*AUDITIONS will be held Sunday June 25th at 2 pm and Tuesday June 27th at 7:30 PM at Gaelic Park 6119 W. 147th Street Oak Forest, IL.

COLD READINGS FROM THE SCRIPT WILL BE USED.
Scripts are available for check out in the Gaelic Park office. (GP is closed on Mondays).

Previous theater experience is not necessary nor is it a requirement to be Irish. We do promise that if you join us it will be great fun!

UPDATED Performance dates: Fri, Sat Sun Sept 22-24 and Fri, Sat Sep 29-30, & Sun Oct 1

SYNOPSIS:

SYNOPSIS:
“Thy Will Be Done” is set in the late 1990’s, in a rural town in the West of Ireland and consists of four characters: Jack Griffin, Peter Griffin, Bridie Lavin, and Martin Griffin. The play is written by Michael Carey, who also wrote “Craddock’s Well” which was another play well received in Ireland, America, and performed by the Gaelic Park Players in the Fall of 2009. Thy Will Be Done is a story that centers around two brothers, Jackeen Griffin (Jack) and Peteen Griffin (Peter), who although they live next door to one another, have not spoken in over 40 years, based upon past events and poor decisions. Jack, the older, quieter, poorer, uneducated, but kinder of the two brothers, is single, never married, lives in a cowshed, and spends his days fishing. Jack has spent more than half his life holding a grudge against his brother, Peter, and pining over his first true love, Joan. Peter, the younger, louder, wealthier, educated, abusive, and mean-spirited of the two brothers, is divorced. Peter’s ex-wife emigrated to New York, never to return to Ireland again, embarrassed and humiliated by her decision to leave him, angered him more throughout the years. Peter is an alcoholic, a pyromaniac, has a heart condition, lives in the nicer cottage, and spends his days working the Griffin Family Farm with his estranged American son, Martin Griffin. Peter likes to portray the victim role, when he in fact, is the villain. He is a bully and acts like he does not care what the community thinks of him, but deep down inside, he does care. Bridie Lavin is single, who never married, cared for her own parents, is a housekeeper and caretaker for both brothers, Jack and Peter, and works for the Western Health Board. Bridie is a devout Catholic, who carries her Blessed Virgin Mary Statue everywhere she goes, she is the busy-body in the town, she knows everyone, and their personal business. At times, she gets confused, misplaces and mixes up various items in both Jack and Peter’s households. She has kept the peace between Jack and Peter for over 40 years, but it is starting to wear on Bridie as time passes by. She shares a deeper connection and friendship with Jack and they enjoy betting on the horses together, and each other’s company, even if one of them is in a foul mood. Bridie is extremely protective over Jack’s nephew and Peter’s son, Martin Griffin, and acts as a Motherly figure in Martin’s life. Martin Griffin, is the American born, estranged son to Peter, and nephew to Jack, who returns to Ireland 10 years ago, to discover his Griffin family roots. Martin’s life in America is not going according to plan, so he decides to try a new life out in Ireland and realizes his newer life in Ireland is not so easy there as well. Martin’s Dad, Peter, is hard on him in every aspect, and overworks him on the Griffin “Family” Farm. Martin is the perfect son, abides by everything Peter asks him to do and yet, the work he completes is never good enough. Peter keeps promising Martin the family farm one day in the future, yet refuses to pay, give, or buy anything for Martin. He is lucky if he gets a bowl of soup and bread from his Dad. Over the past 8 years, Martin has developed a close-knit relationship with his Uncle Jack, because Jack, unlike his brother, Peter, genuinely cares about Martin and his future in Ireland. Martin has a deeper connection to his Uncle Jack, talking to him at the kitchen table, joking, and laughing. Their relationship and conversations are more natural when he is with his Uncle Jack, compared to his own Dad, Peter. The deep connection Martin has developed over the years with his Uncle Jack angers and makes Peter jealous at times. Martin checks on his Uncle almost every single day, but over the course of time, like Bridie, is always caught in the middle of this unknown brotherly rift. The Griffin Family tensions rise and home truths surface surrounding the brother’s hatred of one another. The longer Martin lives in Ireland, the place he wanted to call home, he finds himself torn between his love for his Uncle Jack and his respect for his Father, Peter. Michael Carey created four distinct strong characters in “Thy Will Be Done”. The two brothers, Jack and Peter, who are polar opposites of one another, who absolutely can’t stand the sight one of another in a small, gossipy, rural town. In the middle of the brother’s rift is a hilarious, sharp-tongued, quick witted housekeeper, Bridie. There is another leading male role, Martin Griffin, who is the son of Peter and nephew to Jack, always trying his best to fit into the Irish community and appease his Dad, Uncle, and a local girl whom he is interested in dating. “Thy Will Be Done” will take you on a roller coaster ride from start to finish, with several stories within the major plot, and the symbolism of rats plays an important role when the play opens and closes. This play is both equally a comedy and drama and will provide our audiences with laughter and tears, with the characters Michael Carey created, all while revealing the reason for the brother’s hatred and rift towards one another. One of the quotes from “Thy Will Be Done” is the two great causes of divisions in Irish families, Land and Women, the two things that tear Irish families apart more than anything The backdrop reflects the depressing side of rural life in Ireland, where church, religion, and the shallow-minded community members still hold sway, but only when it suits some of the character’s needs as the play moves forward. This play is about reflecting back on the choices these characters have made in their lives and the truth they have either told or covered up in order to protect themselves or others. The truth is hard to face in life, but somehow, the truth is always exposed, and hopefully, prevails in the end.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS: Three Men One Woman – – –

