Opening Night is upon us!!!

But it took A LOT of work, and A LOT of hours to get here. Everyone pulled their weight, used a little elbow grease to get this show up on its feet.

We had some wonderful luck buying the doors for the set- 2 doors for 10 euro!! Can you believe it?? The owner was too happy to help a theatre production. Mark, Joe and Shiny arrived ready to go with the first load of supplies and we were ready to start building and painting and hanging/focusing lights and checking the sound levels….You don’t need all of the nitty-gritty details so here are some pictures of the first day of tech!

After we worked we got to relax at the very nearby (next door) Shelbourne Park Pub. We haven’t strayed from this pub too much- only because we’ve been working so much!

The next day, the ever-responsible stage manager forgot her camera. However, she did take some mental snap-shots of the day which she is more than willing to share:

Shiny building! Mark and Larissa running lines! KJ napping on the bed! Kevin in costume! Larissa’s husband Ed arriving! Megan waiting to write cues! Megan telling the actors to “f--- off stage left” so that she can write the cues! Megan writing cues! Sound check! Wet Tech! DRESS REHEARSAL!!!!!

I know- I’m overwhelmed myself.

Before we end this session MAJOR love/shout out/thanks to the great guys at Everyman Palace Theatre: Mark, Sean, Colin, Joe and Brian.  Could not have done it without you!

More pictures capturing our final dress and opening night are on their way!! Stay tuned!

Cheers,

Meg

First FULL day in Cork!

We went with the first “full” day, because jetlag doesn’t look good on anyone (You’re Welcome).


We checked in and met up with Mark and Brian (two great guys) at the Everyman Palace Theatre in Cork ( http://www.everymanpalace.com/ ) and were blown away by the absolutely GORGEOUS space there. Built in 1897 the Everyman Palace Theatre is a lovely vaudeville style space; lots of gold gilded walls with deep red velvet plush paint with touches of dark jade- a jewel of a place. Mark told us today that Charlie Chaplin had performed there so many years ago. The “panoramic” view from the stage:

What’d we do next? Headed for the pub of course!!

Right next door we enjoyed the Shelbourne Park Pub, pints of Guinness and Bulmers all around, and free Wi-Fi to touch base with all of our loved ones at home. We held out for a good long while there fighting off the jet lag!

This morning Kevin took Joe to the airport to pick up our beloved Steve “Shiny” Shaw- a wonderful Scotsmen we all adore! (Don’t tell him that though- might get a big head on him). We started our hang at Everyman with Brian, who gave us a good run down on some Irish sports like Gaelic Football (they use their hands for crying out loud!) and hurling. If you’re not familiar, imagine 30 baseball players on a field, all with bats, running like mad, hitting the ball at each other and catching it with their bare hands! Not sure we’ll be participating in that one, but it’s certainly exciting to watch!

Brian and a new hand, Colin, helped us to hang the plot in the theatre, with much help from Larissa who, very skillfully, cut all the gel for the show. Joe and Shiny arrived in the late afternoon with our flats and other building supplies. Our hearts went pitter-pat when we saw those speckled Cuckoo’s Nest flats! Brought back fond memories and helped us look forward to what we had ahead of us. We loaded everything into the theatre in preparation for our build tomorrow.

We left the Everyman with plans to get more supplies and start the build tomorrow at 10:30am (“But we hafta move the van at 9!!” Shiny adds). Some stayed at the Pub; Kevin, Larissa and I wandered off in search of some good Irish mussels and to celebrate….

KEVIN AND JANE’S 4th ANNIVERSARY!!! Look at that loving glow….

What lovely flowers!!! Kevin was all smiles, all day, telling wonderful stories about his beautiful marriage.

We all met up back at the pub and when we’d had our fill, headed to the Arcadia Hall Aparments; our living accommodations for our stay in Cork.

We are having such a great time here in Ireland, but our loved ones at home come up in conversation every other sentence- you’re all missed so much. Luckily, technology keeps us all in touch- KJ with Idunn and his family, Kevin with Jane, Mark with Susan, Joe with his family in Texas (especially for updates with his new granddaughter Ryann), and myself with my family and Peter.

More updates soon! Some very exciting days ahead.

Cheers!

Meg

1 play, 4 actors, 7 cities, 31 days…

Welcome to the Keegan Theatre’s 2010 Ireland Tour Blog!


