2009-2010 Season

White Woman Street
By Sebastian Barry
May 7 - June 27, 2010

Ohio, 1916. Five outlaws led by Irish expatriate, Trooper O'Hara, converge on the town of White Woman Street. Haunted by dark memories of a long ago visit, O'Hara leads his rag-tag gang into the town -- and into the brothel, wherein he must face his demons.

Against a poetic narrative of Irish and American history, Sebastian Barry weaves a searing tale that evokes a time of change and personal displacement. Stories are told, songs are sung, wild boars are shot and eaten, and a train filled with gold is approaching fast!

Performance Schedule:

Wednesday – Saturday at 8pm
Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday at 3pm

Approximate Running Time:
90 minutes, including intermission

What the Critics Have to Say...

“Being given a superior production at the Irish Repertory Theatre… scenes come alive with a white-hot intensity. Under the inventive direction of Charlotte Moore, wooden rigs that look like oil derricks are turned into horses for the gang, creating a rich tension between the rural and the industrial that are appropriate for the setting. In addition, the ambitious sound design by Zachary Williamson gives license to our imaginations to visualize the final climactic attack on the gold train by the ragtag outlaw gang.” — Theatermania

“Irish playwright Sebastian Barry has combined his own poetry and love of cowboy mythology into a touching play, "White Woman Street," that features an amusing, diverse band of outlaws riding through Ohio in 1916. Charlotte Moore, skillfully directed with a big, warmhearted result. Trooper O'Hare, is played with thoughtful, grizzled melancholy by Stephen Payne. His oldest friend is an Amish man named Mo, portrayed with world-weary wisdom by Gordon Stanley. Greg Mullavey adds a comical touch as Blakely, a slightly addled, clownish British expatriate. Two younger outlaws are played by Evan Zes, as a Russian-Chinese man from Brooklyn, and Charlie Hudson III as a black cowboy from Tennessee. Ron Crawford gives a nice performance as a weathered bartender. A delightful evocation of the old West.” — Associated Press

“Distinctive performances from the ensemble… a tight, word-driven sketch of history that brings rough eloquence to the depth, humor, and torment… while balancing the Irish tradition of extended storytelling, deviltry, and heroism.” — CurtainUp

A “poignant play well worth seeing.” — Nytheatre.com

A Backstage Critic Pick! “Moore brings out the subtlety in Barry's language in these scenes, and Payne's quiet, craggy anguish breaks your heart”. — Backstage

“Moore’s clear eyed direction is aided by Zachary Williamson’s evocative sound design and Hugh Landwehr’s sparse and perfectly realized set. David Toser’s Costume Design flawlessly evokes the time period. White Woman Street represents a brave financial and creative risk by the Irish Rep, a company that continually sets the bar higher for itself and the city, so it’s gratifying to report that this production is already one of the highlights of the season.” — Irish Voice

All photos by Carol Rosegg.