The Great BlightSYNOPSIS / PAST PERFORMANCES / AGE RECOMMENDATION / TECH REQUIREMENTS / REVIEWS & COMMENTS / AVAILABILITY & PRICING / ACTOR / PLAYWRIGHTThe Great Blight tells the story of the terrible intolerance that turned the failure of a single crop into the national catastrophe known as the Irish Potato Famine.
In the Potato Famine, over a million people died of starvation and disease. It was blamed on a fungus which blighted and destroyed the Irish potato crop between 1845 and 1851. But that was the lesser cause. During those years Ireland continued to export food to England. The theory called "political economy,"which held sway at that time, actually taught that the disaster was good for the national well-being. Moreover, the English saw the Irish Catholics as a lower order of humanity. Thus the large land owners could tell themselves that the death of their tenants was serving some higher law. |
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'Blight' is a Powerful Tale of Love and Death"The Great Blight," Rick Foster's one-man musical drama about the Irish potato famine, arrives in Sonora just in time for St. Patrick's Day, but as the title implies, there is little joviality in this tale of prejudice, starvation and lost love. There is, however, every reason to see this show. . . . Starring as the reluctant vagabond Martin Malloy is David Maloney, an accomplished Bay Area singer and musician who is now adding acting to his resume. It's a remarkable debut, as he blends song and dialogue seamlessly throughout the hour-long production, never missing a beat either literally or figuratively. The story takes place between 1845 and 1854, when more than 1 million people died of disease and starvation, even though Ireland continued to export food to England during the entire time. Without falling into sentimentality, the play remains emotionally charged: "Three grains of corn will keep me till morning, Mama," one young boy pleads. It is one of several incidents recalled by Malloy as he is forced to leave Ireland for a supposedly better life in America. Others have to do with his one true love, a young lady wrenched from him by her family over differences between religion and wealth. It is Malloy's search for her that propels the play and gives it one of its few elements of hope. A tribute to Foster's writing is that no one is free of shame in this play. At first the English take the brunt of guilt, but the Americans prove little better and even Malloy harbors prejudice against the slaves he encounters in South Carolina. But music eventually brings them together, and leads to Malloy's salvation. "The Great Blight" is directed by Thomas F. Maguire
for Duende: Drama & Literature. It's an intense tale, yet
ultimately uplifting, and not to be missed. |
"Our eighth grade students recently had the privilege of watching a performance of The Great Blight brought to us by Duende: Drama & Literature.
"It is hard to capture 8th graders' interest-but they were a rapt audience! They empathized with the performer as he told tales of the hardships he endured and they greatly enjoyed the songs and variety of instruments he played.
"In addition, the play sparked students' interest in Ireland and their own ancestry. They asked the author and performer many questions about the era of immigration. Some even looked up Ireland on the Internet later. Having the author here to tell about how he conceived and wrote the play was a learning experience that sparked our students to write their own plays.
"We have not had a performance of this caliber before! The rich history and song woven through it made learning painless for our students. I heartily recommend booking this production for your school. "
Judy Borgquist, Principal, Tenaya School,
Groveland, CA
Dear Mr. David
Maloney,
Thank you very much for the outstanding performance you put on for
our school. We all appreciated the hard work you put into it. The
songs were wonderful! They were informative as well as entertaining.
The performance was thorough and the story behind it was captivating.
We wish you the best of luck in your future shows.
Respectfully yours, 7-A
Dear Mr. Maloney,
Thank you for your taking time to give a wonderful performance to
our class. "The Great Blight" opened many of our eyes to
the potato famine and the strength and courage of the Irish. Your
story telling, singing, and acting added to our enjoyment. The extensive
research you described has certainly paid off. We look forward to
seeing more of your productions.
Sincerely, Class of 2000
The Great Blight is available for booking now and indefinitely into the future.
Special K-12 School Rates for performance and study guides| Please call or e-mail for special rates and availability. |
| Note: For schools beyond the San Francisco Bay area there will be a surcharge for travel. |
| $500 One performance |
| $800 Two performances, same day (including evening) |
| $1000 Three performances, same day (including evening) |
|
$400-1500 Depending on the size of the auditorium, pricing, etc. |
To Schedule a Program, see Booking.
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• rev:
02/03/2008
• tm
