Acclaimed director Jimmy Fay has been appointed the new Executive Producer of the Lyric Theatre in Belfast.
After an extensive review of its operations, the Board of the Lyric Theatre is delighted to announce the appointment of the acclaimed director Jimmy Fay to lead the theatre.
Fay has been a dynamic force in Irish theatre for close to twenty years. He was the first director of the Dublin Fringe Festival which he co-founded with Bedrock Productions, has been Literary Director of the Abbey Theatre and in 2007 was the Theatre Curator of the Kilkenny Arts Festival.
His much-admired production The Risen People is currently running at the Abbey Theatre, while later in the year his acclaimed production of Quietly by Owen McCafferty will tour extensively, including a week in the Lyric in April. Jimmy’s production of the St. John Ervine play Mixed Marriage proved a critical and popular hit at the Lyric last year.
Among other Abbey Theatre productions Jimmy has directed are The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht,The School for Scandal by R.B. Sheridan, The Seafarer by Conor McPherson, The Playboy of the Western World in a new version by Bisi Adigun and Roddy Doyle, Saved by Edward Bond, for which he won Best Director in the Irish Times Theatre Awards in 2007, True West by Sam Shepard, and Flánn O’Brien’s At Swim-Two-Birds, adapted by Alex Johnston.
Jimmy Fay said of his appointment: “I am delighted and deeply honoured to be taking up the reins of the Lyric Theatre, which is one of the most beautiful theatres on these islands. It has a history of producing thought-provoking theatre and I want it to nurture and produce the best from our artists – writers, actors, designers and directors. The Lyric must maintain an ongoing dialogue with its audience to stimulate imaginations, to entertain and to pose difficult questions. I look forward to producing vibrant theatre with brilliant theatre-makers and artists at the Lyric.”
Commenting on the appointment the Lyric Chairman, Mark Carruthers, said: “We are delighted to have secured Jimmy, who is one of the most highly regarded directors in the country, to lead the Lyric into the next phase of its development. His professional reputation, depth of experience and extensive theatre connections will ensure the Lyric is well-placed to stage top class, relevant theatre in the years to come. The whole team is looking forward to a bright future with Jimmy at the helm.”
Details of when Jimmy will take up his new role will be announced very soon until then he is not available for interview.