The 2018 1st Irish Awards, the culmination of Origin Theatre’s 1st Irish Festival (January 9–29) has named Isobel Mahon’s comedy Party Face the Best Production of the year and its star, Hayley Mills, Best Actress. The Off-Broadway production, now playing at City Center through April 8, led the award nominations with five in total.
The critically acclaimed anniversary production of Enda Walsh’s play Disco Pigs, now playing at the Irish Repertory Theatre through March 4, was nominated for four awards including Best Production, Best Actor to Colin Campbell, and Best Actress to Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch. Though the show did not win in any of its categories, Campbell was the recipient of the Special Jury prize for his “risk-taking” performance.
Derek Murphy’s Dyin’ for It, which wrapped up its world-premiere run at the cell January 28, also had four nominations, with John Keating winning Best Director. The site-specific Building Pain (four short plays about the opioid epidemic in an apartment above Bloom’s Tavern) and The Only Jealousy of Emer both picked up three nominations. Guy Walked Into a Bar and Jimmy Titanic earned two nominations each, with the former winning Best Actor (Mick Mellamphy), and the latter winning Best Playwright (Bernard McMullan).
The Only Jealousy of Emer was awarded Best Design.
The 1st Irish Festival is presented annually by Origin Theatre and showcases the work of Irish playwrights in New York City. The closing night festivities and the awards were presented January 29 at Rosie O’Grady’s.
Below is a list of nominees. The winners are in bold with an asterisk.
Best Actress
Hayley Mills (Party Face)*
Maria Deasy (Dyin’ for It)
Evanna Lynch (Disco Pigs)
Gina Costigan (Party Face)
Best actor
Mick Mellamphy (Guy Walks Into a Bar)*
Colin Hamell (Jimmy Titanic)
Shane Allen (Building Pain)
Roger Clark (Guy Walks Into a Bar)
Best Director
John Haidar (Disco Pigs)
John Keating (Dyin’ for It)*
Ray Yeates (The Only Jealousy of Emer)
Amanda Bearse (Party Face)
Best Playwright
Enda Walsh (Disco Pigs)
Derek Murphy (Dyin’ for It)
Honor Molloy/Sarah Street/Brenda Meaney/Geraldine Hughes (Building Pain)
Bernard McMullan (Jimmy Titanic)*
Best Design
The Only Jealousy of Emer*
Building Pain
Party Face
Best Production
Dyin’ for It
Disco Pigs
The Only Jealousy of Emer
Party Face*
