Echos of Ireland by Brian Petti

"Echoes of Ireland” One family's journey in America
by Brian Petti

They say everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day. That's the Irish way of saying we've all, at some point or another, had to struggle, persevere, and wave our banner in pride when we were done.

Echoes of Ireland is a series of four inter-related monologues that explores the saga of a single Irish family from County Donegal in 1860 to present day New York City. Beginning five years after the end of the potato famine in Ireland, Echoes follows the Cunyngham clan through their journey across the ocean to the ports of Manhattan, through the lowly existence of immigrant life in the States, to the assimilation and rebirth of their family as American citizens who never forget from whence they came. The journey is part tragedy, part comedy, part history lesson and all undeniably human. It is a journey everyone can appreciate.

The weekend after St. Patrick's Day, Dragon Fly Performing Arts Center in Cairo, NY will host the world premier of this familial tale, written and directed by Greene County playwright Brian C. Petti. Show dates are Friday, March 19 at 8PM, Saturday, March 20th at 2pm & 8pm and Sunday March 21st at 2pm. Audience members are invited to join us for tea and soda bread before the show, and a Q&A with the author and the cast after the show. Call 622-0104 for reservations.

Brian Petti is a published, award-winning playwright who has had his work produced in New York City and California. His Irish-themed play On the Expectation of White Christmases was shown at Columbia Greene Community College, where it was called “a riveting theatrical experience” by John Paul Keeler of Hudson Catskill Newspapers. DragonFly Performing Arts, a 501(c)3 corporation, is dedicated to bringing Theatre and the Performing Arts to the youth and community of Greene County. It is with this dedication to fine local venues and entertaining events that DragonFly looks forward to enriching its community. Whether on stage in its productions or offstage in its classes for children, DragonFly is committed to bringing the very best to the youth of Greene County, and the community at large.

So join us to usher in the greenest of all holidays in the Greenest of all counties. If ye be Irish the door is open to ye, and if ye be not it won't be held agin' ye!

PERFORMANCES
Friday, March 19th.....8:00pm
Saturday, March 20th.....2:00pm & 8:00pm
Sunday, March 21th.....2:00pm

Tickets for the show are $12 for Adults, $8 for Seniors/Juniors.
NEW Family Rate: 2 Adults & 2 Students for $35!!
For reservations call 622-0104. Tickets for the show also available at the door.

DragonFly Performing Arts Center 473 Main Street, Cairo, NY

To reserve tickets, send email to ClassInfo @DragonFlyPerformingArts.com or call the box office at 518-622-0104.

Review: Who's on First?

Tonight I attended the opening night performance of DIRT's production of Who's on First, a wonderful entertaining comedy by Jack Sharkey. The play itself was very good with a quick pace and witty dialog. Add a wonderful performance space, a simple set that was very effective, costumes that transitioned well into various roles with a minimum of fuss and talented actors with a lot of energy and you have a show that is delightful.

The show is directed by Mary Ellen Petti, Set and Lighting by Kevin Larsen and Niall Tinney, and sound by "Big Jay" Fink. Performers were Alison Bernhardt, Matt Meinsen, Brian Petti & Mary Ellen Petti.

The Show is running weekends at the Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural & Sports Centre in East Durham through June 22. If you have the opportunity, take in this gem of a show in a picturesque little town. For more info visit the webpage for the Durham Irish Repertory Theater.

About the Show:
Take a husband, wife, lover and friend, add a strange lamp, a gun and a rubber chicken plus a party that begins at 8 p.m., then again at 8 p.m. and then again at 8 p.m. and you have this nightmare comedy." Four people find themselves reliving one horrible hour over and over as themselves, as Japanese, as British aristocrats, as gangsters, and almost anything else you can think of. Camille is giving the party. Don shows up in a jealous funk about his wife, Alice, whom he suspects of seeing another man. When Alice and Ben have arrived, it turns out their relationship is innocent. But by the time Don realizes this he has already shot Ben, Alice and even Camille. Camille wishes that things might have turned out differently and that is what happens. All concerned find themselves back at the party's beginning again and again doomed to live that same hour over and over again until they get it right. Is it all an accident? Or is their dilemma part of someone's fiendish plan? A labyrinth of hilarity exits to a shocker of an ending.