Fishtown Players is proud to present The Seafarer. This is a 2006 play by Irish playwright Conor McPherson. It is set on Christmas Eve in Baldoyle, a coastal suburb north of Dublin city. The play centers on James “Sharkey” Harkin, an alcoholic who has recently returned to live with his blind, aging brother, Richard Harkin. As Sharkey attempts to stay off the bottle during the holidays, he contends with the hard-drinking, irascible Richard and his own haunted conscience.
Cast
Jay DiPrima
DiPrima (Mr. Lockhart) has taught and directed performing arts at the O’Maley Middle School for the past nine years. Dr. DiPrima also teaches graduate courses in drama and education for Fitchburg State and Endicott College. He has been fortunate to tour for many years as an actor and director with the Guild Players Touring Company – bringing historical figures and literary adaptations to school children throughout New England. His most recent stage roles include Fitz Henry Lane and Reverend John Murray in a play that he also wrote and directed (Beauport Anthology).
Rory O’Connor
(Sharkey) is an artist who makes his living as a housepainter. He recently took up acting and was seen in The CAT’s production of Connor McPherson’s The Weir and with Nan Webber production of The Mad Woman of Chailot. He was born in Dublin Ireland where he played professional soccer. In the 1980’s O’Connor moved to America to study spirituality and martial arts. He was a student of spiritual teacher Andrew Cohen for 10 years and continues to find inspiration in his teaching of evolutionary enlightenment. O’Connor is also an abstract painter who shows his work in Dublin and Gloucester.
Michael McNamara
(Richard) is a graduate of Salem State with a B.A. in Theater Arts. Michael has been acting, directing and producing on area stages for over 35 years. He made his professional debut in 1982 as Phil Hogan in Eugene O’Neill’s, A Moon for the Misbegotten at the old Barton Square Playhouse in Salem, Ma. He made his Actor’s Equity debut in Israel Horovitz’s, Park Your Car in Harvard Yard at the Manhattan Theater Club with Ellen Burstyn and Burgess Meredith. Favorite roles include Artie Shaughnessy in John Guare’s, The House of Blue Leaves, at The Blackburn Theater, Joxer in Juno and the Paycock at The Lyric Stage, Dr Rice in Molly Sweeney with Paula Plum and Paul O’Brien at Gloucester Stage, Jack in The Weir and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice for C.A.S.T. He produced and was featured as Jack in McPherson’s The Weir in 2010 for CATas well as a host of others roles on area stages over the years. Other credits include producing and directing Whodunit? Dinner Theater and Kingfisher Hall, a downtown performance space in Gloucester. He wishes to dedicate his efforts to his splendid wife Cynthia, without whom this would not be possible. She has to live with him.
Bob Karish
(Ivan Curry) Bob has performed on stage for Salem Theatre Company, Mugford Street Players, Hit and Run Theatre, Wharf Rat Productions, History Alive, Winchester Players, Arlington Friends of the Drama and Lyric West Theatre. He most recently appeared locally in “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” for Cape Ann Shakespeare Troupe. Bob can also be seen occasionally in “Flanagan’s Wake” which performs all around the Boston area. On TV, Bob has appeared in a couple of local commercials which you’ve probably never seen, but also impressed as a silent Puritan elder with a bad mullet in “We Shall Remain” for PBS’ “The American Experience”. Bob has also performed at comedy clubs all over New England and in New York City with the improve troupe “Comedie Du Jour”. He would like to express his mad love for his better-talented half, his wife Kris Burke.
David Adams
(Nicky Giblin ) was last seen on stage as Jeeves in Jeeves & Wooster and as Antonio in The Merchant of Venice for C.A.S.T. He has performed with The Theater of Newburyport, Cape Ann Theatre Troupe and the Theatre in the Open. A self-employed arborist here on Cape Ann. He wishes to express his appreciation and love for his bride, Carol.
Credits
Co-Directors
Jay DiPrima & Michael McNamara
Assistant Director
Max McNamara
Set Design
Susan Frey
Sound
Bradley Royds
Lighting
Brendan Marr
Stage Manager
Dan Diamond
House Manager
Cynthia McNamara
Props
All hands
Costumes
Polly Ester
Dramaturge
Linda Robinson
Print & Poster& Grapic Art
Andrew Andrushchenko
Social Media
Andrew Andrushchenko
Special thanks to:
Gloucester Stage,Fred Shrigley & The Rhumbline, Susan Frey, Richard Emmanuel, Constance Condon, Leslie Sarofeen, Greg Sacca, ,Patty Donahue,All the ushers and food concession folks.
“The Seafarer” by Connor McPherson- April 2012 (Gorton’s Theatre – home of Gloucester Stage Company)
- Produced by Fishtown Players
- Directed by Jay DiPrima,& Michael McNamara
- Assistant Director Max McNamara
Video Interview – Good Morning Gloucester (March 2012)
