Welcome to "On The Way To O'Neill's: JFK In Ireland", an alternate history play.
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At our most recent reading "On The Way To O'Neill's: JFK In Ireland" was presented in Tampa at the Shimberg Theatre in the David A.Straz Center For The Performing Arts (formerly the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center - the largest performing arts complex south of Kennedy Center).
The reading was a co-production between JobsiteTheater (the resident company at the Straz center) and Silver Meteor Gallery, a long time presenter of theatre in the Tampa area. Off-Broadway author/director James B. Rayfield provided an insightful directoral touch and the play benefited from sterling performances by Sandra Lynne Locher, Roxanne Fay, Richard DiPietra and Allen Esses.
Special thanks has to go to Michael Murphy, owner of Silver Meteor Gallery, a dream of a producer and someone to watch in the future. He gives 1000%, and it shows up in his work.
Here is a link to an interview that includes Michael, James and David on WMNF Radio in Tampa. At the site click on "Archives" then navigate to March 19 for the audio. (The interview begins about 15 minutes into the program.)
After the readings, audience members (who we did not know) wrote comments on Jobsite's Facebook page.
These are a sampling:
"Thought provoking..." "Highly encourage all to see it..." "Very good play...."
We're pleased to add that "O'Neill's" had a wonderful run at the Midtown International Theatre Festival Reading Series in New York.
We had a wonderful cast - including a bunch of Broadway veterans.
Robert McNamara was played by William Parry. Bill is a Sondheim favorite, he's the only person to create roles in four Sondheim premieres: Sunday In The Park With George, Passion, Assassins and last year's Road Show.
Maureen Silliman was Madeleine Albright - she has been on Broadway in
Shenandoah, Is There Life After High School and I Remember Mama. She has
numerous distinctions, including winning both the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award and Dramalogue Award - a distinguished actor.
David Foubert played Bill DeShields. New York audiences have recently seen David in The Acting Company's Moby Dick - Rehearsed, The Three Musketeers and Macbeth.
Our director was Charles Weldon. In addition to Broadway experience as an actor (The River Niger) Charles is also the Artistic Director of the legendary Negro Ensemble Company, which produced such actors as Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett and Samuel L. Jackson. (You can see
Charles in the A&E Biography of Samuel L. Jackson.)
They were joined by Off-Broadway actress and lead in the current VH1
television series Tough Love Natasha Malinsky.
David Beckett read JFK, and he considered it an honor to be in such distinguished company.
The previous November "O'Neill's" was chosen to be the culminating performance on the the "We ARE the people" reading series, presented by the Roy Arias Theatre Center, 300 W. 43rd St. in Manhattan.
The series was a two week-end marathon of marvelous new pieces; sixteen in all. This was our second reading in New York, (see below) both of which followed the initial public reading in Hollywood. O'Neill's is gaining steam!
The entire event was a great success, and we felt especially gratified by the comment of Herb Donaldson, Artistic Director of the series: "This piece is beautiful, and I'm grateful that you two have been generous to allow us the reading".
More about We ARE The People may be found at:
http://10pages.tripod.com/wearethepeople/
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Renowned writer Andrew Greeley has endorsed "O'Neill's"! Author of over 50 bestsellers (translated into 12 languages) and nationally noted for his contribution to Irish-American fiction, Fr. Greeley declared:
"Fascinating play!...I hope it gets performed on Broadway where it belongs."
In addition to teaching at the University of Chicago and University of Arizona, Fr. Greeley is also an Honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Ireland in Dublin. His website is agreeley.com We are most grateful for his comments.
Also, recently "O'Neill's" was featured on the Ten Grand Production's "Cold Cut's" Reading Series Of New Work in New York City.
The reading was extremely successful, with some wonderful comments and discussion afterward. We felt very much a part of the Ten Grand "family".
Of course, this followed a terrific reading at The Actor's Co-op in Hollywood directed by Henry Polic II.
Meanwhile, we'd like to share some comments we've received from other theatre professionals who have had a chance to read the script.
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Stephanie Barton-Farcas of the Off-Off Broadway's "Nicu's Spoon" Theatre Company lamented not being able to do an immediate full production because of a two year backup just in readings with these words:
"It is a GREAT text, seriously... I do suggest that when you send to NY companies you should say we recommend it to them as a reference if needed."
S. Barton-Farcas
Artistic Director
Nicu's Spoon
www.spoontheater.org
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Tom Ferriter, Artistic Director of New
NewYork's Stageplays Theatre Company, which specializes in play development
commented:
"the dialogue is certainly accomplished, the story is engaging, and the dramatic structure is solid.I encourage
you in continued pursuit of a production...I believe that the concept for the play as alternative history would be of interest to theatre-going audiences,and, in that sense, the play has a built in marketability beyond the literal drawing power of John F. Kennedy."
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Jason Hewitt, Managing Director of NYC's Ten Grand Productions
called the script:
"Stirring and provocative -- keeps the audience in the throes of mystery and rekindles a national spirit that's been missing for a while."
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The play opens in 1999. JFK has returned to Ireland following the death of John, Jr. An encounter with a female reporter leads him to a confrontation with unexorcised demons from the past. Meanwhile, ghosts from the Cold War return to threaten international peace.