Driving New York City Crazy for 35 Years
in the W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre
written and performed by John McDonagh
directed by Ciaran O’Reilly
October 6 – November 5, 2017
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A comedic glimpse into 35 years behind the wheel of a New York City yellow taxi, Off The Meter is a pithy social commentary from New York’s most recognizable cab driver about life spent behind the wheel. John McDonagh, veteran radio host, has condensed thirty-plus years of activism, reality show antics and observation into a love song to the city that never sleeps.
From the plight of the NYC homeless to the crazy demands of Upper East Side matrons, McDonagh brings the audience from laughter to tears and back again faster than the apparition of umbrella dealers on a rainy day. Throw in his tales of brushes with the rich and famous such as driving Stephen Fry to a Queens social club and teaching Top Gear’s Richard Hammond how to drive a cab, and you have Irish storytelling at its best.
John McDonagh is a playwright, cab driver, comic and political activist. Off The Meter represents the culmination of a thirty-five year career of driving a yellow cab while trying to make a difference in the world. He is currently producer and host of Radio Free Eireann and Talk Mac, We and Thee with Malachy McCourt and Corey Kilgannon, weekly radio shows heard on Pacifica station WBAI, New York. John began his career as a NYC Yellow cab driver after serving in the U.S. Army in Germany during the Vietnam War. He has been writing and performing at Caroline’s, the Comic Strip, the Huntington Cinema Arts Center, NY Society for Ethical Culture, the Puffin Room SOHO, and Rocky Sullivan’s pub among others. John is an active member of Irish American Writers and Artists. As a political activist, John was a monitor in the Nicaraguan elections in 1990, organized “Cabbies Against Bush” campaign in NYC during the 2004 republican convention, was editor of the Irish People newspaper, hosted an Irish radio show in Perth, Australia, works with Veterans for peace, and is the go-to voice of Irish American activism. John was featured in the BBC program Steven Fry in America.
Originally incubated at Nancy Manocherian’s the cell