Ireland’s esteemed theater company Druid makes its BAM debut with this 20th anniversary revival of Martin McDonagh’s Tony Award-winning pitch-black comedy abd the first in a trilogy of plays set in the sodden Irish backwater of Leenane. Context is everything, so get closer to the production through our series of curated links, videos, and articles. After you've attended the show, let us know what you thought by posting in the comments below and on social media using #BeautyQueenofLeenane.
Program Notes
Read
Martin McDonagh interview: ‘Theatre is never going to be edgy in the way I want it to be’ (The Guardian)An in-depth profile of McDonagh from last year that touches on his uneasy relationship to filmmaking, his status as an “actor’s playwright,” and the intense 10-month period between 1994 and 1995 that birthed all of his early plays.
“If I had a shilling for every time somebody came up to me and said, ‘how the hell did this guy know so well what my mother-daughter relationship is like’, well, I’d be a very rich person today.” —Director Garry Hynes, speaking about Martin McDonagh in the Irish Examiner.
Article
Marie Mullen in 'Beauty Queen of Leenane': Daughter and mother, victim and villain (LA Times)
An interview with Marie Mullen on her history with the play, first playing the daughter, Maureen, and returning to it in the role of her mother, Mag.
Watch & Listen
The cast of The Beauty Queen of Leenane on The Rosie O'Donnell Show (YouTube)
The original cast of Beauty Queen appears on The Rosie O’Donnell Show in 1998 to talk about their unprecedented Tony nominations.
Video
Theater Talk: Garry Hynes and Marie Mullen on "The Cripple of Inishmaan" (YouTube)
Gary Hynes and Marie Mullen appear on Theater Talk in 2011 to talk the origins of Druid, their work as female theater makers, and their revival of McDonagh’s Cripple of Inishmaan.
Now your turn...
Program Notes
Coming soon!
Read
Article
Martin McDonagh interview: ‘Theatre is never going to be edgy in the way I want it to be’ (The Guardian)
Article
Garry Hynes is bringing back Martin McDonagh’s The Beauty Queen of Leenane(Irish Examiner)“If I had a shilling for every time somebody came up to me and said, ‘how the hell did this guy know so well what my mother-daughter relationship is like’, well, I’d be a very rich person today.” —Director Garry Hynes, speaking about Martin McDonagh in the Irish Examiner.
Article
Marie Mullen in 'Beauty Queen of Leenane': Daughter and mother, victim and villain (LA Times)
An interview with Marie Mullen on her history with the play, first playing the daughter, Maureen, and returning to it in the role of her mother, Mag.
Watch & Listen
Video
The cast of The Beauty Queen of Leenane on The Rosie O'Donnell Show (YouTube)
The original cast of Beauty Queen appears on The Rosie O’Donnell Show in 1998 to talk about their unprecedented Tony nominations.
Video
Theater Talk: Garry Hynes and Marie Mullen on "The Cripple of Inishmaan" (YouTube)
Gary Hynes and Marie Mullen appear on Theater Talk in 2011 to talk the origins of Druid, their work as female theater makers, and their revival of McDonagh’s Cripple of Inishmaan.
Now your turn...
What did you think? Tell us what's on your mind in the comments below and on social media using #BeautyQueenofLeenane.