Dancing at Lughnasa challenges us to bring our best, most complex, fullest selves to the table, to meet the play's humanity head-on."

Dancing at Lughnasa captures a poor Irish family's struggles and triumphs through the eyes of the protagonist, Michael, and his nostalgic memories of the summer of 1936 when he was seven years old. His mother and aunts-- the five Mundy sisters, all unmarried-- live in a small cottage two miles outside the village of Ballybeg in County Donegal, Ireland. Turmoil runs deep: Kate, the oldest, is a school teacher and the only sister with a job; Michael's Uncle Jack, recently returned from missionary work in Uganda, suffers from malaria and forgetfulness; and Michael, born out of wedlock, has a father who proves an unreliable vagabond.

A desperately-needed, delightful form of relief arrives that summer by means of the family's first wireless radio. Thought it breaks down more often than it works, the Marconi radio inspires the sisters to burst into spontaneous song and dance, unleashing a jubilant outpouring of emotion.

The term "Lughnasadh" or "Lughnasa" (pronounced LOO-na-SA) is a festival of the Celtic harvest god Lugh, still practiced in certain rural areas of Ireland. Celebrated during the time of harvesting, the occasion is a time for merrymaking as well as contests of strength and skill. Some Irish people still honor the holiday with fires and dancing.

Brian Friel, one of Ireland's preeminent playwrights, was born in 1929 in Northern Ireland. Friel's early life had a strong influence on his writing. Though his father was a teacher, his grandparents, whose first language was Gaelic, were illiterate peasants from County Donegal. His own family exemplified the divisions between the traditional and modern in Ireland, a recurring theme for Friel. The local texture of Donegal (the north-western most county in the Irish Republic, where Friel spent many holidays in his youth) is a strong feature of Friel's life and work, and Friel masterfully captures the colors and rhythms of daily life in the Irish countryside.

Rural Ireland in the early 20th century was devastatingly poor. The great majority of the people were living in the countryside, or in country towns and villages. Wages were low for farm laborers, and only a small percentage of children proceeded into post-primary education. There was seldom running water or electricity. In the early 1930s, few people had access to radio. Few women worked outside of the home and those who did were usually forced from their jobs when they married. From the early 1940s on, sympathy was growing for women in the home and the difficult conditions under which they labored. The rate of emigration, especially for single women, remained high during the 1930s and 1940s.

The play's historical setting is also full of tumult. The Spanish Civil War (July 1936–April 1939) was a conflict in which incumbent Spanish Republicans and left-wing groups fought against a nationalist rebellion led by General Francisco Franco, who succeeded in establishing a dictatorship. Both Benito Mussolini's fascist state in Italy and Nazi Germany sent troops, aircrafts, and weapons to support Franco. Many idealistic youths of the 1930s who joined the International Brigades thought that saving the Spanish Republic was the idealistic cause of the era. Most volunteer fighters from England and Ireland (like the character of Gerry in Dancing at Lughnasa) were members of the International Brigades.

Playwright Brian Friel spent his early years in seminary school but abandoned the priesthood for a post-graduate course in Belfast. There he began writing. His first success came writing radio plays, and he eventually turned his attention to the stage. His first dramatic hit came in 1964 with the play Philadelphia Here I Come! Friel has won numerous awards including three Tony Awards and the Ewart-Biggs Peace Prize. Dancing at Lughnasa is his fictionalized memory of his childhood.

Dancing at Lughnasa begins previews on Thursday, March 2; opens Tuesday, March 7; and runs through Sunday, April 2. Ticket prices ranges from $27 to $45 and may be purchased by calling the Arden Box Office at 215.922.1122, online at www.ardentheatre.org, or by visiting the box office at 40 N. 2nd Street in Philadelphia. The Arden will host College Night on Thursday, March 2. College Night features $10 tickets for college students with valid student ID. Post-show discussions are scheduled on Sunday, March 12; Thursday, March 16; Wednesday, March 22; and Sunday, March 26. Discounted group rates are available through the Box Office for 10 or more people.

The Arden is accessible to people with disabilities, providing wheelchair accessibility, assisted listening devices and large print programs at every performance. Accessible seating is available by reservation. For more information, call the Arden Box Office at 215.922.1122.

WHERE:
Arden Theatre Company
40 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia

WHEN:
March 2 – April 2, 2006

REVIEWING PRESS: Will receive invitations to the opening night performance of Dancing at Lughnasa on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 at 7pm.

Other members of the press: Are invited to see the show during the first week of the run (Wednesday, March 8– Tuesday, March 14) by scheduling tickets through the Public Relations Associate at 215.922.8900 x49 or kgross@ardentheatre.org.

WHO:
Written by Brian Friel
Directed by Aaron Posner
Scenic Design by Lewis Folden
Costume Design by Alison Roberts
Lighting Design by John Stephen Hoey
Sound Design by Karin Graybash

Cast
Scott Barrow as Gerry
Megan Bellwoar as Kate
Jennifer Childs as Rose
Grace Gonglewski as Maggie
Anthony Lawton as Michael
Russell Leib as Father Jack
Mary McCool as Chris
Suzanne O'Donnell as Agnes

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