When Lady Gregory founded the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, with W. B. Yeats and Edward Martyn, she was fifty-two years of age and a confirmed member of the Anglo-Irish Ascendancy. As director of the Abbey Theatre, she embarked upon a remarkable personal transformation, socially and politically, emerging as a spirited defender of the Abbey's controversial plays and contributing a series of comedic one-acts to the Abbey's repertoire. She also took responsibility for the day-to-day running of the theatre, often under difficult circumstances. Most remarkably, she shifted politically from protestant unionism to cultural nationalism, alienating herself from her social class.The Making of Lady Gregory: Co-founder of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, 1904

To be immediately followed by a performance of COOLE LADY
A one woman play written and directed by Sam McCready with Joan McCready as Lady Gregory of Coole Park

From her estate at Coole Park, Lady Gregory reflects on a life of service to her country, her family and her friends. She recalls times when she was the centre of Ireland's literary life and also those periods of personal tragedy lived in the midst of national struggle. Proud and indomitable on the outside, Lady Gregory reveals a passionate nature and a deep vulnerability that engages our sympathies. More than anything, the play is a story of survival and courage that touches the heart.

Cosponsored by: Center for Advanced Study; Department of Dance; Department of Theatre; Program in Comparative and World Literature; Spurlock Museum

WILL-AM580 FOCUS interview with Joan and Sam McCready