Theatre West has the inside story

Whether or not your family tree has roots in the Emerald Isle, the new offering from Theatre West in Lincoln City will help you get your Irish on.

“Outside Mullingar,” written by John Patrick Shanley and set in rural Ireland, opens just in time for St. Patrick's Day, Thursday, March 17, and runs through April 9.

The play tells the story of Anthony and Rosemary, two introverted misfits straddling 40. Anthony has spent his entire life on a cattle farm, a state of affairs that — due to his painful shyness — suits him well. Rosemary lives right next door, determined to have him, watching the years slip away. With Anthony’s father threatening to disinherit him and a land feud simmering between their families, Rosemary has every reason to fear romantic catastrophe. But then, in this very Irish story with a surprising depth of poetic passion, these yearning, eccentric souls fight their way towards solid ground and some kind of happiness. Their journey is heartbreaking, funny and ultimately deeply moving.

Directed by Debby Rhein, the cast is Sean Tonner as Anthony Reilly, Amanda Megyesi-McCave as Rosemary Muldoon, Michael Murphy as Tony Reilly and Cathy Weir as Aoife Muldoon.

Performances take place at 7:30 pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with a Sunday matinée at 2 pm on March 27. Theatre West is located at 3536 SE Hwy. 101 in Lincoln City. Tickets, $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and students and $12 for children 12 and younger, are available by calling 541-994-5663.