Druid Theatre Company
Encyclopedia
The Druid Theatre Company, founded in Galway
in 1975, was the first Irish
professional theatre
company to be established outside Dublin. The theatre company was founded by Garry Hynes
, Marie Mullen
and Mick Lally
after the three had met and put on productions together while members of the University College Galway Drama Society Dramsoc.
From its Galway home, it has been to the fore in the development of Irish theatre, performing in its home in Chapel Lane, elsewhere in Galway, Ireland and beyond. Druid has toured in Ireland and internationally (including touring with productions in London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Perth, Washington D.C. and New York). The company has won an international reputation for both classic work and new work, and is one of the most well-known in the English speaking theatre world.
It has led the way in the development of Irish theatre and is generally credited (along with Macnas
and the Galway Arts Festival
) with making Galway one of the premier cultural centres in Ireland. In 2005, DruidSynge
, a production of all six plays of John Millington Synge
as a day-long cycle, or multi-day series of double bills, was envisioned by Garry Hynes and premiered at the 2005 Galway Arts Festival to critical acclaim. Druid's contribution to the 2007 Dublin theatre festival was a production of Eugene O'Neill
's acclaimed autobiographical play, Long Day's Journey Into Night
.
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
in 1975, was the first Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
professional theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
company to be established outside Dublin. The theatre company was founded by Garry Hynes
Garry Hynes
Garry Hynes is an Irish theatre director. She holds the distinction of being the first female to win the prestigious Tony Award for direction of a play.Hynes was born in Ballaghadereen, Roscommon County and educated at St...
, Marie Mullen
Marie Mullen
Marie Mullen is an Irish actress.She was one of the founding members of the Druid Theatre Company and her husband has been associated with the company many times in the past...
and Mick Lally
Mick Lally
Michael 'Mick' Lally was an Irish stage, film and television actor. He departed from a teaching career for acting during the 1970s...
after the three had met and put on productions together while members of the University College Galway Drama Society Dramsoc.
From its Galway home, it has been to the fore in the development of Irish theatre, performing in its home in Chapel Lane, elsewhere in Galway, Ireland and beyond. Druid has toured in Ireland and internationally (including touring with productions in London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Perth, Washington D.C. and New York). The company has won an international reputation for both classic work and new work, and is one of the most well-known in the English speaking theatre world.
It has led the way in the development of Irish theatre and is generally credited (along with Macnas
Macnas
Macnas is a performance company based at the Fisheries Field in Galway, Ireland. Its public performances are noted for exuberance, colour and spectacle...
and the Galway Arts Festival
Galway Arts Festival
Galway Arts Festival is an annual arts festival that takes place each July in Galway, Ireland. It is Ireland’s leading arts festival and one of the most successful and influential arts enterprises in the country. The Festival is one of the key European arts festivals...
) with making Galway one of the premier cultural centres in Ireland. In 2005, DruidSynge
DruidSynge
DruidSynge is a theatre production of the complete plays of John Millington Synge by the Irish based Druid Theatre Company. It was the vision of Garry Hynes, the first woman to win a Tony Award for best director, to create the day-long cycle of all six plays;...
, a production of all six plays of John Millington Synge
John Millington Synge
Edmund John Millington Synge was an Irish playwright, poet, prose writer, and collector of folklore. He was a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival and was one of the cofounders of the Abbey Theatre...
as a day-long cycle, or multi-day series of double bills, was envisioned by Garry Hynes and premiered at the 2005 Galway Arts Festival to critical acclaim. Druid's contribution to the 2007 Dublin theatre festival was a production of Eugene O'Neill
Eugene O'Neill
Eugene Gladstone O'Neill was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in Literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into American drama techniques of realism earlier associated with Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, and Swedish...
's acclaimed autobiographical play, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Long Day's Journey Into Night is a 1956 drama in four acts written by American playwright Eugene O'Neill. The play is widely considered to be his masterwork...
.