The Ireland Tour has become a staple of D.C.’s first Irish American theater company. Since 1999, The Keegan Theatre has brought a classic American play to Ireland. Talk to any one of Keegan Theatre’s company members about “Tour” and you will be presented with a buffet of delicious memories and infamous tales. This year, we are so excited to be able to include you in our adventures through this blog.

The Company of Fool For Love:


On Tour:

Kevin Adams (Actor-Old Man)

I am a Keegan company member and I have been on every tour since Glengarry Glen Ross (Levene). I am looking forward to returning to Ireland and touring with this wonderful show, but I will miss my wife (and our anniversary this Friday!) while I’m gone.

Larissa Gallagher (Actor- May)

I have been an actor for 15 years, Voice Over Artist for 6, Keegan performer for 3 and Wifey for 1 (and 9 months!). Lived around the world and loving the journey. Excited to be taking this trip back to the land of my Granddad - I wish he was here to see me, but know that he's watching from somewhere. Although I love it, this particular show may not have been his ideal choice. ;)

Mark Rhea (Actor-Eddie)

I am the founder and producing artistic director of The Keegan Theatre, and I have not missed a tour since they began in 1999. I even proposed to my wife on tour and married her on tour the year following! My acting credits at Keegan include Of Mice and Men (George), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (McMurphy), Glengarry Glen Ross (Roma), A Man For All Seasons (Cromwell), Death of a Salesman (Biff), Picasso At the Lapin Agile (Picasso), A Streetcar Named Desire (Stanley), True West (Lee), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (George), The Glass Menagerie (Tom), A Lie of the Mind (Jake), Buried Child (Tilden), The Taming of The Shrew (Petruchio), The Crucible (Proctor), Hamlet (Hamlet), and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (Brick).

Joe Rhea (Tour Production Assistant)

This is my eleventh tour I am mostly looking forward to seeing the friends that I have made in Ireland and of course hanging out in the pubs with my brother and the rest of the gang! Also, the original Fool For Love that toured in 2000 is the only one I missed so this is like a do-over for me, getting to see it this time. I will miss my family and friends at home especially my new granddaughter Ryann, but I can't get her something from Ireland if I don't go, so...

KJ Thorarinsson (Actor-Martin)

I can´t wait to get back to Ireland. I´ve been on the tour twice before, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Of Mice and Men. The things I most look forward to are the Irish crowds, the cool spaces and the live music. Another fun part of the tour is an awesome collaboration with very dedicated people both here in DC and in Ireland.

Megan Thrift (SM/AD…etc)

I have been a company member at Keegan for 5 years and I am so excited to go on the 2010 Fool For Love tour! I am a recent graduate of George Mason University (Theatre Major, Education Minor) and the Stage Manager and Assistant Director of Fool For Love. I will also be acting as your “Tour Guide” as the main contributor and coordinator of the tour blog.

Supporting from home:

Tony Angelini (Sound Designer)

George Lucas (Set Designer)

Kelly Peacock (Costume Designer)

Dan Martin (Lighting Designer)

Susan Marie Rhea (Artistic Associate) I have been to Ireland four times as an actor, twice as a director, twice to visit and support the tour, and once as a bride! Mark proposed to me in Kilkenny on the Glass Menagerie tour in 2002, and we were married the following year in Galway (Virginia Woolf tour) -- so Ireland obviously has a lot of significance to me personally! Performing for Irish audiences has been a highlight of my career and life -- a profoundly rewarding experience. This year, as Keegan's Associate AD, I will be staying back in the States to complete our planning and media efforts for the 2010-2011 season. But I will keep in close touch with the tour and our Irish colleagues and audiences through this blog, among other channels. Break legs, FOOL FOR LOVE!

Colin Smith (Director)


The Tour:

“This play is to be performed relentlessly, without a break.”

-Sam Shepard, stage direction for Fool For Love

• WASHINGTON, D.C.
Fly out of Dulles- Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

• CORK
Everyman Palace Theatre, August 30th - September 4th, http://www.everymanpalace.com/

• LISTOWEL
St. John's Theatre & Arts Centre, September 6th,  http://www.stjohnstheatrelistowel.com/

• MONAGHAN
Garage Theatre September 8th, http://www.garagetheatre.com/

• KILKENNEY
Watergate Theatre, September 9th -11th, http://www.watergatetheatre.com/

• LETTERKENNY
An Grianan Theatre, September 16th, http://www.angrianan.com/

• GALWAY
Town Hall Theatre, September 20th-22nd, http://www.tht.ie/

• THURLES
Source Arts Centre, September 24th, http://www.thesourceartscentre.ie/