OFFTOPIC: Bloomsday in New York

[Michael Joseph]

Symphony Space Presents Bloomsday On Broadway XXII on June 16th

SymphonySpaces 22nd Annual Literary Rite of Spring Features Dozens of
LeadingAmerican and Irish Actors and Joycean Roustabouts

Readers Include:
AaronBeall, Kathleen Chalfant, Stephen Colbert, Jack Davidson, Mia
Dillon,Terry Donnelly, Barbara Feldon, Ellen Frey, Faux Maux,
PaulineFlanagan, Tracey Ferguson, Delphi Harrington, Cynthia Harris,
AnnaGoodman Herrick, Vanessa Hidary, Conn Horgan, Larry Josephson,
LarryKeith, Bob Laine, Stephen Lang, John Leighton, David
Marguiles,Mercedes McAndrew, Mara McEwin, Frank McCourt, Malachy McCourt,
JoMcNamara, Charlotte Moore, Terry Moran, Frank Morey, Patrick
Mulligan,Fidelma Murphy, Roger Hendricks Simon, John Spinks, Rochelle
Oliver,Caraid O'Brien, Kate OBrien, Aidan OKelly, Ciaran OReilly,
ImeldaOReilly, Paul Pierog, Bernadette Quigley, Frederick Rolf,
GeneSecunda, Marian Seldes, Isaiah Sheffer, Roger Hendricks Simon,
JohnSpinks, John Tighe, Niall Toibin, George Vogel, Harris Yulin,
FritzWeaver, ZeroBoy, and more

Listings Information:
Bloomsday on Broadway XXII,
Monday, June 16, 2003, 7pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at
PETER NORTON SYMPHONY SPACE
2537 Broadway at 95th Street
www.symphonyspace.org

Tickets:
Individual Tix. $17, (Members $12, Students/Seniors $14)
Box Office: Tues - Sun, Noon - 7pm
Phone: 212.864.5400, Tues - Sun, 11am - 7pm
Online: www.symphonyspace.org or www.tickets.com

NEW YORK CITY, May 14, 2003 - Symphony Space, one of New Yorks primary
cultural resources, presents Bloomsday on Broadway XXII on Monday, June 16
at 7pm. "The annual celebration of James Joyce's Ulysses,created and
hosted by Isaiah Sheffer and directed this year by CariadO'Brien, will
conclude sometime after midnight when Molly Bloom's final"yes" brings
Bloomsday to its traditional close. The New York Timeshas hailed Symphony
Spaces annual Bloomsday event as, "One of New YorkCitys favorite
springtime rites-a lengthy celebration of life, love,lust, language, and
literature."

The 22nd Bloomsday on Broadwayhighlight, one at a time the three main
characters in the novel.Beginning with Stephen Dedalus monologues in
Proteus; focusing in onBloom at the bar in Cyclops section; and ending
with Molly Bloomsmonologue in Penelope.

The Cyclops, one of the most popular andpolitically inspired chapters of
Ulysses; will be read in its entiretyby a cast of over forty, narration by
Frank McCourt, and with MalachyMcCourt as the superpatriot Citizen." with
narration by Frank McCourt.The episode is set in Barney Kiernans pub and
interspersed with thephilosophical, nationalistic and whimsical rants of
its many loquaciouspatrons. The narrator of this chapter is an unnamed
bystander (McCourt)who, in the fine Irish storytelling tradition,
exaggerates theafternoons event into hilariously heroic proportions.
Joyces stand-infor the Cyclops is the Citizen- a cranky anti-Semitic
nationalist whoselitany of insults against Bloom results in a heated
confrontation.Bloom escapes out the door of the pub just as the Citizen
hurls a metaltin at his head paralleling the original Cyclops hurling a
boulder atUlysses.

In addition, Isaiah Sheffer will read the entirechapter of Proteus -
Stephen Dedalus morning walk along the Strand andthe evening will end with
selections from Penelope - Molly Blooms tourde force full of her nighttime
thoughts and ramblings. The IrishAmerican Balladeer from Lowell,
Massachusetts, Frank Morey will alsoperform original music inspired by
characters in the novel. DesignerRaluca Barbulescu will create the
backdrop for the Cyclops-inspired,booze fueled mayhem onstage. The cast
features a broad range of talentfrom both sides of the Atlantic including
writers, celebrated stageactors, tv stars, storytellers, performance
artists and musicians.

Bloomsday on Broadway XXIIis made possible, in part, by the Arthur
Foundation, the Axe-HoughtonFoundation, the Henry Nias Foundation courtesy
of Mr. Brian D.Rosenberg and Mr. and Mrs. William F. Rosenberg, the Lila
AchesonWallace Theater Fund in the New York Community Trust, and the
WildGeese, and with public funds from the New York State Council on
theArts, a State Agency.

One of New Yorks primary cultural resources, Symphony Spaceis a forum for
innovation in the arts, creating original formats andbreaking down
barriers between artistic disciplines. Symphony Spacemakes the arts
accessible to the widest possible audience by presentingsome of the most
interesting, multi-disciplinary programs in the cityat the lowest possible
price. Conveniently located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, Symphony
Space is just two stops from Times Square on the 2 and 3 lines (also
accessible from the 1 and 9 lines and the 96th street cross-town bus).

Symphony Spaces 2003 Season Print Sponsor: The Village VOICE
Symphony Spaces press releases are available on our web site at
www.symphonyspace.org


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Michael