Conor Mcpherson
About
Biography
Biography
In the 1990s, Ireland has seen a new flowering in the arts. Stage directors like Garry Hynes, filmmakers such as Paddy Breathnach and actors including Brendan Gleeson and Peter McDonald have emerged as have writers like Martin McDonagh, Sebastian Barry, Billy Roche and Conor McPherson. Raised in Dublin, McPherson had always been interested in the tradition of storytelling and he found an outlet for it as a college student, acting and writing in productions. Following graduation, he and a group of friends founded their own theater company, producing his "Rum & Vodka" in 1992 and finding particular success with 1994's "The Good Thief." Although McPherson's "This Lime Tree Bower" was turned down by the major theater companies in Dublin (i.e., The Gate and The Abbey), it was produced at London's Bush Theatre. This play, like much of the writers early work, consisted primarily of monologues, which prompted some to feel he was incapable of writing a real dramatic work. Indeed, McPherson had his first international success with his one-person play "St. Nicholas," starring Brian Cox as a theater critic who becomes involved with supernatural elements. Even his acclaimed, award-winning "The Weir" is a quietly conversational piece that features a group of bar patrons recounting ghost stories. Yet in his first screenplay for the unjustly overlooked "I Went Down" (1998). McPherson more than proved the nay-sayers wrong. A wonderfully serio-comic look at low-level gangsters, "I Went Down" displayed the writer's gift for insightful dialogue and colorful characters. When he was tapped to make his feature directorial debut, McPherson turned to familiar material--the screen adaptation of his three-character play "This Lime Tree Bower" filmed under the title "Salt Water" (2000).
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Director (Special)
Life Events
1991
Worked as a tutor in ethics and moral philosophy at University College in Dublin
1992
First play produced "Rum & Vodka"
1994
Received notice with the play, "The Good Thief"
1995
Premiered "This Lime Tree Bower" at the Dublin Fringe Festival, before transferring to London's Bush Theater
1997
Wrote and directed the one-person show "St. Nicholas" with Brian Cox playing the theater critic; later opened Off-Broadway
1998
Screenwriting debut, "I Went Down"; film starred Peter McDonald and Brendan Gleeson
1999
Broadway debut, "The Weir"
2000
Feature directorial debut, "Saltwater"; adapted from his play "This Lime Tree Bower"
2003
Second film directed, "The Actors" starring Michael Caine and Michael Gambon
2004
Premiered his play "Shining City" in London
2006
Opened "Shining City" on Broadway; nominated for two Tony awards, including Best Play
2006
Opened his play, "The Seafarer" at London's National Theatre
2007
NYC debut of "The Seafarer" at the Booth Theatre; earned Tony award nominations for Best Play and Best Direction
