By Brian Friel

South Simcoe Theatre

March 2019

I first encountered Dancing at Lughnasa when I was 11 years old. I had just finished performing in a production of King John with the Marlowe Society in Cambridge England. Two of my fellow castmates were to play Chrissy and Gerry. I knew nothing about the play when I saw it, but felt a deep connection to it. My dad, Douglas Moggach, had a very similar upbringing to Michael. He grew up in a very tight-knit family with four aunts. From the five women (four aunts and his mom), my dad was the only child. As such, I saw my dad in Michael, and my great-aunts and grandmother in the Mundy sisters. From that performance (now more than 17 years ago), I knew Dancing at Lughnasa was a story I had to tell, and I became a life-long Brian Friel fan.

The cast

Michael Evans: Tadgh O’Connell

Kate Mundy: Trudee Romanek

Maggie Mundy: Nancy Smokler

Rose Mundy: Kristen Keller - ACT-Co Award: Best Lead Actress in a Drama (Finalist)

Agnes Mundy: Danielle Kostrich

Christina Mundy: Marissa Caldwell

Jack Mundy: Jim Jenkinson

Gerry Evans: Gordon Haney - ACT-Co Award: Best Lead Actor in a Drama (Finalist)

The Crew

Producer: Mel Hitch

Stage Manager, Props Master: Lesley Coo

Set Designer: Vera Oleynikova

Costume Designer: Marlene Kell

Lighting Designer: Mark Hayward

Sound Designer: Philip Chase