Irish ghost stories return to MET for Halloween

Press release posted by Bob Evans

Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre at the Warwick

MET is pleased to announce:

The Weir

By Conor McPherson

Directed by Bob Paisley

October 17-31 in the Lobby Bar at The Warwick Theatre,

The winner of the 1997 Olivier Award for Best New Play. The local men gather for their evening pint in Brendan’s pub when the arrival of a stranger in their midst – a woman – spurs them to impress her with stories. With a whiff of sexual tension in the air and the wind whistling outside, they spin stories of souls past and of spirits very much present. But one story is more chilling and more real than any of the men could have foreseen. The Weir is a haunting evocative evening in the theatre you will never forget.

Tickets are $25- $54 and can be purchased online at metkc.org or by calling the Box Office at 816-569-3226. The performance is in the Lobby Bar at The Warwick Theatre, 3927 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111. Seating is limited

“A beautiful and devious new play.” —NY Times.

“Sheer theatrical magic.“ —London Daily Telegraph.

Featuring:

Curtin Smith – Brendan

Curtis has been acting in Kansas City since 1998, most recently performing in The MET’s production ofCity of Angels. You may also have seen him perform at the Living Room Theatre, or in various staged readings around town. He’s also a playwright, sculptor, and occasional prop maker. He would like to thank everyone at the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre for their dedication and hard work and is proud to take on this role in The Weir.

Kevin Fewell – Jack

Kevin is pleased to be part of this great story! Kevin has been part of the Kansas City acting community for almost 40 years, performing onstage, in film and television. Kevin was last seen by MET audiences as Brooksie inThe Shawshank Redemption.

Tommy Waller – Jim

Tommy is excited to be returning to the MET as a part of this production. Local credits including Lobster Man inCowboy Mouth, Indian Joe in The Gnadiges Fraulein, Arvirgus in Cymbeline, Stephano in The Tempest, Govenor Faubus in The Nine Who Dared and Red in We Shall Not Be Moved at the Coterie. He also performs improv regularly at Comedy City and has performed for KCIC. Tommy earned his BFA in Theatre Performance from MVC.

Michael Scahill – Finbar

Michael is overjoyed to return to the Metropolitan Ensemble. Past credits include Father (Violet) at Olathe Civic Theatre, Claude Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) at The Culture House, Steve Baker (Showboat) at Musical Theater Heritage, Oddyseus (Penelope) at Lyric Opera Kansas City, and, most recently, as Jimmy Powers (City of Angels) and Clarkein Gross Indecency at MET. Many thanks to my amazing fiancé Courtney, my parents Mike and Ann Marie, and all of my friends for their continued support. On with the show!

Elizabeth Hillman – Valerie

Elizabeth is ecstatic to return to the show where she made her MET debut. Favorite L.A. credits include Helena inA Midsummer Night’s Dream, Klara in Teshuvah and Honey in Uncle Vampire. Local credits include Ivy in August: Osage County, Lee Green in Tale of the Allergists Wife, Helga in Kindertransport, Mrs. Hudson in Fahrenheit 451 and most recently Ms. Kay in 2121. Favorites from KC Fringe include Hannah in Boxes and Ashes, Stephanie in Jesus on Toast and Lisa in Devoured by Tigers. A deep and sincere thank you goes to her family (by birth and by choice) for their love and support.

Bob Paisley – Director

Bob is an award-winning actor and director, working with theatres across North America, UK and Australia. He has played such challenging roles as Teach in AMERICAN BUFFALO, Heisenberg in COPENHAGEN, The Man in THE EVENT and the 42nd President in BILL CLINTON HERCULES. He is a founding member of MET and has directed productions for Theatre West Virginia, the Birmingham Children’s Theatre, Neptune Theatre, and Fringe festivals in Kansas City, Bedford, Adelaide, and Edinburgh.

Conor McPherson – Playwright:

McPherson was born in Dublin in 1971. He attended the University College in Dublin, where he began to write and direct. His plays include RUM & VODKA, THE GOOD THIEF, THIS LIME TREE BOWER, ST. NICHOLAS, THE WEIR (Olivier Award, Best Play), DUBLIN CAROL, PORT AUTHORITY, SHINING CITY (Tony Award nomination, Best Play), and THE SEAFARER. Film work includes “I Went Down,” “Saltwater,” Samuel Beckett’s “Endgame,” and “The Actors.” Other awards include the George Devine Award; Critics’ Circle Award; Evening Standard Award; Meyer Whitworth Award; Stewart Parker Award; two Irish Film & Television Academy Best Screenplay Awards; CICAE Best Film Award, Berlin Film Festival (“Saltwater”); Best Film and Best Screenplay Awards, San Sebastian Film Festival (“I Went Down”).

About MET

At its heart, MET is committed to the art of story. We claim the great stories of our heritage as the birthright for all people. We work to encourage the creation of new stories and new artists whose voices speak to the rich totality of our community and whose perspectives deepen our understanding of each other and of our selves. We believe that exploration of personal creativity and opportunity for engagement in life- long learning is critical to the health and happiness of people and our world.