Description

No Strings Theatre Company presents John Patrick Shanley's engaging and heartwarming dramatic comedy, "Outside Mullingar," directed by NSTC's Artistic Director, Ceil Herman. The play, opens NSTC's 2016-2017 season, opens Friday, August 26 and runs through Sunday, September 18 at the Black Box Theatre, 430 N. Main Street in Las Cruces.

The opening scene of this Irish play is set in Tony Reilly's kitchen on the day of neighbor Chris Muldoon's funeral, in the rainy weather typical of December. Elderly Tony, who lives with his 42 year old unmarried son Anthony, is initially annoyed that Anthony has invited the elderly widow Aoife and her daughter Rosemary, an unmarried 36 year old, to visit after the funeral. Tony and Aoife are friendly neighbors. However, Aoife will not consider selling back a small amount of land that her husband bought in front of the Reilly farm years many ago when Tony needed the money.

Rosemary now owns the property but still holds a grudge against Anthony from 30 years previously when he pushed her down as a little girl. Tony and Aoife, who know they haven't long to live, would love to see Anthony marry Rosemary but the union seems far from likely. Though Rosemary has been romantically interested in Anthony all her life, Anthony is very shy and socially awkward and has resigned himself to a life of loneliness. The plot complications and twists are very enjoyable to watch in this sweet and beautifully written play.

"Outside Mullingar" premiered on Broadway in 2014. The play received the Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award and was nominated for two 2014 Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, for Outstanding New Broadway Play and Outstanding Actor in a Play. The play also received two 2014 Drama Desk Award nominations: Outstanding Play and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play and one 2014 Tony Award nomination, for Best Play.

Los Angeles Times Theatre Critic Charles McNulty in his review of the production at the Geffen Theatre, wrote "Playwright Shanley, a veteran playwright best known for his Pulitzer-Prize and Tony-Award winning play "Doubt," has always had a soft spot for two people willing to brave the hurdles that are keeping them apart...But romance never goes out of style, and if there were a time we could use a laugh and a happy cry it's right now."

The Hermans were fortunate to see the play at the Geffen Theatre on a theatre-going trip to Los Angeles. "We loved it and immediately went online to see if we possibly could get the rights to produce it. We were delighted to receive those immediately and put it into our 2016-2017 season as the opening production. We are thrilled to present this charming play to our Black Box Theatre audiences" said Ceil Herman.

The NSTC production stars actors who are well known to Las Cruces theatregoers. Jack Ullrich, seen in NSTC's "The Explorer's Club" and "On Golden Pond," plays Tony Reilly. Bobby Senecal, seen at the Black Box Theatre in "The Birthday Party," "Bob: A Life in Five Acts," and "Moonlight and Magnolias" plays his son, Anthony. Rosemary is played by Amy Gaume Whipple, seen in NSTC's "Godspell" and LCCT's "Leading Ladies." Her mother, Aoife, is double cast, played by Carmen Call, seen in LCCTs "Leading Ladies" and NSTC's "Wonder of the World" and "A Kind of Alaska" and Caryl Kotulak who recently was seen in NSTC's "Murderers." Peter Herman is Light and Scenic Designer, Autumn Gieb is the Costume Designer, Karen Ross is Stage Manager, Rebekah Riley is the Board Operator and Darrel Lowry is Backstage Crew.

"Outside Mullingar" performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sunday Matinees on September 4 and September 11 at 2:30 p.m. There will be a Thursday evening performance on September 8 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $15.00 regular admission, $12.00 for students and seniors over 65, and all seats on Thursday are $10.00. Season tickets (Preferred Patron Packages) for all 7 plays in the season are on sale for $85.00 regular admission and $70.00 students and seniors. Reservations: (575) 523-1223.

Director's Note

"Outside Mullingar" premiered on Broadway in 2014. The play received the Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award and was nominated for two 2014 Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, for Outstanding New Broadway Play and Outstanding Actor in a Play. The play also received two 2014 Drama Desk Award nominations: Outstanding Play and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play and one 2014 Tony Award nomination, for Best Play.
Los Angeles Times Theatre Critic Charles McNulty in his review of the production at the Geffen Theatre, wrote "Playwright Shanley, a veteran playwright best known for his Pulitzer-Prize and Tony-Award winning play Doubt, has always had a soft spot for two people willing to brave the hurdles that are keeping them apart...But romance never goes out of style, and if there were a time we could use a laugh and a happy cry it's right now."
We were fortunate to see the play at the Geffen Theatre on a theatre-going trip to Los Angeles. We loved it and immediately went online to see if we possibly could get the rights to produce it. We were happy to receive those immediately and put it into our 2016-2017 season as the opening production. We are thrilled to present this charming play to our Black Box Theatre audiences.
Many thanks to my amazing actors and production team. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Credits

Anthony Reilly
Aoife
Aoife
Rosemary
Tony Reilly
Backstage Crew
Board Operator
Costume Designer
Director
Light And Scenic Designer
Properties Artisen
Stage Manager
Written By

Reviews

Two-act 'Outside Mullingar' delights
- by Mike Cook, Las Cruces Bulletin

When a play starts with two actors singing "Danny Boy," you know it's going to be worth watching. And "Outside Mullingar" does not disappoint.

As one of the actors in Ceil Herman's production of John Patrick Shanley's play might have said in his or her Irish brogue, "Sure and it's wonderful."

The two-act play is set on two adjoining farms near Killucan, Ireland in 2008, and is about the Reilly and the Muldoon families and their struggles with death and personal tragedy, the meaning of life and a small strip of land that divides not only the road from the Reillys' front door but the two families from each other. You'll also learn the true meaning of a small band of gold.

"Some of us don't have joy, but we do what we must," the character of Anthony Reilly (Bobby Senecal) says in one of the defining lines in the play.

"Time means nothing. Love is love," says Aoife Muldoon (a part shared by Carmen Call and Caryl Kotulak).

The rest of the small cast is Jack Ulrich as Tony Reilly (Anthony's father) and Amy Gaume Whipple as Rosemary Muldoon (Aoife's daughter).

I was lucky enough to see the final dress rehearsal of the play, so I got to see the first scene repeated, first with Carmen Call and then with Caryl Kotulak as Aoife.

Their interpretations were different, but they found all the levels in the part. You will enjoy whichever actor you see in this role.

I've had the pleasure of working with Jack Ulrich in a couple of recent plays, and I so enjoyed his work in this one. In some ways, he simply was Anthony Reilly. Ullrich's scene with Senecal at the beginning of the second act is perhaps the best work I've ever seen him do.

It's hard to go into a lot more detail about "Outside Mullingar" without giving away its bittersweet surprises.

I teared up more than once as the characters found endings and beginnings in their searches for peace and understanding. Go see it for yourself. You won't be sorry.

Remaining performances are Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 2 and 3 and 9 and 10 at 8 p.m.

and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 4 and 11. There will also be a performance at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8.

Tickets are $15 regular admission, $12 for students and seniors over age 65. Tickets for all seats for the Thursday, Sept. 8 performance are $10.

For reservations, call 523-1223. Visit https:// no-strings.org/.

Seating