JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY’S “OUTSIDE MULLINGAR” OPENS AT DUNES SUMMER ARTS THEATRE FRIDAY, JUNE 27
Season Subscriptions Now $120 as Summer Lineup Continues MICHIGAN CITY, IND.-
Dunes Arts Summer Theatre continues its 2025 season with the exhilarating Irish romance “Outside Mullingar,” opening Friday, June 27, and running through Sunday, July 13. The show is the second in the theatre’s summer lineup — and with four productions still to come, including the musical “She Loves Me,” the Broadway cabaret “Opposites Attract,” and “Voices From the Heartland: The Third Annual New Plays Festival” — season subscriptions are now available for $120.
Written by John Patrick Shanley (who also wrote the award-winning play “Doubt: A Parable,” as well as Oscar winner “Moonstruck”), “Outside Mullingar” features actors Peter Briceño Gertas, Danielle Bilderback, Morgan McCabe and Robert Reidy. Resident set designer Michael Lasswell is also directing the play and has been scouring local estate sales for rural Irish props and scenery.
The set will feature rolling Irish hills that stretch to the back wall of the theatre. Set in the Midlands of Ireland, the production centers on the fiery relationship between two 40- something neighbor farmers: shy and reclusive Anthony and hopeful and headstrong Rosemary, who (unknown to Anthony) has been romantically interested in him since both were children.
The deaths of Anthony's father and Rosemary's mother set the stage for "a softhearted comedy freckled with dark reflections on the unsatisfactory nature of life and the thorns of love," wrote The New York Times. “This has long been one of my favorite plays, at times heartbreaking, often riotously funny and ultimately deeply moving” say artistic director, Steve Scott.
“It's the perfect embodiment of our ‘Opposites Attract’ season, and I can't wait for Dunes audiences to join in the fun.” Adds Laswell, “I think of it as a peppery romance for people who don’t want to get mushy. We’ve been laughing out loud in rehearsals a lot and occasionally crying. It’s a very smart, witty romance about learning to live your truth.
If you loved the iconic ‘Snap out of it!’ moment in Shanley’s ‘Moonstruck,’ this is the show for you.” Performances take place at Dunes Summer Theatre, 288 Shady Oak Drive in Michiana Shores, Indiana. Showtimes are Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. CST (8 p.m. EST), and Sundays at 2 p.m. CST (3 p.m. EST). Please note:
There is no performance on Friday, July 4, but an additional performance will be held Thursday, July 3. Individual tickets are $35; senior/student tickets are $30; group tickets are $25 for four or more. Season subscriptions, which include exclusive invites to special events and parties, are now $120. For more information or to purchase, visit dunesARTS.org or call 219-879-7509. -more-
ABOUT THE ACTORS Danielle Bilderback (Rosemary Muldoon) appeared in last year’s production of “Blithe Spirit” (as Ruth) and is an instructor with the Dunes Youth Theatre. Other credits include “The Music Man” and “Spamalot” at La Porte Little Theatre, as well as choreography for “Jerry’s Girls” and “The Sound of Music” at Footlight Players.
Peter Briceño Gertas (Anthony Reilly) is a graduate of Roosevelt University with a BFA in acting and has worked with a range of Chicago companies. Recent credits include “A Christmas Carol” and “Cinderella” at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre; “Native Gardens” at Williams Street Rep; “Out of Love” at Interrobang Theatre; “Emma” at Lifeline Theatre; “In to America” at Griffin Theatre; “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Citadel Theatre; and “Mi Latinidad” at The Den Theatre.
Morgan McCabe (Aoife Muldoon) directed last year’s production of “Talley’s Folly.” She is a performer, director, dramaturg and arts educator, with regional credits including Marian Theatre Guild and Indiana Repertory Theatre. She is also a founding member of the Gary Shakespeare Festival. McCabe has performed with numerous Chicago theaters, including Steppenwolf, City Lit, The Gift Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Court Theatre and Victory Gardens.
Other credits include work with Ursa Major Theatre Company and SITI Company Associates in New York City; Opera House Arts in Deer Isle, Maine; and Vienna English Theatre in Austria. Robert Reidy (Tony Reilly) has appeared in numerous Irish-themed productions in the Chicago area, including “Dancing at Lughnasa,” “Shadow of a Gunman,” “The Muesli Belt,” “Castle Corner Jukebox,” “Da,” and “Juno and the Paycock.” Additional credits include “Death of a Salesman” and “A Christmas Carol” at the Beverly Arts Center; “Proof” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in the southwest suburbs; and “The Fantasticks” and “The Gin Game” in Hammond, Ind. Since 1999, he has been a reader at annual James Joyce Bloomsday celebrations and is the founder of the New Irish Literary Theatre.
ABOUT DUNES ARTS SUMMER THEATRE The Dunes Arts Foundation, which operates Dunes Arts Summer Theatre and education programs, was incorporated in the state of Indiana in 1951 and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Nestled within the woodsy dunes of Michiana Shores, Dunes Summer Theatre is located about a half mile from the Indiana Dunes and the Lake Michigan shoreline, at 288 Shady Oak Drive in Michigan City, Ind.
As northwest Indiana’s longest-running summer theater program, Dunes Summer Theatre has provided professional productions for more than seven decades. This one-of-a-kind experience is a highlight of Harbor Country’s cultural fabric, promoting community spirit and embracing inclusivity, diversity and accessibility in all areas of operation. For more information or to purchase individual tickets ($35), senior/student tickets ($30), group tickets ($25 for four or more), or season subscriptions (now $120), visit dunesARTS.org or call 219-879-7509. Follow along on social media @dunesartsfoundation.
