THE GREAT American actor John Mahoney, best known for his role as Marty Crane in the classic comedy Frasier, is coming to Galway for next month’s arts festival.
Mahoney will star in the European premiere of The Outgoing Tide (July 17-21 ), one of three home-grown productions at Galway Arts Festival, the others being Julian Gough’s The Great Goat Bubble and DruidMurphy.
“In 2010 the festival decided to become more involved in new productions,” said festival chief executive John Crumlish. “Misterman was the result in 2011 and in 2012 we are delighted to have the opportunity to be involved with three great companies. We hope Festival audiences will enjoy what we feel will be a great programme of theatre.”
America’s Northlight Theatre, in association with Galway Arts Festival, presents The Outgoing Tide, written by Bruce Graham, directed by BJ Jones, and featuring Tony Award winning actors John Mahoney and Rondi Reed (Mike & Molly ).
This is a powerful, poignant, and funny play about a father’s unorthodox plan to secure his family’s future but meets with resistance from his wife and son, who have plans of their own.
Speaking from Chicago, the festival’s honorary patron John Mahoney expressed his delight at returning to the Galway stage.
“Whenever I do a new play, I don’t wish for a Broadway transfer - I wish for an invitation to take it to the Galway Arts Festival,” he said. “I have been fortunate to participate five times in the festival over the years, and the joy never palls. Galway is such a beautiful, fun city, alive, and bustling with visitors from all over the world.
“Tom Murphy once told me that theatre “is sacred in Ireland”, and judging by the rapt audiences I have been fortunate to perform for, he’s dead right. I, myself, have sat enthralled at many a Galway performance. You won’t play to, or be part of, a better audience anywhere.”
In their first co-production together Fishamble: The New Play Company and GAF present the world premiere of Julian Gough’s The Great Goat Bubble.
Set in Ballinasloe train station in 1986, Jude and Dr Ibrahim Bihi wait for a train. Having recently created the greatest financial bubble in history, Dr Bihi is searching for the next big thing. The play is directed by Mikel Murfi and features Wil Johnson and Tadhg Murphy.
DruidMurphy is a celebration of three major plays by Tom Murphy - Famine, A Whistle In The Dark, and Conversations On A Homecoming - directed by Garry Hynes in a Druid co-production with GAF, Quinnipiac University, NUI Galway, and Lincoln Centre Festival, New York.
“It makes perfect sense that one of our partners celebrating Tuam writer Tom Murphy is Galway Arts Festival and we’re delighted to build on our existing relationship with the Festival,” said Druid’s artistic director Garry Hynes. “Both organisations are firmly rooted in the west and it’s great to be partners on a project of this scale.”
Bookings for all shows can be made at www.galway artsfestival.com or through the Festival Box Office, Galway Tourist Office, Forster Street on 091 - 566577 from June 18.
