Written, composed and created by Eamon O’Tuama
THE PLAY
One drunken night down a blackberry lane in 1973 Dublin, two teenagers conceive a child but separate in shame.
“Peace and Love in Brooklyn,” a new Irish musical by Eamon O’Tuama, follows the lives of Jim, an anxiety ridden musician, raised by a single mother Theresa and his Father Kiero, a troubled and colorful rock n’ roll roadie. Father and son have never met until Theresa hums a melody she has carried for 30 years. A musical thread unravels and a reckoning begins.
A poignant, time bending rock n’ roll drama about learning to live with loss. “Peace and Love in Brooklyn” is a New York story about an Irish family that never was.
THE LATEST
Following several public readings and a sold out concert performance at New York’s Irish Arts Center, the play will receive its full debut in 2024 as part of Origin Theater’s “First Irish” festival.
Please join us at;
Nancy Manocherian’s THE CELL
April 3 - April 7, 2024.
Peace & Love In Brooklyn is entirely funded through the generous donations of its angel supporters, and we need your partnership to bring the show to the festival. Won't you join in sponsoring this remarkable new Irish musical with a tax deductible donation? Through Fractured Atlas, you can help provide funding for actors, designers, rehearsal space, and other production expenses. Click on the logo below.
OUT OF THE MUSIC
“Peace and Love in Brooklyn” was inspired by a song I wrote in memory my friend Kieran Ryan who died suddenly in 2005. Kieran was the quintessential rock and roll character who worked as a crew member for bands such as The Thompson Twins and Thin Lizzy. Fate brought us together when we found ourselves working with The Prodigals, an Irish New York City band.
During the pandemic, in 2020, I began work working on this play. It is loosely based on my relationship with Kieran and my own experiences growing up in Ireland during the 70s and 80s; a country moving into modern times, away from the depressed Catholic patriarchy and struggling with emigration and unemployment.
This is a story of love, life and loss in an Irish Catholic family filled with humor, conflict, addiction, redemption and of course music. For Kieran, as it is for me, the music was the reason, the medicine and the prayer.
Writing this play has been nothing short of a labor of love. It would not have been possible to get to this stage without the ongoing support of family and friends who have suffered through earlier drafts offering feedback and encouragement. And the many actors and musicians who have given me their creativity and precious time. Thank you all - I could not have done it without you. And a special thanks to Maria Deasy and John Keating who have shared their extensive knowledge and talents, guiding me along this path with sincere generosity.
Cheers to Kieran - I hope he enjoys it.
Eamon O’Tuama
LISTEN to a selection of tracks from the show featuring vocalists; Maria Deasy, Annalisa Chamberlin, Liam Forde, Gary Troy, Samantha Joy Pearlman and Max Chernin.
Photography: Diego Quintanar
For more information:
(c) Eamon O’Tuama 2022