Class Notes: Nicola Murphy Dubey “Irishtown”

Summary

Podcast Summary: BroadwayRadio - Class Notes: Nicola Murphy Dubey “Irishtown”

Episode Title: Class Notes: Nicola Murphy Dubey “Irishtown”
Release Date: April 28, 2025
Host: Lauren Flashlighter
Guest: Nicola Murphy Dubey, Director of Irishtown at the Irish Repertory Theater

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Introduction to Irishtown and Its Production

In the April 28, 2025 episode of BroadwayRadio's Clash Notes, host Lauren Flashlighter engages in an insightful conversation with Nicola Murphy Dubey, the director behind the latest Broadway production, Irishtown, performed by the esteemed Dublin-based Irishtown Players. Following the impressive success of their previous show, the company faced new challenges as they prepared to debut Irishtown on Broadway.

Nicola delves into the initial hurdles encountered during rehearsals. At [01:16], she explains, “We sort of meet this group of actors on their first day of rehearsal. So the first table read and pretty early on we get some inklings that not everybody is 100% on board with the script.” The primary concerns revolved around the script's authenticity and its resonance with an Irish American audience.

Collaborating with Playwright Kira Elizabeth Smith

Irishtown marks the world premiere of Kira Elizabeth Smith's work. Nicola shares her journey to directing the play, highlighting her role at the Irish Repertory Theater as the director of audience and new play development. [02:04] she states, “I thought [Kira] was a really unique comedic voice. And so I asked her if she had anything else that she would want to send me. And Irishtown was. Was one of those scripts and we just kind of fell in love with it.”

The play's reception caught the attention of theater critic Roma Torrey, who compared it to the classic farce Noises Off. [02:58], Lauren quotes Roma: “At its most chaotic, Irishtown brings to mind Noises Off, that classic farce about staging a play within a play in the British hinterland. Comedy, as they say, is hard, and it takes tremendous discipline and timing to pull it off so well.”

Nicola gracefully responds to this high praise, emphasizing their focus on the script and the commitment to making the audience laugh: [03:22] “We sort of just really went into it, kind of just focused on the text that we had and the contract that we felt we had with the audience, which was really to make them laugh.”

Casting for Irishtown: Emphasizing Bravery and Flexibility

Casting for a new play is a meticulous process, especially for a comedy that intertwines dark themes. Nicola emphasizes the importance of selecting actors who exhibit bravery and adaptability. [04:15] she notes, “with a new play, unlike something that's sort of had a previous production or has a blueprint, we're really discovering everything in real time.” This dynamic environment requires actors who are open to exploring and evolving the characters alongside the unfolding narrative.

The current production features a mostly new cast, with Kevin Oliver Lynch, who portrays Quinn, having participated in a workshop of the script the previous summer. [05:25] Nicola mentions, “everybody was coming into it really fresh and really new, and we just kind of, yeah, found it together,” highlighting the collaborative spirit essential for bringing Irishtown to life.

Balancing Dark Themes with Comedy

Irishtown is lauded for its ability to tackle heavy subjects such as sexual assault and infant loss while maintaining a comedic tone. Nicola shares her initial reaction to the script, expressing genuine amusement and admiration for its unique approach. [05:54] she states, “it was one of the few times that I have read a script and, like, really laughed out loud...I sort of felt a sense of sort of liberation about being able to explore a play in just a completely different way and for it to be really fun.”

Acknowledging the content warnings provided for audiences, Nicola discusses how the cast navigates these sensitive topics without dwelling in heaviness for extended periods. [07:18] she explains, “there is a sort of reckoning at the end of the play where we do have a real sort of moment of vulnerability. And it was really important to us all that we gave that moment its due and, you know, really allowed that to sort of land.”

This delicate balance ensures that Irishtown remains both provocative and entertaining, inviting the audience to engage deeply while also providing moments of laughter and levity.

Nicola Murphy Dubey’s Artistic Journey and Influence

Originally from Dublin and a co-founder of the artistic collective On the Keys, Nicola brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to the Irish Repertory Theater. [08:45] she shares, “with On the Keys, we do sort of a lot of work with music, a lot of work that would have, like, stories that uplift LGBTQ voices.” Her involvement in both the Irish Rep and On the Keys enriches her directorial approach, blending traditional Irish theatrical elements with contemporary narratives.

