From left, Aedin Moloney, Melissa Gilbert and Geraldine Aron.
By Orla O’Sullivan
I’d imagine it’s sometimes hard for Melissa Gilbert to separate herself from her role as Laura in the 1970s’ TV hit “Little House on The Prairie,” but in her next acting venture with Fallen Angel Theatre Company she’s celebrating the end of her marriage.
Gilbert opens March 20 in “My Brilliant Divorce,” a solo show written by Dubliner Geraldine Aron. Aedin Moloney founder and producing artistic director of Fallen Angel will direct the play, at the New Ohio Theatre on Christopher Street in Manhattan.
The three are pictured here at Fallen Angel’s annual, fundraiser on Park Ave. London-based Aron was not the only one visiting for the occasion. Moloney’s father, Paddy Moloney of the Chieftains, was among the crowd of perhaps 200 people.
Board member Ruth Kavanagh opened with a racy poem, “Póg” (kiss) by Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill. Moloney read a letter of support from Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Aron received an award.
Run by women, Fallen Angel was founded in 2003 to produce plays by and about Irish and British women.
Gilbert was last seen in the Irish Repertory Theatre’s staged adaptation of James Joyce’s short story “The Dead.
Two of the stars of Derek Murphy's Dublin-set "Dyin' For It,"
Aoife Williamson, left, and Sarah Street, pictured at the the
10th Annual 1st Irish Festival awards night at the Manhattan Club.
McMullan wins at 1st Irish
To paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld on “The New Yorker Radio Hour” recently, actors get disproportionate credit because without writers they would have nothing to perform. As a writer, who am I to disagree?
Bernard McMullan, pictured here, got his due with the Best Playwright award in this year’s 1st Irish festival at a ceremony last week at the Manhattan Club at Rosie O’Gray’s. His play was also a contender four years ago. Still running at the Rep, it imagines heaven after those who drowned on the Titanic arrive.
Bernard McMullan.
Before McMullan arrived to the U.S., where he’s now a spokesman for Tourism Ireland, he was a television reporter for RTE television.
Isobel Mahon’s comedy “Party Face” picked up two awards: Best Production and Haley Mills was named Best Actress. Mick Mellamphy was Best Actor for his part in “Guy Walks Into a Bar,” John Keating the Best Director (“Dyin’ for It,”), a Special Jury prize was presented to Colin Campbell for his part in “Disco Pigs.”
Origin’s Festival Fringe Award was given to three entities – Poor Mouth Theatre in the Bronx, the New York Irish Center in Long Island City, Queens, and the company of Don Creedon’s “A Guy Walks Into a Bar.”
