The School of Theatre + Dance at the University of Florida (UF) will present TheCripple of Inishmaan Friday, Sept. 26, 2014 through Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014 in the Black Box Theatre at the Nadine M. McGuire Theatre and Dance Pavilion. Performance times for the show are at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26, Sept. 27, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1-4 and at 2:00 p.m. Sept. 28 and Oct. 5.
The Cripple of Inishmaan tells the 1930s story of a crippled young man named Billy who has dreams of escaping his remote town on the Irish coast, including the pettiness of townsfolk like his eccentric aunts and the village gossip, Johnnypateenmike. His opportunity starts to materialize when a film crew arrives looking for actors, and soon Billy has visions of himself in Hollywood pursuing the American Dream. Billy’s subsequent exploits to the New World and back form a surprising and wildly funny tale of what it means to be a man . . . and to be Irish.
Written by Martin McDonagh, The Cripple of Inishmaan originally opened in December 1996 in London at the Royal National Theatre and was remounted in 1998 at The Public Theater in New York City. Recently, TheCripple of Inishmaan was remounted in 2013 for a sold-out run at the West End in London with Daniel Radcliffe (“Harry Potter”) starring as Billy and Michael Grandage directing. With all its popularity, it transferred with Radcliffe to the Cort Theatre in New York City for a limited three-month run with great success.
McDonagh is a renowned playwright, director and screenwriter who is considered one of today’s most important Irish playwrights. He has been nominated for Tony and Drama Desk Awards, and he received the Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright in 1996 for his play, The Beauty Queen of Leenane. He also received a Laurence Olivier Award in 2003 for his work, The Lieutenant of Inishmore. His films include Seven Psychopaths and In Bruges.
David Young, the director of the production at UF, attended a performance of the Cort Theatre revival this summer. “The Cripple of Inishmaan is important to the students because the Irish form of humor is something that we don’t see enough of on stage today,” said Young. “Also, when I read it and then saw it onstage, I thought, ‘This is one of the funniest plays I’ve read and ever seen.’ I know that our students love to laugh, and I thought this would be a great choice to evoke that.”
Tickets are $17 for the general public, and are $13 for UF and Santa Fe College students, UF faculty/staff and senior citizens. Group rates are available for parties of eight or more. Tickets are available through the University Box Office located at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, by calling 352-392-1653 or at ticketmaster.com.
The Nadine M. McGuire Theatre and Dance Pavilion is located at 687 McCarty Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611. Parking is available across the street from the UF Bookstore & Welcome Center on the University of Florida located on Museum Road.
About the School of Theatre + Dance
The School of Theatre + Dance is one of the University of Florida College of the Arts’ three fully accredited schools. Undergraduate students can pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting, dance, musical theatre, theatre production—including costume design, lighting design and scenic design—or a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance studies or general theatre. Minors are also offered in dance and theatre as well as certificates in arts in medicine and dance in healthcare. Student organizations, showcase programs and other intensives provide students with invaluable professional experiences. UF is home to three School of Theatre + Dance performance venues, including the Constans Theatre, Black Box Theatre and G-6 Studio. To learn more about the School of Theatre + Dance, including upcoming performance dates and ticket information, visit www.arts.ufl.edu/theatreanddance.
About the College of the Arts
The College of the Arts, previously known as the College of Fine Arts, is one the 16 colleges and more than 150 research centers and institutes at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. The College of the Arts offers baccalaureate, master’s and Ph.D. degree programs in its three fully- accredited schools — the School of Art + Art History, School of Music and School of Theatre + Dance. The college is home to the Center for Arts in Medicine, Center for World Arts, Digital Worlds Institute, University Galleries and the New World School of the Arts in Miami. More than 100 faculty members and more than 1,220 students work together daily to engage, inspire and create. The college hosts more than 300 performances, exhibitions and events each year. Faculty and students also exhibit and perform at other local, national and international venues. To learn more, visit www.arts.ufl.edu.
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