The Eugene O’Neill Festival is proud to present ANNA/ Christine: A One-Woman Exploration, performed by Jenny Mercein and co-created by Jenny Mercein and Ryder Thornton. The performance includes verbatim passages from Eugene O’Neill’s play "Anna Christie" as well as original writing inspired by the biography of Christine Ell, an acquaintance of O’Neill who served as an inspiration for the character. The piece sheds light on Christine Ell’s remarkable journey, highlighting how her political/ feminist ideals may have influenced O’Neill. The performance will be followed by a panel discussion.
Speaking about the central character in his landmark play, The Hairy Ape (the concluding production of the 2025 Festival), Eugene O’Neill said, “Yank is really yourself, and myself. He is every human being . . . His struggle to ‘belong,’ to find the thread that will make him a part of the fabric of Life—we are all struggling to do just that.” Professors Brenda Murphy (Emeritus, University of Connecticut) and Beth Wynstra (Babson College) will speak at this session on the initial production of The Hairy Ape through the lens of the theme of belonging and will discuss Carlotta Monterey and the role of Mildred in the play. They will be joined by Lori Cassels who will speak about the significance of the night of 22 January 1918 and the death of O'Neill's friend, Louis Holliday, in the evolution of the playwright's work.
“And, perhaps, the Hairy Ape at last belongs” is the famous final stage direction of O’Neill’s The Hairy Ape. In this panel, Professor Valerie Joyce (Villanova University) will lead a discussion on approaches to teaching the play, its place in the O’Neill canon, and its lasting legacy today.
To conclude the academic sessions, the scholars will come together for a roundtable to each share their favorite aspect of The Hairy Ape.
A haunting new play where memory and truth are forced to meet and the past begins to unravel. When Eileen is moved into a nursing home after a fall, her grip on reality begins to fade and old memories are unearthed. Memories that her son Joe believes may be better left buried….
Robert “Yank” Smith is the master of all he surveys until an encounter with a mysterious woman in white turns his world upside down. The experience sends him on a quest to find her and ultimately where he belongs. Eugene O’Neill’s 1922 theatrical fantasy will be brought to life by a dynamic ensemble of six actors in this highly imaginative production of an O’Neill classic…
You are invited to join us for the festival cruise on board the Barrow Princess. As well as enjoying all the beauty of the Barrow Estuary , you will be entertained by the talented Hayley Crosbie and have a light lunch
A haunting new play where memory and truth are forced to meet and the past begins to unravel. When Eileen is moved into a nursing home after a fall, her grip on reality begins to fade and old memories are unearthed. Memories that her son Joe believes may be better left buried….
