Joseph M. Hassett is both a leading trial lawyer and an authoritative literary critic based in Washington, D.C. He has written extensively on Yeats, Joyce, and other Irish writers. He holds a Ph.D. in Anglo-Irish Literature from University College Dublin and is a graduate of Harvard Law School. His books include W.B. Yeats and the Muses (Oxford University Press, 2010), The Ulysses Trials: Beauty and Truth Meet the Law (Lilliput, 2016), and Yeats Now: Echoing Into Life (Lilliput, 2020).
Kim Bendheim is a poet, performer, and writer. Her byline has appeared in The Forward, The Nation, The Chicago Tribune, Ladies Home Journal, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and Bomb magazine, which published her poetry. A cum laude graduate of Harvard University, she received two Masters’s degrees: one from New York University (where she studied Irish literature and history), and one from the City College of New York (where she studied poetry). She lives in New York City.
Rufus Collins Broadway: The Royal Family, To Be or Not To Be, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, An Ideal Husband, The Homecoming. At Irish Rep: Meet Me in St. Louis: A Performance on Screen, The Dead 1904, Aristocrats, and The Quare Land. Off-Broadway: Road to Damascus, The Seagull, Orson’s Shadow, House and Garden. Regional: Lifespan of a Fact (Hartford Theater Works,) My Fair Lady and Gypsy (Sharon Playhouse) Venus in Fur (Goodman), Seminar (Philadelphia Theatre Co.) Michael Von Seibenburg Melts Through the Floorboards (Humana), The Old Masters (Long Wharf), The Autumn Garden and Dissonance (Williamstown), The Real Thing and Sherlock’s Last Case (Huntington), In This Corner (Old Globe), Dinner with Friends, Hedda Gabler, Indian Ink, The Ruling Class, Macbeth. Film: “After the Wedding,” “The Geezer,” “Wanted,” “Joshua,” “Milia.” Television: “The Deuce,” “Madam Secretary” “Elementary,” “Mysteries of Laura,” “Forever,” “Mozart in the Jungle,” “Law & Order.” Rufus studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.
Obi Abili is a stage, film, and television actor who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London (RADA) and was named as a “Star of Tomorrow” by Screen International in 2010 and ‘an actor to watch” by IndieWire in the same year. He recently came off a supporting role in the upcoming Feature Film “21 Bridges”, opposite Chadwick Boseman and JK Simmons as well as the feature “London Fields”, opposite Amber Heard and Billy Bob Thornton. He also had a leading role in the feature film “Tula: The Revolt” opposite Danny Glover and was also seen opposite Colin Firth and Cameron Diaz in “Gambit”. Obi was a regular on the UK miniseries “The Take” with Tom Hardy, “Injustice” with James Purefoy, “Moses Jones” with Eamonn Walker, and “The Nativity” with Tatiana Maslany. He recurred on Showtime’s “Billions” and guest-starred on Cinemax’s “Strike Back”, NBC’s “Blindspot,” and BBC’s “Foyle’s War”. Obi recently starred in the Irish Rep’s production of The Emperor Jones. He also starred opposite Juliette Binoche in Ivo van Hove’s production of Antigone at BAM. He has also been involved as recently involved in a 12-week Theatre of War run of Antigone in Ferguson, a production that highlighted the current issue of police brutality and systemic racism in the United States. Actors in that project included David Strathairn, David Zayas, Chad Coleman, Amy Ryan, Zach Grenier, and many others.
Terry Donnelly has been a member of both the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, and the National Theatre, London. Among many plays at Irish Rep: Lady G: The Plays and Whisperings of Lady Gregory, The O’Casey Cycle, The Dead, 1904, Three Small Irish Masterpieces, Juno and the Paycock, Transport the Musical, Honor Molloy’s Crackskull Row, Grandchild of Kings directed and adapted by Harold Prince, Frank McCourt’s The Irish…and How They Got That Way in Boston and New York companies, The Shaughraun, Sive, Bailegangaire, The Yeats Project, The Colleen Bawn, and many more. Regionally she has played several leading roles in Dancing at Lughnasa, and The Streets of New York at the Westport Playhouse. Film and television: “A Hungry Feeling”, “Law and Order”, “The Silver Tassie”, “The Crezz.”
Colin McPhillamy Irish Rep: London Assurance, The Seafarer. Broadway: Ink, The Ferryman, The Importance of Being Earnest, Waiting in the Wings. Off-Broadway: House and Garden, Woman in Black. Regionally: The Guthrie, The Old Globe, New Jersey Shakespeare, The Alley, Westport, Mark Taper, The Rep, Actors Playhouse, Palm Beach Dramaworks. Florida Stage, The Maltz. US TV: “Zero Hour,” “Blacklist: Redemption,” “Pan-Am,” “Law & Order.” UK: five seasons with The National Theatre, extensive West End, regional, and TV credits. Australia: The Sydney Theatre Company. New Zealand: The Court. Colin has taught and guest directed at London University, USD, and Peking University. As a writer, BBC Radio credits: Capital Gains (nominated Prix Italia). He blogs at mcphillamy.com and his books are available on Amazon.
Sarah Street: Recent credits include: Plough and the Stars, Juno and the Paycock, Rebel in the Soul, Irish Rep; Alone it Stands, 59E59; The Love Parts, The Poor Mouth Theatre; The Naturalists, The Pond Theatre Co. at Walkerspace; Dyin’ for it, Origin Theatre’s First Irish Festival; Muswell Hill, The Barrow Group; Subprime, NJ Theater Center, and Abigail’s Party at The Barrow Group/The Pond Theatre Co. Sarah also works in Film, TV, Voiceover, and is co-founder of The Pond Theatre Company. sarahstreet.me