Log in

THEATER

Irish Cultural Center hosts ‘The Playboy of the Western World’

Ronin Theatre Company returns to the castle with ‘riotous’ J.M. Synge play

Posted 4/28/22

Ronin Theatre Company is producing seven performances of John Milton Synge’s “The Playboy of the Western World” at the Irish Cultural Center, 1106 N. Central Ave., May …

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already have an account? Log in to continue.

Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here

Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

To Our Valued Readers –

Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.

For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.

Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.

Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.

Sincerely,
Charlene Bisson, Publisher, Independent Newsmedia

Please log in to continue

Log in
I am anchor
THEATER

Irish Cultural Center hosts ‘The Playboy of the Western World’

Ronin Theatre Company returns to the castle with ‘riotous’ J.M. Synge play

Posted

Ronin Theatre Company is producing seven performances of John Milton Synge’s “The Playboy of the Western World” at the Irish Cultural Center, 1106 N. Central Ave., May 12-29.

“We’re billing it as a ‘riotous’ play for two reasons,” said Ronin director and co-founder Cody Goulder. “First, it’s a dark comedy set in an Irish pub in the early 1900’s and second, it literally caused riots when it opened in Dublin in 1907 and again, four years later in New York, Boston and Philadelphia.”

Set in County Mayo, "A young man enters a pub, claiming to have killed his father,” continued Goulder. “It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke or a David Lynch story, but just wait…it gets weirder. If you liked ‘Twin Peaks,’ you’re gonna love this show!”

Ronin’s seasoned cast includes Brandon Gray (Christy Mahon), Samantha Hanna (Pegeen), Alana Samuels (Widow Quin), Kate Haas (Michael/Nelly), Van Rockwell (Old Mahon), Eric Bond (Shawn), Taylor Tunnell (Jimmy/Sara) and Antoinette Martin-Hanson (Philly/Susan).

Brandon Gray plays Christy, the young man claiming patricide. His most recent work was as Dr. Cervi in the Southwest Shakespeare production of “Farinella and the King.” Samantha Hanna is the publican’s daughter Pegeen, who falls in love with Christy. Her streaming workshop performance of “Just Be” for The Bridge Initiative is available online through May 17.

Alex Kass is fight choreographer and Kristina Metz stage manager. Ben Corbett, assistant professor of voice and acting at the University of Arkansas, was Ronin’s visiting dialectician.

Tickets to “The Playboy of the Western World”are available at AZIrish.org/performances and part of the proceeds will benefit the Irish Cultural and Learning Foundation.