February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Conor McPherson’s acclaimed new play “Shining City” had been scheduled to run at the Curran Theater in San Francisco from Sept. 13 to Oct. 9 before making its Broadway debut on Oct. 18 at the Schoenfield Theater. An American premiere has been indefinitely postponed, just a week before rehearsals were due to start
“Shining City,” performed to rave reviews at the Royal Court in London and the Gate Theater in Dublin before details of its Broadway debut became public in April.
The New York Times reported last week that the cancellation was due to “certain critical production schedules that could not be resolved in time to meet the current schedule.”
However, rumors are rife that the spilt arose from conflict between McPherson and the Barry Weissler, one of the play’s producers, over budgetary issues.
The Broadway run of “Shining City” would have coincided with that of two enormously successful productions by Irish-connected playwrights: Martin McDonagh’s “The Pillowman,” and John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt.”
Dublin actor Stanley Townsend was to continue playing the lead role of John, while “Doubt” lead actor Brian F. O’Byrne had allegedly been approached to play his therapist Ian.
Weissler has denied the rumors, telling the New York Post last Wednesday: “I love Conor, he’s a fantastic guy. We made a mutual agreement not to go forward with the play at this time.”
Neither McPherson nor his agent Nick Master were available for comment.
“Shining City,” is set in a therapist’s office in Dublin. McPherson’s previous achievements include the plays “Port Authority” and “The Weir” and the films “I Went Down” and “The Actors.”