COLUMBUS, Ohio — A phone call made in error eventually led to the world premiere production of a brand-new play in central Ohio.
Irish-born playwright Sean Cooney thought he was calling the Abbey Theatre, the National Theatre of Ireland, when he mistakenly dialed the number for the Abbey Theater of Dublin in Ohio.
"He was very confused when he got a hold of me," chuckles Joe Bishara, the theater supervisor for the Abbey Theater of Dublin and the director of the debut production. "We had a good chuckle about that."
Once they were on the same page, Cooney pitched Bishara on some of the writer's new works and the story of "A Yankee Goes Home" really made an impact.
"I grew up with a love for the Yankees from watching baseball with my grandfather and so it really tugged at my heartstrings," Bishara said.
The story of "A Yankee Goes Home" revolves around a retired NYPD officer who is grieving the death of his former partner on the police force. He's retreated inside of his own head and is only able to connect with the outside world through his love of baseball and of the New York Yankees.
"'A Yankee Goes Home' is a story about family, it's a story about loss, it's a story about baseball, but most importantly it's a story about hope," said Bishara. "I think it's really interesting how this play shows how sports, the good and the bad, also imitate life."
For The Abbey Theater of Dublin, bringing new plays to life is a fundamental part of their mission.
"Our tag phrase at The Abbey Theater is 'Light the Spark,' and so that's what we're trying to do," Bishara explained. "We want to light the spark of imagination and, I think, a great way to do that is to foster and nurture these new works and bring them to this audience, this community.
The show runs from April 14-23 at The Abbey Theater of Dublin in Dublin, Ohio.
Showtimes and ticket information can be found here.