Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre in Wheeling continues its season of community theater with a production of “Dancing at Lughnasa”—Irish playwright Brian Friel’s award-winning masterpiece that poetically speaks to our common humanity and the beauty found in our everyday lives.
It will be staged for two weekends—March 14, 15, 16 and 21 and 22.
A Moving Portrait of Family Life, Sisterhood, Dreams, and Desires
Set in the rural Irish countryside in the summer of 1936, the play centers on five unmarried Mundy sisters— Kate, Maggie, Agnes, Rose and Chris — who battle poverty to raise seven-year-old Michael and care for their brother, ‘Uncle’ Jack. The sisters fight each other, love each other, dance, yearn, and survive.
While life is difficult for these complex, flawed characters, their story is one where magic still exists—even in the face of life’s harsh realities.
“I want audiences to see a bit of themselves in these characters,” director Cassandra Majetich said,” whether that is sisterhood, or religions from across the world, or a child being left by a parent, or fear of losing a job, or hopes of finding love one day, or having the courage to dance around to just get through the day. These hopes and fears haven’t changed since 1936 and will continue to be experienced beyond our years.”
“Dancing”—Literally & Metaphorically
“Dancing” in the title of the play is both literal and metaphorical, Majetich explained. The story unfolds during the Celtic harvest festival of Lughnasa, where Pagan and Christian meet and collide. However, dancing represents something more throughout the play–celebration, joy, connection, an escape from the mundane.
Each of the characters in the play dances at some crucial moment. Majetich said these moments are significant. “Anytime we see dancing throughout the show it’s a moment of getting carried away, the release from all our troubles and worries, and to truly be in the present moment.”
One of the play’s most memorable scenes is when the five sisters stomp and whirl in joyous movement to Celtic music. “It’s an iconic sequence of the play throughout its history. These five actors and the dedication they bring to their sisterhood is something that the Ohio Valley doesn’t want to miss,” she said.
Ever-Evolving Societal Norms
Another theme the play explores is “how societal norms are constantly evolving,” Majetich said.
“In this time period women are supposed to be married by their late teens or at the latest by their early 20s, with children, and being provided for by the patriarch of the household. But we see the five sisters with none of that. All are unmarried and ‘past their prime’ and only one sister has a child, but he is born out of wedlock. And it’s not even that these characters try to be rebellious and fight norms. They would all like to ‘fit it’… but they have to make do with the way their lives have ended up.”
Clash Between Old and New Religious Views
She added that “Dancing at Lughnasa” also looks at “how society is changing from religious to secular.”
Throughout the story, we see the clash between old and new religious perspectives. For example, the play explores the tension between oldest sister Kate–a staunch Catholic and head of the family—and Jack, who has recently returned after doing 25 years of missionary work in Uganda.
A “Memory Play” Framed by Childhood Recollections
“Dancing at Lughnasa” is a “memory play” framed by the narrator’s childhood recollection.
“The story is told through the eyes of the narrator Michael—the illegitimate son of Christina Mundy and Gerry Evans. He opens the play with, ‘When I cast my mind back to the Summer of 1936…’ and goes on to reflect upon his childhood, and why this moment in time had a significant impact for him and his family,” Majetich said.
Majetich also noted that the play is semi-autobiographical and loosely based on the lives of the playwright’s mother and four aunts.
Finding Beauty in Everyday Life
When approached to direct the show, Majetich said she wasn’t deeply familiar with the play, but she fell in love with the script and became immediately excited to direct a “female heavy ensemble piece.”
“Brian Friel is oftentimes referred to as the Irish Anton Chekhov. Both of their playwriting styles focus on representing real life on stage. Most of the time we go through life seemingly mundane, nothing flashy. But there is a beauty in dealing with the everyday problems and joys of family life and then of course there is the background noise of society that just keeps going in spite of our everyday lives,” she said.
Top-Notch Cast Exemplifies “Where Community Meets Creativity”
Cast members are Vincent Marshall as Michael Evans, Jennifer Kellner-Muscar as Kate Mundy, Maura Danielle Reiff-Parissi as Margaret Mundy, Micah Underwood as Agnes Mundy, Makayla Carney as Rose Mundy, Kayla Starkey as Christina Mundy, Kody Starkey as Gerry Evans, Eric Dutton as Father Jack, Nico Muscar as Boy Michael.
Majetich said the cast is “top notch” and really speaks to Towngate’s mission– “Where Community Meets Creativity.”
“We have a wide variety of experience and backgrounds on that stage, from extremely experienced actors and directors to fresh faces that have never been in a play before. We have mothers (me included) that want to get back into theatre and do a little something for ourselves. We’ve got a mother and son in the show that get to share the stage together. Theater is more than just a play. It’s about encouraging others to see what all they are capable of.”
Building Characters from the Ground Up
Majetich, who has a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in theater, said her training as an actor greatly influenced her directorial approach to the play.
“When I act, I like to play around on stage to begin thinking how my character will come to life, so I really challenged the actors in this show to build their characters from the ground up. This is an ensemble piece, so it was extremely important to me for them to take ownership of the world they are creating.”
Thank You, Sponsors!
This production is presented with support from Towngate’s main season sponsor Unified Bank with additional support from Sean O’Leary and Dr. Michael J. Ramsay.
Get Tickets!
Curtain for Towngate’s production of “Dancing at Lughnasa” is at 8pm March 14, 15, 21 and 22, and 3pm Sunday, March 16. Purcahse tickets online or call 304-242-7700. You can also purchase tickets at the door, if available. Box office opens one hour prior to curtain.
More Than Theater…
In addition to community theater, Towngate offers children’s theater, ballet, improvisational comedy, and live music. Towngate is also a single screen cinema, offering movies on select evenings and features changing art exhibitions in The Gallery at Towngate. Theater classes are also offered year-round.
Towngate is in Wheeling’s historic Centre Market District. This church-turned-theater is one of several Wheeling venues operated by the non-profit Oglebay Institute. Other OI facilities include: Stifel Fine Arts Center and School of Dance on National Road, the Mansion Museum, Glass Museum and Schrader Environmental Education Center in Oglebay.
As a nonprofit community theater, Towngate relies on the generosity of patrons, neighbors, and friends who invest in our community and the stories we tell together. Memberships to Oglebay institute also support the work of the theater and all Oglebay Institute venues. Oglebay Institute memberships are available in a variety of price ranges and include perks such as discounts, special events, priority registration, and more.
