In the second conversation under a new partnership with Ireland’s Abbey Theatre, Fund for Irish Studies Co-chair and Director of the Program in Theater & Music Theater Jane Cox moderates a discussion on running a national theater with the Abbey’s Literary and New Work Director Ruth McGowan and Associate Artist Derbhle Crotty.
The Fund for Irish Studies Series is co-chaired by Cox and Robert Spoo, Princeton’s Leonard L. Milberg ’53 Professor in Irish Letters.
About the Guest Artists
Ruth McGowan. Photo credit: Hazel Coonagh
Ruth McGowan joined the Abbey Theatre in the new role of Literary & New Work Director in 2023, working with playwrights and theater makers to generate future work for both stages of Ireland’s National Theatre. She works closely with artists, designing and delivering bespoke dramaturgical and practical supports to a dynamic range of commissions and ideas in development. Working as a dramaturg, programmer and producer since 2009, McGowan has built creative partnerships and championed new work across performance disciplines. She has produced world premieres in festival fields, above pubs, and in historic theaters from Letterkenny to the Lower East Side. In addition, McGowan was Artistic Director & CEO of Dublin Fringe Festival from 2018-2023. McGowan sits on Dublin City Council’s Arts & Culture Advisory Group. She holds a B.Ed with English from St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, and an M.Phil in Theatre and Performance from Trinity College Dublin.
Derbhle Crotty. Photo courtesy the artist.
In a career spanning 33 years, Derbhle Crotty has acted on most of the main stages of Ireland and the UK, including those of the Abbey Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre, Druid, Royal Court and Bristol Old Vic. She has played title roles in Hecuba, Portia Coughlan, Miss Julie, and Henry IV, and she has played Ranevskaya in The Cherry Orchard and Arkadina in The Seagull. Derbhle has twice won the Best Actress award at the Irish Times Theatre Awards and is a recipient of the Ian Charleson Award. An associate of the Abbey Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, she is also a member of the Druid Ensemble.
Tickets & Details
The conversation is free & open to the public; advance tickets required.
Get tickets through University Ticketing
Directions
Get directions to the James Stewart Film Theater, located on the first floor at 185 Nassau Street.
Accessibility
The James Stewart Film Theater is an accessible venue. Visit our Venues and Studios section for accessibility information at our various locations. Guests in need of access accommodations are invited to contact the Lewis Center at 609-258-5262 or email LewisCenter@princeton.edu at least one week in advance of the event date.
