The Newton Nomadic Theater is back with its newest production – “Molly Sweeney” by Brian Friel. It opens on Fri Feb 5 and will run for five weeks at locations all around Newton (and Sudbury).
Back in November we were planning our next production A Picasso by Jeffrey Hatcher when a call came in from one of our favorite actors, Billy Meleady. Nomadic Theater fans will have seen Billy in our productions of both Faith Healer and Turn of the Screw. Billy said he’d love to come back to the NNT and do a production of Molly Sweeney in tribute to playwright Brian Friel who passed away this year. So we’ve pushed back A Picasso until April to make way for Molly Sweeney.
There’s a great symmetry to this production on a couple of counts. First off we first launched the theater with a Brian Friel play so it only seems right to recognize the passing of this stunning writer. Second, we only had the good fortune of working with Billy Meleady due to a horrific accident that befell Steven Cooper, the original actor that we had cast. When Steven ended up in the hospital more than half way through rehearsals for Faith Healer, Billy Meleady stepped in, took over the role from Steven and rescued the production. So for Molly Sweeney, we’ve cast Steven Cooper and Billy Meleady together and added a fabulous NNT newcomer, Noni Lewis in the title role.
For each Nomadic Theater production we always like to add a new venue where we haven’t previously performed. This time we’re very excited to be doing two performances at Bocca Bella Bistro and Cafe in Auburndale. We’re also back at some of our favorite regular spots Gregorian Rugs, Waban Library, Steve Siegel and Theresa St Johns’ living room, and as always a closing night at Dunn Gaherins. We’re also very excited to have live music at a number of the dates with fiddler Emerald Rae performing before and during the show.
Once again, our little theater is stunned at the quality of actors we’ve managed to round up for this production. Between Billy Meleady being in Black Mass with Johnny Depp, Noni Lewis being a voice in a Wallace and Gromit feature film and Stephen Coopers work in an NPR drama, this cast has some impressive work under their belts. Don’t miss these three amazing actors in Brian Friel’s powerful drama inspired by the Oliver Sacks story “To see, not see”
