The Acting Irish International Theatre Festival (AIITF) is an annual festival of full-length Irish plays performed by Irish community theater companies from Canada, US and Ireland. The festival was started in 1994 and is performed in a different city each year.
1994 Festival; Winnipeg The concept of the Acting Irish International Theater Festival (AIITF) was originated by three Irish community theater groups: the Tara Players of Winnipeg, Milwaukee Irish Arts, and Na Fianna Theatre of Minneapolis-St. Paul. These three groups held several invitational performances in each other's city between 1990 and 1993,AIITF program 2004ST. Paul, Minnesota, Pioneer Press March 15, 1989, pg. 1NE: "The initial productions (of Na Fianna) were Thirst, a comedy by Flann O'Brien, and Riders to the Sea, a tragedy by John M. Synge, staged together . . . in St. Paul in March 1988. The 20-member group then performed a series of one-act plays at the Milwaukee Irish Fest, the Irish Association of Manitoba at Winnipeg and at Feis Cheoil, an Irish celebration in Highland Park in St. Paul last summer." and all three groups participated in the 1991 Milwaukee Irish Fest.Milwaukee Journal Sentinel August 9, 1991 The Tara Players of Winnipeg participated in the Milwaukee Irish Fest in 1992 and 1993 as well, but because that festival was dedicated primarily to Irish music, the three groups co-founded the theater-only AIITF in 1994.Winnipeg Free Press, May 2, 2001, page W5 The first festival was held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada March 10–13, 1994 and presented at the Tara Players' theater at the Irish Association of Manitoba.Winnipeg Free Press, March 9, 1994, pg. C8 One of the founders of the festival was Geoff White of the Tara Player of Ottawa.The Ottawa Citizen, March 4, 2006, pg. F3
Company City Production Author Milwaukee Irish Arts Milwaukee, WI The Poker Session Hugh Leonard Ashling Productions Calgary, AB (a pair of one act plays) Tara Players Winnipeg, MB Remembrance Graham Reid Na Fianna Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Translations Brian Friel
1995 Festival; Minneapolis The 1995 AIITF was held March 9–11 at the Weyerhaeuser Auditorium in Landmark Center, 75 W. 5th St., St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. Five organizations participated, hosted by Na Fianna of Minneapolis-St. Paul.Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 5, 1995, pg 4F The adjudicators were Mona Poehling, Dan Sullivan and Ethna McKiernan.
Company City Production Author Milwaukee Irish Arts Milwaukee, WI I Do Not Like Thee, Dr. Fell Bernard Farrell Ashling Productions Calgary, AB Dancing at Lughnasa Brian Friel Tara Players Winnipeg, MB Away Alone Janet Noble Na Fianna Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Famine Tom Murphy Lartigue Theatre Listowel, Ireland The Estuary and The Tentmaker Paddy Fitzgibbon
1996 Festival; Calgary In 1996, the AIITF was held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada May 15 to 19, 1996 at the Irish Cultural Center. The festival adjudicators were Christopher Foreman, Pat Benedict, and Dr. Richard Wall. Six groups participated:
Company City Production Author Milwaukee Irish Arts Milwaukee, WI Moll John B. Keane Ashling Productions Calgary, AB The Death of Humpty Dumpty Graham Reid Tara Players Winnipeg, MB The Sea Horse Edward J. Moore Stage Éireann Dramatic Society Vancouver, BC The Love of Cass McGuire Brian Friel St. Albert Irish Society St. Albert, Alberta Time Was Hugh Leonard Prince George Theatre Workshop Prince George, BC Someone to Watch Over Me Frank McGuiness
In addition to these formal festival productions, two "showcase" (non-adjudicated) productions were presented: Winners (from Lovers: Winners and Losers) by Brian Friel, presented by the Liffey Players of Calgary, and Bag Lady, by Frank McGuiness, presented by Patabesin Productions, Calgary.
