A cast of eight New World School of the Arts college theatre students bring to the stage the Tony Award-nominated black comedy, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, by British-Irish playwright and filmmaker, Martin McDonagh. Directed by NWSA theatre faculty, James Randolph, the Tony Award-nominated play is set in the tiny Irish island of Inishmore around the time and the culture of The Troubles – the strife that occurred between the British government (the Crown) and the IRA (Irish Republican Army). At the center of the play is Wee Thomas, a cat that has allegedly been killed! The feline, which is either referenced or appears throughout the play, becomes a metaphor for love and hope, contrasting the inherent violence and brutality of the struggle for freedom.
In his notes, Director Randolph delves deeper into the central question surrounding the plot: Who knocked Mad Padraic’s cat over on a lonely road on the island of Inishmore and was it an accident? “In this dark comedy, the audience is invited to see the humor in many things, especially death. Humor is not jokes; humor is the component within human existence that allows every one of us to survive every day. The struggle for survival is a big element in this play – all the characters struggle in their own way, including that cat, often leading to a cataclysmic conclusion.”
The play and its impact on the student performers is furthered explained by the stage manager, Emily Woodhouse, a sophomore in the NWSA college program who notes, “Inishmore is a story about the struggles and the repercussions of this kind of pressure that explodes onto the characters. My role as a stage manager has allowed me to work with great directors by seeing how they handle a scene and a show and understanding the different processes. As an actor, I love being a fly on the wall and learning from all these fantastic artists and the leading roles or characters.”
Meanwhile, Eric Gospodinoff, a college acting senior and cast member, also underscores the impact of the play in his development as an artist. “Having the freedom to explore different choices, different ideas, different tactics throughout the scenes with an amazing director like Randolph and my great classmates, has helped me grow as an actor in training. It makes the process a lot easier because you have more fun, you’ll feel like you have that safety, that openness to be able to explore things where you’re not sure if it will work but you have that freedom in the room to say let’s try it, let’s see if it’ll work.”
Content Advisory: This production contains scenes of simulated graphic violence against people and animals that some may find disturbing, loud gunfire and music, blood effects, adult language, and adult situations. Ages 18 and up. Audience members ages 14-17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Acting and musical theatre students at NWSA hone their craft through acting technique, movement, and speech classes, focusing on fundamentals of physical and emotional preparation. With performance at its core, training is based on the classical texts and the principles of drama as well as practical incursions into the contemporary and experimental edges of theatre. Consequently, alumni are found performing onstage nationally and internationally and their talent and vision are recognized and highly regarded in the industry. 2024-2025 Theatre Season Scheduled Events.
New World School of the Arts was created by the Florida Legislature as a center of excellence in the performing and visual arts. It is an educational partnership of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami Dade College, and the University of Florida.
For information about New World School of the Arts please call 305-237-3541.
THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE
November 8; 7:30 PM
November 9; 2 PM; 7:30 PM
November 15; 7:30 PM
November 16; 2 PM; 7:30 PM
Louise O. Gerrits Theater
25 NE 2nd Street, 8th Floor, Miami
General admission $12. Students and seniors $5