Northern Ireland religious strife focus of one-woman play
“Belfast Blues,” a onewoman play written and performed by Geraldine Hughes and directed by Carol Kane, will be presented Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14 and 15, at 8 p.m. at the McKenna Theatre on the State University of New York at New Paltz campus, 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz.
“Belfast Blues” is a tapestry of stories told from Hughes’ perspective as a little girl coming of age in the war-torn Belfast of the 1980s. Passionate, riveting, often humorous, these stories bear insightful witness to the many faces of “trying to live a normal life” amidst the violence born of the long-standing strife between Catholics and Protestants.
The play was developed in collaboration with Kim Terrell and The Virtual Theatre Project in 2003, and produced by Steven Klein and Matt Shakman as the first play in Black Dahlia’s 2003 season in Los Angeles.
Hughes is an Irish actress. Born in West Belfast, she has appeared in films such as “Duplex,” “Rocky Balboa” and “Gran Torino.” She also played Mary Todd Lincoln in “Killing Lincoln” and appeared as Dr. Nina in the TV show “The Blacklist.” Her Broadway credits include “Jerusalem,” “Translations” and “Cyrano de Begerac.”
Kane made her Broadway debut in “Ring Around the Bathtub.” Best known as Simka on the acclaimed sitcom “Taxi” and as Lillian on the popular Netflix show “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” Kane has appeared in such films as “Annie Hall,” “Dog Day Afternoon” and “Hester Street,” which earned her an Oscar nod. Broadway credits include “Wicked,” “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-inthe-Moon Marigolds,” “Sly Fox” and the 2012 revival of “Harvey.”
Tickets are $20, $18 for seniors ages 62 and older, New Paltz faculty and staff, and non-New Paltz students. Admission is $10 for SUNY New Paltz students.
Tickets are available at the Parker Theatre box office or the McKenna Theatre box office an hour before the performance. Tickets can also be purchased online at newpaltz.edu/the atre/ Call (845) 257-3880 or send an email boxoffice@ newpaltz.edu.