1997 Festival; Milwaukee In 1997, the AIITF was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 790 N. Van Buren St. May 14–17. Adjudicators for this festival were Milwaukee actress Laura Gordon; Christopher Foreman, former artistic director of the Northern Arts and Cultural Center in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada; and Ray Yeates, who was the youngest director in the history of Dublin's Abbey Theatre.Milwaukee Journal Sentinel May 14, 1997: "Irish plays are in the footlights for 4 days:
Company City Production Author Milwaukee Irish Arts Milwaukee, WI The Broken Jug John Banville Tara Players Winnipeg, MB The Field John B. Keane Na Fianna Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN John Bull's Other Island George Bernard Shaw Gaelic Park Players Chicago, IL The Year of the Hiker John B. Keane Irish Players of Prince George Prince George, BC The Bold Girls Rona Munro John Fitzgerald Theatre New York, NY Away With a Sailor Brendan Loonam Aisling Productions Calgary The Good Thing John B. Keane
The Best Production award in 1997 was presented to Tara Players of Winnipeg, for their production of The Field. Tadhg McMahon of the Tara Players was also presented with the Best Supporting Male award for his performance as Tadhg McCabe.
Note: The 2004 AIITF program lists the New York participant at the 1997 AIITF as the John Fitzgerald Theatre; the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article of May 14, 1997, lists the group as the Thomas Davis Players.
1998 Festival; Winnipeg The AIITF in 1998 returned to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was held at the Gas Station Theatre May 13–16, 1998.Winnipeg Free Press May 10, 1998, pg. D1 Groups from Toronto, Ottawa and Chicago joined the festival.
Productions
Company City Production Author Milwaukee Irish Arts Milwaukee, WI Greatest Hits and Blood Guilty Seán O'Casey (Hits) and Antoine O'Flatharta (Guilty) Ashling Productions Calgary, AB Women on the Verge of HRT Marie Jones Tara Players Winnipeg, MB The Shadow of a Gunman Seán O'Casey Na Fianna Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Faith Healer Brian Friel Toronto Irish Players Toronto, ON Lovers - Winners and Losers Brian Friel Tara Players of Ottawa Ottawa, ON Rat in the Skull Ron Hutchinson Gaelic Park Players Chicago IL Paul Twining George Shiels
Awards in 1998
Award Actor Role Play Company Best Production The Rat in the Skull Tara Players of Ottawa Lead Male Eric O'Brien and Don Quiring The Rat in the Skull Tara Players of Ottawa Lead Female (Information unavailable) Lovers-Winners and Losers Toronto Irish Players Supporting Male Stephen Meehan The Shadow of a Gunman Tara Players Supporting Female (Information unavailable) Lovers-Winners and Losers Toronto Irish Players Winnipeg Free Press May 19, 1998, pg. D7
1999 Festival; Chicago The Gaelic Park Players hosted the AIITF in Chicago, Illinois May 25–30, 1999.- Gaelic Park Players Website
Productions in 1999
Company City Production Author Milwaukee Irish Arts Milwaukee, WI The Country Boy John Murphy Innishfree Irish Theatre Boca Raton, FL Frugal Comforts Eamonn Kelly Tara Players Winnipeg, MB 44 Sycamore Street Bernard Farrell Na Fianna Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Rhapsody in Stephen's Green Flann O'Brien Irish American Heritage Center Chicago, IL Monday Night in a Country Town Tom O'Brien Tir Na Og Theatre Denver, CO Waiting for Godot Samuel Beckett Tara Players of Ottawa Ottawa, ON A Little Like Paradise Niall Williams Toronto Irish Players Toronto, ON Drama at Inish Lennox Robinson Gaelic Park Players Chicago, IL The Chastitute John B. Keane
Awards in 1999 Award Actor Role Play Company Best Production Frugal Comforts Innisfree Theatre Lead Male Tony Cohen Estragon Waiting for Godot Tír Na Nóg Theatre Lead Female Amy Flynn Julia The Country Boy Milwaukee Irish Arts Supporting Male Teige Reid Eddie Twohig Drama at Inish Toronto Irish Players Supporting Female Vera Kelly Eva Kishock The Chastitute Gaelic Park Players