Jack Griffin-Main Character, single, never married, quieter, older brother, poorer, lives in the cowshed, the family farm and money was left to Peter, uneducated, was referred to by his brother as dimwitted, dull, trustworthy, kind, caring, softer romantic at heart, was in love with his true love, Joan, had everything at one time, the woman and would at least get half of the family farm, bitter/hates/holds a grudge against his younger brother Peter, for over 40 years, has not spoken a word to his brother Peter in over 40 years, because of a fire in the barn and family farm, cheap when he wants to be, eats unhealthy, gave up drinking over 40 years ago, not a good drinker, used to work the Griffin “Family Farm” with his Dad, he was his Dad’s right-hand man, but he was used by his Dad, looked after his brother growing up, because their Mother passed when the brothers were young (Jack was 13), was a good brother to Peter, did everything Peter asked him to do, rides his bicycle, no longer drives, best friends with Bridie, his and his brother’s housekeeper, has a soft-spot for his nephew, Martin, enjoys fishing, likes placing bets with Bridie on the horses, enjoys Bridie’s and Martin’s company, Jack has always tried to do the right things in life and by others, but ends up making a few bad decisions in his life, which turns his world upside down. Jack reflects and lives in the past too much, which is one of his downfalls, was never open to meeting other women, Jack is religious when he wants to be, but more religious than Peter.

Peter Griffin-Is discussed more in the story, more than we see him onstage, but has a few powerful, strong scenes, is divorced, abusive to his ex-wife, holds contempt for her, his ex-wife embarrassed and humiliated him by leaving him and emigrating to New York, never to return to Ireland again, louder, younger brother, wealthier, educated, attended boarding school, smarter than Jack, rough around the edges, bold, cunning, conniving, bold, brazen, betrayed  his older brother Jack, never told the truth to their Dad, “Auld Man Griffin”; what happened in the barn and the family farm, was his Dad’s favorite son, became his Dad’s right-hand man on the farm, after their Dad passes, the family farm and money is passed onto Peter, not Jack, in his will, is a pyromaniac, hates Jack, swears, eats unhealthy, has a heart condition, is color-blind, is not religious, was excommunicated from the local church, is an alcoholic, mean-spirited, cruel, mean to members of the community, including Bridie and Martin who both help Peter with the cottage, inside and outside, aggressive, bad-temper, always scheming, cheapskate, crooked, thinks the whole world is out to get him, works his son, Martin, very hard on the farm, and pretends like he does not care what the local townspeople say or think of him, but deep down, he does care.

Bridie Lavin-Main Character, local woman, single, never married, housekeeper for both Jack and Peter, works for the Western Health Board, caretaker for both brothers, more Peter, since he has a heart condition, she shares a deeper connection with Jack, secretly in love with Jack, but knows Jack was in love with Joan, and if they had married, Bridie would not have been Jack’s first choice, even though she calls him an “auld weasel”, Jack is her love, she despises Peter, dreads going to his cottage, refers to Peter as the “Anti-Christ”, enjoys spending time with Jack, likes placing bets on the horses with Jack, enjoys their conversations, looks after him more as a wife at times, more than a friend, laughs with Jack, very protective over Jack, makes sure he is eating healthy, his clothes are clean, he is dressed appropriately and accordingly, when Bridie, Jack, and Martin are together, they act more as a family, she is extremely religious, she carries around her Blessed Virgin Mary Statue everywhere she goes in her bag, she attends mass faithfully, she always has her Rosary Beads on her, she hates it when Jack, Peter, and especially when Martin swears, she was the full-time caregiver for her parents, her family emigrated to New York and left her behind, had a few suitors, but by the time her parents passed, especially her Mom, she was considered old, acts otherly towards Martin, has Jack and Martin’s best interests at heart, sharp-tongued, witty, hilarious, busy-body, knows everyone in the town and their personal business, old-school, traditional, believes in waiting on the men, not the other way around, acts holy, jealous of women, has a disdain for women, blames Eve for eating all of the apples, which is why they are suffering on Earth, instead of eternal Paradise, thinks women are never happy, ironically, neither is she, probably because she is unhappy with the way her life turned out, never married, nor bear children, and even though Bridie makes fun of love or asks what is love, she knows exactly what love is, based upon her actions, behavior, and protective ways over Jack and Martin.

Martin Griffin-Main Character, youngest character, son of Peter, nephew to Jack, parents are both born in Ireland, but Martin was born in America, had a long term girlfriend in New York, but they broke up, and decided to start a new, fresh start in Ireland. Martin has traces of an American accent, along with an Irish brogue at times, he swears quite a bit, which Bridie does not care for and is always correcting him for his foul language. Martin is light-hearted, kind, generous, is a little jokester, and caring towards his Uncle Jack, Bridie, and even his Dad, Peter, even when his Dad
uses him to work on the Griffin Family Farm. Martin can be naive at times, especially when it comes to women, tries to be a romantic, charmer, he is a people pleaser, he adores his Mom and appreciates everything Bridie does for him. At times, Martin can be a little full of himself. Martin is not a good drinker, is also pretty tough with the lads in the pub, can hold his own in a fight, never backs down from a fight, and will always stick up for his friends. Martin asks a lot of questions to his Uncle Jack, as to why he and his Dad despise one another, what was the reasoning and cause for the two brothers not to speak to one another in over 40 years.

Date/Time
Date(s) - 06/25/2023
2:00 pm