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Donal O'Kelly

DONAL O'KELLY

  
Nationality:    Irish
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    Click here

Literary Agent:    Donal O'Kelly Productions,  

Donal O'Kelly is a writer and actor. His solo plays include the award-winning Catalpa (Edinburgh Fringe First, London Time Out Critics' Choice, Best Event Melbourne International Festival), Bat the Father Rabbit The Son (Best Writer and Best Actor nominations Irish Theatre Awards), and Jimmy Joyced! (Best Actor nomination Irish Theatre Awards). Other plays include The Cambria, Running Beast, The Dogs, Hughie On The Wires, Trickledown Town, The Business of Blood, Farawayan, Asylum! Asylum!, Mamie Sighs, Judas of the Gallarus, and The Hand. He was a founder and until 2003 a director of Calypso Productions, and is an associate director of the peace and justice organisation Afri.

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below is a list of Donal O'Kelly's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Asylum! Asylum!         Bat the Father, Rabbit the Son         Business of Blood, The         Cambria, The         Catalpa: the Movie         Dogs, The         Farawayan         Fionnuala         Hand, The         Hughie On the Wires         Jimmy Joyced!         Judas of the Gallarus         Little Thing, Big Thing         Mamie Sighs         Operation Easter         Running Beast         Silicon Sweethearts         Skeffy         Trickledown Town         Vive La

Asylum! Asylum!

Synopsis:
the play deals with the plight of Joseph Omara, a Ugandan refugee who arrives in Ireland without a visa. the horrors of his situation emerge as his solicitor Mary unfolds his story. She tries to get asylum in Ireland for Joseph. She discovers a whole new meaning for the term 'an Irish welcome'.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:

1st Published:
in New Plays from the Abbey Theatre 1993-1995, Syracuse University Press, 1996   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Bat the Father, Rabbit the Son

Synopsis:
Rabbit is a self-made haulage magnate. He is obsessed with memories. He undertakes a voyage to rediscover what he feels he has lost. His Father Bat, former Easter Rising rebel and pawn shop assistant, plays an increasing role in the voyage as Rabbit delves deeper into his heart, into history, into Dublin, seeking his lost moorings.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Mansion House, Dublin    1988

Organisations:
Rough Magic Theatre Company, Dublin

1st Published:
in Far From the Land, ed John Fairleigh, Methuen, London, 1998   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Business of Blood, The

Synopsis:
A play about the arms industry, based on the true story of Chris Cole. A landmark night in the life of British Aerospace. An intruder with a mission. A surreal invasion. A courtroom. Two detectives. A Bible. East Timor meets Stevenage via Radone Nosecones, Hawk Fighters and one very special hammer. A bizarre and ruthless story of business and blood.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  -            Other:  doubling possible

Further Reference:
-

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Cambria, The

Synopsis:
FredErick Douglass is one of the great iconic figures in American history and a forerunner to our new American president, Barack Obama. At the 1888 Republican convention in Chicago, he became the first African American to have his name placed in nomination for the presidency by a major party. But 43 years earlier, as a relatively unknown escaped slave, he was forced to flee the United States after publishing his life story, A Narrative of the Life of an American Slave. With false papers-and a bounty on his head from enraged slaveholders-he boarded the Cunard Line paddle-steamer the Cambria out of Boston, bound for Ireland. He was greeted like a hero by the Irish people and spoke to mass meetings on platforms with Daniel O'Connell, the leading Irish politician of the day. the Cambria is the thrilling tale of the historic voyage in which Douglass's identity was revealed-placing his life in mortal danger

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Liberty Hall, Dublin    2005

Organisations:
Donal O'Kelly Productions In association with St Patrick's Festival

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Catalpa: the Movie

Synopsis:
In Massachusetts, 1875, Merchant Sea Captain George Anthony is pressed into rescuing Irish Fenian prisoners under the cover of a whaling expedition on the ship Catalpa. 120 years later, Matthew Kidd, demented, failed screenwriter is obsessed with his life's dream - making Catalpa, the Movie. In his bedroom, he rehearses his movie pitch, taking the audience on an epic adventure as he acts out every scene and plays every character.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Granary Theatre, Cork    1994

Organisations:
Red Kettle Theatre Company, Waterford, Ireland

1st Published:
Nick Hern Books, London, 1997   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Historical Drama

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Dogs, The

Synopsis:
the Macken Family are hell-bent on celebrating once again the dreaded Christmas dinner. the turkey is determined to be cooked and eaten, but the two dead family dogs decide to put a stop to the Christmas madness. the rat in the garden and the robin on the doorstop only make matters worse. Christmas will never be the same again.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Rough Magic Theatre Company, Dublin

1st Published:
in Rough Magic: First Plays, ed Siobhan Bourke, New island Books, Dublin, 1999   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  2            Other:  Cross-casting is necessary

Further Reference:
-

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Farawayan

Synopsis:
Utilising visual images, original music, soundscapes and physical theatre, Farawayan tells of the experience of being unwelcome far away. Whilst not specifically set in any one place, this largely non-verbal piece echoes the situation for refugees and asylum seekers in Ireland in the 1990s and Ireland's experience of emigration over many years.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Olympic Ballroom, Dublin    1998

Organisations:

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Physical/Devised theatre Piece

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  3            Other:  doubling possible

Further Reference:
-

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Fionnuala

Synopsis:
Fionnuala - provocative piece of bog magic realism set in the murky world of the Mayo gas project Cuts a swathe through Shell/State propaganda (Hot Press).