2000 Festival; Toronto The Toronto Irish Players, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, hosted the AIITF in 2000. The festival included the North American debt of The Wheeping of Angles by Joseph O'Connor, brother of Sinéad O'Connor.Winnipeg Free Press March 24, 2000, p. D9
2000 Productions
Company City Production Author Tir Na Og Theatre Denver, CO (information unavailable) Innishfree Irish Theatre Boca Raton, FL (information unavailable) Tara Players of Ottawa Ottawa, MB The Broken Jug John Banville Gaelic Park Players Chicago, IL Thy Will Be Done Michael Carey Tara Players Winnipeg, MB The Weeping of Angels Joseph O'Connor Ashling Productions Calgary, AB Frugal Comforts Eamonn Kelly Na Fianna Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Bailegangaire Tom Murphy Toronto Irish Players Toronto, ON The Steward of Christendom Sebastian Barry Milwaukee Irish Arts Milwaukee, WI The Au Pair Man Hugh Leonard
2000 Awards
Award Actor Role Play Company Best Production Frugal Comforts Aisling Productions Lead Male Martin Kelly Frugal Comforts Aisling Productions Lead Female Tena May Gallivan Mary Bailegangaire Na Fianna Irish Theatre Supporting Male Kenny McCullagh Frugal Comforts Aisling Productions Supporting Female Vera Kelly Bridie Thy Will Be Done Gaelic Park Players Adjudicator's Award Deirdre Halferty Directing
2001 Festival; Denver In 2001, the AIITF was held in Denver, Colorado, USA, at the Courtyard Theatre, Auraria Campus, the University of Colorado Denver, on May 15–19, 2001.The Denver Post, May 14, 2001, pg F3, "Acting Irish in Denver Theater companies gather for festival" The festival was hosted by Tir Na nOg, whose name mean in Irish (Gaelic) "everlasting youth".Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO) May 12, 2001, pg. 8E, "Denver Gets its Irish up - at Ninth Theater Festival" A special performance by PHAMALy (Physically Handicapped Actors and Musical Artists League), as guests artists, was also presented at this festival.
Company City Production Author Tir Na Og Theatre Denver, CO Iph ... Colin Teevan Innishfree Irish Theatre Boca Raton, FL The Cripple of Innishmaan Martin McDonagh Tara Players of Ottawa Ottawa, ON The Poker Session Hugh Leonard Gaelic Park Players Chicago, IL The Course Brendan O'Carroll Tara Players Winnipeg, MB Brothers of the Brush Jimmy Murphy Ashling Prolductions Calgary, AB Beauty Queen of Leenane Martin McDonagh Toronto Irish Players Toronto, ON Happy Birthday Dear Alice Bernard Farrell Milwaukee Irish Arts Milwaukee, WI The Cavalcaders Billy Roche
The Best Production award in 2001 was presented to Innisfree Irish Theatre for their production of The Cripple of Innishmaan, by Martin McDonagh. Sean Mac Donnchadha, of Innisfree Irish Theatre, received the acting award for Best Lead Male Actor as JohnnyPateenMike in The Cripple of Innishmaan
2002 Festival; Ottawa The AIITF was held in the Capital of Canada, Ottawa, in 2002.
Company City Production Author Shapeshifters Theatre Chicago, IL "Sacrilege" Diane Shaffer Tir Na Og Theatre Denver, CO "Paddywack" Daniel Magee Innishfree Irish Theatre Boca Raton, FL "Moonshine" Jim Nolan Tara Players of Ottawa Ottawa, ON Sive John B. Keane Gaelic Park Players Chicago, IL The Salvage Shop Jim Nolan Tara Players Winnipeg, MB Our Lady of SligoWinnipeg Free Press, April 18, 2002, pg C8 Sebastian Barry Aisling Productions Calgary, AB "The Lonesome West" Martin McDonagh Milwaukee Irish Arts Milwaukee, WI Molly Sweeney Brian Friel Toronto Irish Players Toronto, ON "Da" Hugh Leonard
The Best Production award was presented to the Toronto Irish Players for their production of Da by Hugh Leonard
2003 Festival; Florida Innishfree Irish Theatre hosted the 2003 AIITF at The Crest Theatre, Del Ray Beach, Florida, May 11–17, 2003. The 2003 Festival also featured, for the first time, three groups invited from Ireland. This festival featured the first North American production of Paddy Irishman, Paddy Englishman, and Paddy. . .? by Declan Croghan.Winnipeg Free Press, April 24, 2003, pg. D6