The world premiere of Paradise Square, directed by Moisés Kaufman, opened at Berkeley Repertory Theatre January 10 after beginning preview performances December 27, 2018.
Conceived by Irish musician Larry Kirwin, who is a co-writer on the show’s book and score, the writing team also includes playwrights Marcus Gardley (Every Tongue Confess) and Craig Lucas (The Light in the Piazza, Prelude to a Kiss), as well as Little Women composer Jason Howland. Bill T. Jones serves as choreographer.
Set in 1863 in the Five Points neighborhood of New York City, the musical repurposes popular 19th-century music to tell the story of a time when Black and Irish Americans lived side by side for a brief period of racial harmony before the looming Civil War.
Flip through photos of the production below:
The show stars Kennedy Caughell (Janey Foster); Kevin Dennis (Mike Quinlan); Sidney Dupont (William Henry Lance); Jacob Fishel (Stephen Foster/Milton Moore); Daren A. Herbert (Rev. Samuel E. Cornish); Gabrielle McClinton (Angelina Baker); Ben Michael (Daniel Fernando); Christina Sajous (Annabelle “Nelly” Freeman); A.J. Shively (Owen Duignan); Madeline Claire Trumble (Annie O’Brien); Mark Uhre (Elmer Woods); and Christian Whelan (Patrick Murphy).
Completing the cast are Karen Burthwright; Tiffany Adeline Cole; Garrett Coleman; Colin Cunliffe; Chloé Davis; Bernard Dotson; Jamal Christopher Douglas; Sam Edgerly; Shiloh Goodin; Jacobi Hall; Erin Lamar; Jason Oremus; Bridget Riley; Clinton Roane; Celia Mei Rubin; Erica Spyres; Lael Van Keuren; Brendan Wall; Sir Brock Warren; and Hailee Kaleem Wright.
Garth Drabinsky produces the premiere in association with Peter LeDonne and Teatro Proscenium Limited Partnership.
