Irish Fest is the largest Irish festival in the country. This year Milwaukee Irish Arts is producing all theater performances at The Theatre Pavilion. Irish Fest is the only local ethnic festival that presents theater.  Your ticket to Irish Fest includes free entry to The Theatre Pavilion. Here are the entertaining shows to be presented this year Friday, August 14 through Sunday August 16

Letters to Ireland – the Emigrant Experience in their own words

Author: Daniel Carey

This performance draws on a unique archive of thousands of surviving letters of Irish emigrants to America in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries held in the University of Galway, Ireland. How did they write home about their experience in a new country? From social life to the world of work, memories of Ireland, and milestones in America, Letters to Ireland offers a remarkable insight into the thoughts and voices of those who left home but kept their ties to Ireland alive.

(45 minutes)

Cast and Crew

Actor – Kevin Callahan
Actor – Amy Callahan
Actor – Rose Callahan
Actor – Robin Christiansen
Narrator – Emonn O'Neill (voiceover)
Irish Reder – Emonn de Cogain (voiceover)
Fiddler – T.J. Hull
Director – Amanda J Hull

Young Sully: Stories from an Irish-American Youth

Comedian: Patrick O’Sullivan

Los Angeles actor/comedian Patrick O’Sullivan is a veteran of TV sitcoms, stand-up comedy, and national touring companies. His one-man show gives a heartfelt and comedic reflection of lessons learned from growing up in the Irish immigrant culture of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Featuring remarkable and outlandish tales of everyone from his father (former Premier League soccer player Paddy O’Sullivan) to local folk hero Johnny Foley, Young Sully was chosen as a San Francisco Chronicle Pick of the Week and was honored as a selection at the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival in Austin TX.

(45 Minutes)

Cast

Comedian/Storyteller - Patrick O'Sullivan

Weaving Irish Myth, Folklore, Humor and Heart Through Story

Storyteller: Emonn de Cogain

Éamonn de Cógáin is an electrifying storyteller, actor, and master of Irish folklore whose performances bring the ancient legends of Ireland vividly to life. Descended from generations of storytellers and entertainers, he carries forward a tradition that stretches back centuries, weaving myth, history, humor, and heart into every tale.

A native Irish (Gaelic) speaker and gifted performer, Eamonn transports listeners to the enchanted landscapes of ancient Ireland through his stories of legendary heroes, the mysteries of the Otherworld, and the mischievous adventures of fairies and folk spirits.

Éamonn’s performances are immersive, unforgettable experiences for all ages. Expect laughter, wonder, and perhaps even a few goosebumps as Ireland’s oldest stories leap from the shadows of the past and come alive before your eyes.

(45 minutes)

Cast

Shanachie– Eamonn de Cogain

Chapatti

Author: Christian O’Reilly

The staged reading of Chapatti won the hearts of packed audiences earlier this year at County Clare. This charming story of two lonely seniors in Dublin – dog owner Dan and cat lady Betty – is a surprising mix of comedy, heartache, and the universal need for companionship.

Milwaukee Irish Arts favorites Bo Johnson and Margaret Casey bring these unforgettable characters to life.

”Smiles, laughter and a few tears may be shed, but audiences will never forget the beauty and poignance of this tender story about two people who learn how to love.“ –Chicago Theatre Review

(75 minutes)

Cast

Betty - Margaret Casey
Dan - Bo Johnson
Director – Cody Estle

Meeting Venus

Author: Simon O’Gorman

This delightful short play comes by way of Fishamble: The New Play Company, based in Dublin. An award-winning Irish theatre company, Fishamble discovers, develops and produces new plays of national importance with a global reach. This play highlights creative new writing through its focus on the simplicity of two men sitting on a park bench, whose conversation evolves into a mystery that explores epic ideas such as mythic figures and the nature of love and time. The writing is humorous, quirky and surprising.

(15 minutes)

Cast

Trevor - Kevin Callahan
Benjamin - Jonathan Wainwright
Director – James J Gallagher

Schedule of performances:

Milwaukee Irish Fest Information:

Main Website: https://irishfest.com/Milwaukee-Irish-Fest

For ticket information to Irish Fest go here:  https://irishfest.com/tickets.htm

Milwaukee Irish Arts on Facebook:

https://facebook.com/milirisharts