The mission of Irish Repertory Theatre is to provide a context for understanding the contemporary Irish-American experience through evocative works of theater, music, and dance. This mission is accomplished by staging the works of Irish and Irish-American classic and contemporary playwrights, encouraging the development of new works focused on the Irish and Irish-American experience, and producing the works of other cultures interpreted through the lens of an Irish sensibility.
“New York’s finest Off-Broadway theatre” – Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal, 2019
Founded by Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O’Reilly in 1988, Irish Repertory Theatre opened its doors with Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars. In 1995, Irish Rep found its home at 132 W 22nd Street, on three floors of a former warehouse. With help from friends and family, Charlotte and Ciarán built the theatre from the ground up, creating two performance spaces: The Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage and The W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre. The space was renovated to its current design in 2016.
In its more than 31 seasons, Irish Repertory Theatre has presented over 190 productions and worked with more than 500 company members. Irish Rep has continued to be a home for Irish and Irish-American theatre-makers, theatre audiences, and excellence in theatre. More than 50,000 audience members annually attend productions where they experience the company’s engaging perspective on the Irish and their unique and extraordinary contributions to the world of drama. Irish Repertory Theatre is the only year-round theater company in New York City devoted exclusively to bringing Irish and Irish-American works to the stage. In 2019, Irish Rep was named Company of the Year by the Wall Street Journal.
Over the years, Irish Repertory Theatre has been recognized with dozens of awards, including:
- The 2019 Irish Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad for Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O’Reilly, awarded by President Michael D. Higgins
- Irish America Hall of Fame, Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O’Reilly
- The 2013 Outer Critics Circle Special Achievement Award
- A special Drama Desk Award for “Excellence in Presenting Distinguished Irish Drama”
- The Lucille Lortel Award for “Outstanding Body of Work”, 2005
Below is a wonderful video produced by TDF featuring founders Ciarán O’Reilly and Charlotte Moore discussing the “native understanding” that is the heart & soul of the Irish Rep.