Hudson Stage to Present Acclaimed Shanley Work at Whippoorwill Hall
Whether you’re a Broadway producer or a director of local or regional theater, it’s usually a pretty good bet to go with a John Patrick Shanley work.
The Hudson Stage Company has put its money on the Pulitzer Prize recipient and Academy Award-winning screenwriter, best known for writing “Moonstruck” and “Doubt,” for its upcoming production that opens next week at Whippoorwill Hall in Armonk.
“Outside Mullingar,” one of Shanley’s most recent works, begins its nine-performance engagement at the theater this Friday, Apr. 17.
The four-actor play, directed for Hudson Stage by Dan Foster, centers around two families who own adjacent farms in the rural Irish Midlands. Rosemary, who lives with her mother on one property, has had a longtime attraction to Anthony, who lives with his father on the neighboring cattle farm.
Rosemary and Anthony are both introverted and approaching middle age and any dreams that Rosemary had for romance may be dashed when a land dispute erupts between the two families.
Denise Bessette, one of the show’s producers, said she was drawn to the story as soon as she read the script. “Outside Mullingar” was critically acclaimed and had a limited run on Broadway early last year.
“We’re always looking for terrific new works that people find entertaining and can relate to, and then I read it and it was wonderful,” Bessette said.
The cast consists of Susannah Schulman as Rosemary, Sean Hayden as Anthony, Susan Pellegrino as Aiofe (Rosemary’s mother) and Davis Hall as Tony (Anthony’s father). The cast has been rehearsing in Manhattan for its upcoming local run.
Hall, a veteran New York actor who is working with Hudson Stage for the first time, said while the subject matter may sound a bit depressing, there is plenty of comedy. He said his character is an enjoyable one to play.
“The play is about land and love and who gets a farm,” Hall said. “It’s a lot of fun to play for purely selfish reasons and it has its whimsical moments and there’s quite a lot of humor in the play.”
One of the challenges facing the four actors is maintaining consistency with the Irish dialect, Hall said.
“Outside Mullingar” will be presented on weekends through May 2. Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. on the three Fridays and Saturdays. The two Sunday matinees begin and an additional afternoon performance is set for 3 p.m. Tickets cost $35; seniors and students get in for $30.
For more information or purchase tickets, visit www.hudsonstage.com.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