Nicola reflects on the supportive environment at the Irish Repertory Theater, acknowledging the foundational work of Charlotte Moore and Kieran O'Reilly in establishing the institution. [08:45] she adds, “I am gaining from sort of working with within both spaces,” highlighting the symbiotic relationship between her roles that fosters creative growth and innovation.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with Lauren expressing gratitude for Nicola’s insights and the engaging discussion about Irishtown. Nicola reciprocates the thanks, emphasizing the collaborative effort behind the production. This episode of Class Notes offers listeners a comprehensive look into the challenges and triumphs of bringing a new, boundary-pushing play to Broadway, underscored by Nicola Murphy Dubey’s passionate and thoughtful leadership.

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This summary excludes all advertisements, introductions, and non-content segments to focus solely on the substantive discussion surrounding Nicola Murphy Dubey and the production of Irishtown.

Transcript

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[Lauren Flashlighter]

Hi, I'm Lauren Flashlighter with Clash Notes for Broadway Radio. I'm here with Nicola Murphy Dube, the director of Irishtown at the Irish Repertory Theater. Well, hello.

[Nicola Murphy Dube]

Hi, how are you?

[Lauren Flashlighter]

Terrific. And more terrific now that we get to talk about this play which features the Irishtown Players, a celebrated Dublin based theater company have just started rehearsals for their new play. And after the astounding success of their last production, the company is scheduled to open on Broadway with the same visionary playwright at the helm, however trouble arises. Nicola, will you give us some insight into that trouble?

[Nicola Murphy Dube]

Yes, definitely. So we sort of meet this group of actors on their first day of rehearsal. So the first table read and pretty early on we get some inklings that not everybody is 100% on board with the script. There's a lot of questions about it and I suppose the most important question that keeps getting brought up over and over again is, is the script Irish enough? And is it going to play well to an American audience? To an Irish American audience, specifically?

[Lauren Flashlighter]

Well, great. And of course, it then unfolds. It's a world premiere written by Kira Elizabeth Smith. How did you get associated with the material as its director?

[Nicola Murphy Dube]

So I work at Irish Rep as director of audience and new play development. So I've been in that role for the past couple of years. And one of the things that Kieran and Charlotte had asked me to sort of really explore and see if I could find was a comedy because we have a lot of dark Irish plays, which is something we joke about in Irishtown as well. And so I had been aware of some of Kira's other plays and I just thought she was a really unique comedic voice. And so I asked her if she had anything else that she would want to send me. And Irishtown was. Was one of those scripts and we just kind of fell in love with it.

[Lauren Flashlighter]

Oh, that's great. That's great. With kudos to you. I'm going to quote something that theater critic Roma Torrey says about Irishtown. Is that okay? May I?

[Nicola Murphy Dube]

Yes. Yeah.

[Lauren Flashlighter]

Okay. She has this to say. At its most chaotic, Irishtown brings to mind Noises off, that classic farce about staging a play within a play in the British hinterland. Comedy, as they say, is hard, and it takes tremendous discipline and timing to pull it off so well. That's incredibly high praise. And I'm curious, were you influenced at all by Noises Off?

[Nicola Murphy Dube]

You know, I can't say that I was, although I know that it's, you know, an amazing piece of theater. And so it's very flattering to have that comparison. We sort of just really went into it, kind of just focused on the text that we had and the contract that we felt we had with the audience, which was really to make them laugh. So that was sort of the most important thing for us. And then also to really discover who these characters are. And there's a whole lot of interpersonal and important relationships and things that come up in a creative process, which is really where a lot of the humor lies. So. So, yeah, that was really our goal going in.

[Lauren Flashlighter]

Nice. Well, especially when creating a new play, what do you look for in the actors as you're casting these roles?

[Nicola Murphy Dube]

I think bravery, like, the courage to really just go for things and explore and sort of know that with a new play, unlike something that's sort of had a previous production or has a blueprint, we're really discovering everything in real time. And so going into previews, you know, you're in a different sort of environment maybe than you would be with another play where there's things, especially also with a comedy, the audience becomes a really important key player in the discovery of. Of the piece. And so, you know, I wouldn't say we made huge changes once we got into previews, but there were things here and there that, like, you know, we. We might try out or. Or try a different way or make a slight edit to which is just. Can be hard. But it's important that everybody's kind of on board and just ready to really make it the best that it can.

