In Avon Players’ ‘A Man of No Importance,’ Music Reverberates through the ‘Streets of Dublin’

Musical celebrates the poetry in the lives and loves of 1960s working-class Irish

Avon Players closes its season with a love letter to community theatre, the sweet and stirring musical A Man of No Importance, based on the Albert Finney movie of the same name. A Man of No Importance runs Friday, May 22 through Saturday, June 6.

In 1964 Dublin, bus conductor Alfie Byrne is a working-class man with the soul of an artist.  When he’s not regaling his passengers with poetry, he’s leading his scrappy band of amateur actors, the St. Imelda’s Players. But Alfie’s choice for the group’s next play, Salome by his idol, Oscar Wilde, raises a scandal and creates a rift in this very Catholic community. As Alfie fights for his artistic ideals, he must confront the forces of bigotry and shame and come to terms with secrets he is barely able to admit to himself.

Winner of the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical for its original run at Lincoln Center, A Man of No Importance features a gorgeous Irish-folk inspired score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Aherns, the musical team behind Ragtime and Once on this Island, and a book by six-time Tony Award winner Terrence McNally. Filled with heart and humor, and featuring a cast of colorful characters, A Man of No Importance is an exploration of relationships, identity, the nature of love, and the redemptive powers of art and community.

Tickets for all shows are $20 ($18 on Sundays for students and Seniors). Call 248.608.9077 for tickets or order online at www.AvonPlayers.org. Group rates are available by calling the box office. “Like” Avon Players Theatre on Facebook for special offers on tickets. Visa and MasterCard are accepted. All seats are reserved.  Show dates and times follow:

Founded in 1947, Avon Players is a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit community theatre located along the winding banks of Stoney Creek in the quaint Historic District of Rochester Hills, only about two miles from the heart of downtown Rochester. Avon Players has been performing shows in its unique A-frame theater since 1965. With ticket prices set at a fraction of those at professional theatre (plus free parking and concessions on a donation basis) a family of four can experience a sensational live theatrical event for about the cost of one ticket at a “downtown” venue.  And for regular theatre-goers, an affordable outing can be an even better bargain by taking advantage of Avon Players’ season ticket packages, which yield discounts of up to 24% per ticket.  Additionally, season ticket holders enjoy priority seating selection and voting privileges in Avon’s annual “Stoney Awards.” Additional information regarding tickets and productions is available by calling the Avon Players box office at 248.608.9077 or by visiting www.AvonPlayers.org.