Ahead of Irish Repertory Theatre’s digital staging of Angela’s Ashes: The Musical, check out two tracks from the score, highlighting the show’s Gaelic sound. The show is making its New York digital premiere, following an in-person run in Ireland in 2017, with performances running September 9–22.
Listen to Jacinta Whyte above as Frank's mother, Angela, singing “Sing River Shannon.” Below, Eoin Cannon as Frank and Brigid Shine as Theresa Carmody sing “My Promise.”
Based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning book of the same name by Frank McCourt, Angela’s Ashes features music and lyrics by Adam Howell and a book by Paul Hurt. Thom Southerland (Mack and Mabel at Southwark Playhouse) directs.
The musical also stars Elaine Hearty as Nora, Michael Joseph as Quasimodo, Domhnall Herdman as Malachy Jr., Shane McDaid as Billy, Marty Maguire as Malachy, Amanda Minihan as Grandma, David O’Meara as Uncle Pat, Mark O’Regan as Mr. Griffin, and Norma Sheahan as Mrs. Finucane, with Sinead O’Donovan in the ensemble.
Angela’s Ashes: The Musical features set and costume design by Francis O’Connor, lighting design by Sinead McKenna, sound design by Jason Fallon, movement direction by Ste Clough, musical supervision by Mike Dixon, musical direction by David Hayes, original orchestrations and arrangements by Colm Ó Foghlú and Joe Csibi, and additional orchestrations and arrangements by David Hayes.
McCourt’s memoir of growing up in Limerick, Ireland, follows Frank and the many people—drunken father, helpless mother, pompous priests, bullying schoolmasters, moneylenders, dancing teachers, and charity workers, to name a few—he faces on his way to escaping poverty in America. The book was adapted into a film, directed by Alan Parker and released in 1999.