[Lauren Flashlighter]

Be for this production. Did you work with actors that you've had working relationships in the past, or is it a new company, a new group of cast for you?

[Nicola Murphy Dube]

It's pretty new. I mean, Kevin Oliver lynch, who plays Quinn, had been part of a workshop of the script that we did last summer, but apart from that, everybody was coming into it really fresh and really new, and we just kind of, yeah, found it together.

[Lauren Flashlighter]

Wow. What fun. And the first time you read the play. Knowing that you had spoken to Kira about it, what were your impressions?

[Nicola Murphy Dube]

Well, it was one of the first. Well, I shouldn't say the first, but one of the few times that I have read a script and, like, really laughed out loud, you know, I just thought it was so funny. And also, I have directed a lot of really great plays, a lot of great plays at Irish Rep, specifically. All by women, actually, but they have all dealt with a lot of themes of, like, sexual violence. And I sort of loved that there was. There is an exploration of sexual assault in this play, but it's done in a very different way. It doesn't feel heavy. And I just was really kind of. I felt a sense of sort of liberation about being able to explore a play in just a completely different way and for it to be really fun.

[Lauren Flashlighter]

Well, it. It reminds me that when someone were to go buy a ticket, there's a content warning that states that the play contains dark comedic themes. References to incest, sexual assault and infant loss. And of course, we've under. We're understanding that it's hilarious and it's a searing new comedy and how all of that reconciles. So how did the actors, with you in the room, approach that?

[Nicola Murphy Dube]

Well, I think a lot of the themes that come up come up while they're sort of exploring what an Irish play is. And there's a lot of feeling of them kind of like improvising and coming up with things in the moment so we don't sit in too much heaviness for very long. But then, of course, you know, without giving anything away, there is a sort of reckoning at the end of the play where we do have a real sort of moment of vulnerability. And it was really important to us all that we gave that moment its due and, you know, really allowed that to sort of land. And again, sort of like any great comedy, we don't sit there for very long before there's sort of something else that pulls us out of it. But the hope is that we can explore these things and sort of make some of these points while also making the audience laugh.

[Lauren Flashlighter]

And you're originally from Dublin, the founder and artistic director of on the Keys. And that perspective, particularly with your long history at Irish Rep now, and especially in your current role as director of audience and new play development, working with Charlotte Moore and the company, what's it like for you, having the perspective of having your own company as well?

[Nicola Murphy Dube]

Yeah, I mean, it's. I'm really lucky to have sort of found an artistic home at Irish Rep. And also with on the Keys, you know, we are. There's five of us, five directors who met doing a production that went to the Edinburgh fringe. And we've just been kind of like working together project by project for the last, I'd say, six years now. Maybe a little bit more than that, actually. Yeah, about eight, nine years. And so it just, I suppose, has felt really fulfilling and important as an artist to have a space that, like, you can go to, you know, you have other people that you can bounce artistic ideas off or. Or even just talk to about the sort of trials and tribulations of the industry and, like, being an art. So I think I've learned, you know, a lot from working with. With both. Like, Irish rap is a real institution in New York. You know, there is a great history there. Like, Charlotte Moore and Kieran O'Reilly really built it from the ground up. And, you know, part of my job is to sort of help bring in new contemporary stories as well as us continuing to do some of the classic Irish plays that everybody loves. And, you know, with on the Keys, we do sort of a lot of work with music, a lot of work that would have, like, stories that uplift LGBTQ voices. So, you know, I think there's a lot to that I am gaining from sort of working with within both spaces.

[Lauren Flashlighter]

Right, right. How wonderful. And this has been a complete delight. Thank you so much for your time and sharing this wonderful play with us in this way.

[Nicola Murphy Dube]

Thank you. Thanks for having me.

[Lauren Flashlighter]

I'm Lauren Klashchnyder with Nicola Murphy Dube, the director of Irishtown at the Irish Repertory Theatre. Thank you and thanks for listening.

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