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Hill Street Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe    Aug 2013

Organisations:
Donal O'Kelly

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
new writing, solo show 1 hour

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Hand, The

Synopsis:
the Hand tells of a family's slide from the comforts of middle class life to the harsh realities of 1920's Dublin.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Liberty Hall, Dublin    2002

Organisations:

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  1            Other:  doubling, musicians

Further Reference:
-

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Hughie On the Wires

Synopsis:
Hughie on the Wires is a quickfire political thriller which tells the story of a young man who becomes entangled in an international incident in El Salvador. the play examines the power and manipulation of the media and its effect on peoples' lives.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
City Arts Centre, Dublin    1993

Organisations:

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Jimmy Joyced!

Jimmy Joyced!
Jimmy Joyced! looks back at 1904 through the eyes of JJ Staines, a rough gruff bric-a-brac stallholder in Portobello Market with a dangerous obsession for all things Joycean. JJ Staines brings to life the events and people around Joyce in 1904, and tells the story of a man caught between being earth-bound in his father's world or taking flight with the woman he loves.

Notes:
aka Joyced!

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Theatre Ireland Magazine (6), 1984
Contained in: "Freshly Brewed" published by the Stinging Fly Press   978-1906539047

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play One Act

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Judas of the Gallarus

Synopsis:
the Civil War is near its end and deserter Jock McPeak from Glasgow wants to get out of Ireland. IRA man Duv brings him to Paddo's Gallarus, a clifftop stone cell, to hide while waiting for a boat to take him home. But is there any boat? Jock's night of waiting takes a significant turn with the visit of Noreen, a local schoolteacher. A night of tragi-comic passion unravels, as Jock is plunged into a mask of deceit, seduction, intrigue and betrayal.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:

1st Published:

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Little Thing, Big Thing

Synopsis:
In Nigeria, a frightened child puts an old roll of film into the hands of Dublin-bound teacher Sister Martha. In Dublin, ex-con Larry, with a wounded backside, has to get out of the city to rob a convent. Meanwhile, Scarab Oil plans to unleash its new clean fuel of the future. The film roll Martha is carrying attracts the urgent interest of some very powerful and ambitious people. A play written for two actors and filled with memorable characters, Little Thing, Big Thingis the latest production from the innovative and outstanding Irish theatre company Fishamble.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, Ireland    05 Mar 2014

Organisations:
Fishamble

1st Published:
http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/little-thing-big-thing-9781472582881/   978-1472582881

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Mamie Sighs

Synopsis:
In a forgotten room in Dublin, Mamie looks back at the mixed-up dreams and dances of a lifetime.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Operation Easter

Synopsis:
dives straight into current debates about the legitimacy and legacy of the 1916 Easter Rising. O'Kelly creates a sophisticated and engaging historical narrative that underlines the humanity, fallibility and idealism of the Rising leaders Connolly, Clarke, Pearse and Plunkett. Attempts to draw the story into the present, and to highlight the role of women in the Rising.
Karen Fricker, Guardian

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin    2006

Organisations:
Calypso Productions

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Running Beast

Synopsis:
the story of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone looks back over his battles over Tudor rule in Ireland.

Notes:
Music by Michael Holohan

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Monologue play

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Silicon Sweethearts

Synopsis:
Based on an actual incident, Silicon Sweethearts charts the effects of the sudden departure of a US multinational from Ireland. the action takes place in Ireland in 1981.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Focus Theatre, Dublin    1984

Organisations:
Blade Productions

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play One Act

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Skeffy

Synopsis:
Skeffy - vivid pacey quest for the lost ideals of Irishman Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, militant pacifist, feminist, atheist friend of James Joyce who called him Hairy Jaysus, summarily executed Dublin Easter 1916.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Hill Street Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe    Aug 2013

Organisations:
Donal O'Kelly

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
new writing, solo show 1 hour

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Trickledown Town

Synopsis:
Trickledown Town is the story of what happens to Dublin man Seamus Devitt when he takes up his post as World Bank representative in Kingston, Jamaica. He hasn't reckoned on Angela Crook, a Jamaican woman who runs a community clinic in a West Kingston shanty town. Angela is desperate to keep her clinic open. Desperate enough to take extraordinary measures to force Seamus to see and experience the world struggle that exists a stone's throw from his luxury hotel suite. Also involved in the web of intrigue is Miller Boyson, a young Jamaican brought up in London, who works as a security man - the only growth industry in many debtor countries. And then there's Maureen, the hot shot American PR woman drafted in by the World Bank to counter "activist-led" opposition to its policies. the four become embroiled in a flamboyant thriller set in the cut-throat world of World Bank/IMF imposed cutbacks in debt strangled Jamaica.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
City Arts Centre, Dublin    1994

Organisations:

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Vive La

Synopsis:
Based on a true story. In 1798 a Frenchman walks into the little village of Nual in Ireland. He claims that he has escaped from a prisoner of war camp in England. He earns the nickname Vive La because he constantly calls out "Vive La Revolution". But is he all he says he is?

Notes:
Music by Trevor Knight

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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