While Rochester Community Players had produced plays by Irish playwrights for many years, its Irish Program began in 1998 to regularly present plays from the Irish classical and contemporary repertories. The first Irish Program play was Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge. In 2000, RCP’s Irish Program was invited to participate in the Montreal Irish Theatre Festival and represented the United States with three performances of Da by Hugh Leonard. It also performed each year at the Acting Irish International Theatre Festival (AIITF) in Dublin from 2003 to 2019. Rochester Community Players hosted the AIITF in Rochester in 2008 and 2018. The festival has not taken place again since the 2020 Covid pandemic.
Previous Productions
Spring 2023
The Night Alive by Connor McPherson
Directed by Jean Gordon Ryon
Presented At MUCCC between March 24 & April 9th
Spring 2022
Playboy of the Western World by John Millington Synge
Directed by Jean Gordon Ryon
April 15–April 30, 2022 at MuCCC
Spring 2019
A Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Niel
Directed by Jean Gordon Ryon
Presented At MuCCC
Spring 2018
Closing Time by Owen McCafferty
Directed by Jean Gordon Ryon
March 30–April 15, 2018 at MuCCC
Spring 2017
Philadelphia, Here I Come! by Brian Friel
Directed by Jean Gordon Ryon
March 31–April 9, 2017 at MuCCC
Encore performance Tuesday, May 9 at 8pm at the Fielding Stage at the Geva Theatre Center, as part of the Acting Irish International Theatre Festival.
March 2016
The Seafarer, by Conor McPherson
Directed by Jean Gordon Ryon
March 18–27, 2016 at MuCCC
Review in Rochester City Newspaper.
March 2015
The Field, by John B. Keane
Directed by Jean Gordon Ryon
March 2015 at MuCC
Review in Rochester City Newspaper.
March 2014
Shining City, by Conor McPherson
Directed by Jean Gordon Ryon
March 14-29, 2014 at MuCCC
At the Acting Irish International Theatre Festival, held at the Art Garage in Delray Beach, Florida, May 21, 2014. Ours was one of three productions nominated for best production at the festival, and our Bill Alden, playing John, received the award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role.
Review in Rochester City Newspaper.
March 2013
Is Life Worth Living? by Lennox Robinson
Directed by Jean Gordon Ryon
March 2013 at MuCCC