New Kinihan play to mark 1916 centenary
'Wild Sky' is a new play from the award winning playwright Deirdre Kinahan. Commissioned by Meath County Council Arts Office as part of their 2016 Commemorations programme, it seeks to explore the extraordinary energy and complexity of events in Ireland in the lead up to Easter 1916.
Told from a uniquely rural perspective Wild Sky is the tragic love story of two young friends from County Meath, Tom Farrell and Josie Dunne. Tom has loved Josie since he was a boy but Josie loves his best friend the charismatic poet Mike Lowrey (loosely based on Francis Ledwidge). When unexpectedly Mike joins the British Army in France, Josie turns her attention to Inghinidhe na H’Eireann and the Irish Women’s Suffrage League. Tom, the least political of the three joins the rebels in Dublin at Easter 1916 in an effort to gain Josie’s affection.
The text is underscored by Mary Murray singing poems and songs by Irish composers of 1916-1917.
2016 is proving to be a very busy year for Deirdre. Not only will she be presenting Wild Sky but she has also written Born a theatre in education project about the events of 1916 which is told by the children of the time.Uniquely Born will also be performed by children in schools in Meath and Louth. She will also present Rise a community theatre project commission for the Old Vic Theatre in London, this extraordinary piece features a cast of 150 community players along with a folk group and choir. This spring Deirdre will have three plays in production in three American cities, Wild Sky in New York, Moment in Washington DC, and Spinning in Chicago. She will finish the year with another new commission Lydia Glynn for the Manhattan Theatre Club.
2017 will be equally as busy with commissions from Fishamble: the New Play Company, Blinder Films and a project award from the Arts Council for a play about the Men’s Shed movement which will be directed by Conall Morrison.
WILD SKY
By Deirdre Kinahan
(In commemoration of 1916)
Directed by Jo Mangan
Performed by Catriona Ennis and Ian Toner
Music by Susan McKeown performed live by Mary Murray
World Premiere: Feb 19th & 20th - Rossnaree House, Slane, Co Meath
Feb 23rd to March Sat 19th –Bewleys Theatre, Dublin http://www.bewleyscafetheatre.com
Feb 27th –Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Co Meath
Mar 11th & 12th – Headfort House, Kells, County Meath.
Mar 3rd –Donal McCann Theatre, Terenure College, Dublin 6W
Mar 21st to 24th –Pearse Museum, St Enda’s Park, Rathfarnham, Co Dublin
Mar 28th to Apr 2nd –Irish Arts Center, New York (with support from Culture Ireland)