MAINE STATE MUSIC THEATRE and Portland Stage collaborate on a presentation of The Irish and How they Got That Way. Left to right: Peter Cormican, Charis Leos, Curt Dale Clark, Ernest Sauceda, Cary Michele Miller.
Portland Stage in Portland and Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick have announced their co-production of Frank McCourt’s “The Irish … And How They Got That Way.”
The show is a musical celebration of all things Irish in the tumultuous 20th and 21st centuries through the eyes of Pulitzer Prize winning author Frank McCourt (“Angela’s Ashes,” “’Tis,” “Teacher Man”).
According to MSMT, McCourt’s wit, coupled with his trademark irony and his love for the Irish are all underscored by music, including such immortals as “Danny Boy,” “The Rose of Tralee,” and “Harrigan,” the works of George M. Cohan “Give My Regards to Broadway,” “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” and “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy,” to modern day Irish rockers U2.
The show has extended its run and will be shown from Aug. 16 through Sept. 11 at Portland Stage, located at 25A Forest Ave., Portland.
“The Irish” opened at the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York in 1997 and has since played to soldout audiences and has had extended runs across the country.
Under the direction of Marc Robin, the cast is comprised of actors and actresses well known on both Maine and national stages. Coming directly off of Maine State Music Theatre’s stage is Charis Leos and Curt Dale Clark. Leos is marking her 24th season at MSMT and has appeared in favorites including “Always … Patsy Cline,” “Chicago,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “Legally Blonde.”
In addition to serving as MSMT’s artistic director, Clark has also appeared on the MSMT stage in productions of “The Music Man,” “Les Miserables,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Producers,” in addition to appearing in “The Irish … And How They Got That Way” at The Fulton Theatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Rounding out the cast is Peter Cormican and Cary Michele Miller. Cormican joins the company after appearing in Rothschild and Sons at the York Theatre NYC in addition to being seen on Broadway, London stages and several touring productions of “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (UK)” and “The Irish.” Miller will be making her Portland Stage debut having appeared in several productions at MSMT, The Fulton Theatre, The Walnut Street Theatre and the West Virginia Public Theatre. Maine actors Cameron Wright of Portland and Emily Davis of Westbrook appear as bartenders and are also understudies to the leads in the show.
Musically supporting the cast will be conductor Edward Reichert on the keyboard, Ernest Sauceda on violin, Jimmy Dority on guitar, banjo, and accordion, and Eric Landau on drums.
To order tickets by phone or for more information, contact the Portland Stage Box Office at (207) 774-0465, email boxoffice@portlandstage.org, or visit www.portlandstage.org.
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