Meet the Cast of “Molly Sweeney”

From March 17–19, the Irish Theatre of Chicago will present the play Molly Sweeney at DPAC. Following protagonist Molly, who has been blind since birth, Brian Friel brings us a riveting contemporary drama about the unexpected consequences of a medical miracle. Several cast members shared their insight into both the production and the company.

How did members of the company become a part of Irish Theatre of Chicago?

Robert Kauzlaric (playing Mr. Rice): Most of us found our way to the ensemble through the experience of working on one or more ITC shows as actors, directors, stage managers, or designers. While plays from and about Ireland and Irish folks are as varied as any other subset of dramatic literature, I think there are some common themes, tensions, and questions that run through many of them, and we’ve all found ourselves drawn to sharing those particular kinds of stories — as well as being drawn to sharing the stage, rehearsal hall, and production table with each other.

Can you give us a little background on Molly Sweeney and its writer Brian Friel?

Robert Kauzlaric: To put it simply, Brian Friel was one of the great masters — often called the Chekov or Tennessee Williams of Ireland. Molly Sweeney premiered in Dublin in 1994 and then in New York in 1996 at the Roundabout Theatre. The story is fictional and set in the fictitious town of Ballybeg where Friel placed a number of his plays but was loosely inspired by the case study of a real-life man in the U.S. who underwent a similar experience.

Molly Sweeny is one of Friel’s monologue plays, like Faith Healer, where the tale unfolds as a series of stories shared in the past tense by separate characters in separate spaces.

Molly Sweeney explores the idea of experiencing the world through senses other than sight. How can the audience expect senses to play a role in their viewing experience?

Robert Kauzlaric: Molly Sweeney definitely explores the nature of how we sensorially process the world around us, but I think it might be even more interested in the interplay between the world we experience with our senses and how we choose to interpret it. Or, as my character, Mr. Rice, puts it: “The relationship between seeing and understanding.”

All three characters in the play can be very perceptive in their own way, but they all have behaviors or motivations or realities to which they are blind — willfully or otherwise. And while this isn’t necessarily a “he said, she said” kind of story, the audience will have the experience of hearing each character talk about themselves and talk about each other, and things that might seem clearly defined at first may blur over time.

This is a storytelling play rather than, say, a spectacle play, so the audience’s role will be more about listening and active questioning than in some other kinds of theatrical performances.

Carolyn Kruse (playing Molly Sweeney): Friel’s language creates such vivid imagery that I imagine and am hopeful that an audience will be able to clearly visualize the memories that the characters speak of and feel as if they are on the journey through those memories with them.

How does embodying different characters affect your outlook on the world? Have you ever felt particularly changed by a role?

Robert Kauzlaric: One thing about being an actor is that it continuously requires you to work to understand and empathize with the point of view and decisions of people who may be very much unlike you. This is something not everyone is compelled to do in their everyday lives, and it’s something I feel our world could use more of these days, so I do try to carry that with me, as best I can, outside of the rehearsal room.

Matthew Isler (playing Frank Sweeney): I can’t say that I have been particularly changed by any role I have played. There are certainly characters that any actor plays that have differing views from their own. I find it particularly interesting to explore reasons why a certain character may feel one way or the other. In order to understand the background and motivations of others, we must gain an understanding of our differences.

What has been your most memorable moment working with Irish Theatre of Chicago?

Robert Kauzlaric: In 2015, I directed ITC’s world-premiere production of Karen Tarjan’s play, The White Road, which chronicles Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition — an enormous story to tell in a black-box theatre with just ten actors. But thanks to the incredible skill and creativity of our cast, designers, and production team, I vividly recall sitting in the house on opening night in something of a state of wonder that we’d managed to bring Karen’s vision to life, and that right there, in a 70-seat theater, the tale of all the years those men spent on the pack ice was unfolding before my eyes. 

Carolyn Kruse: In 2012, I played Josie Hogan in A Moon for the Misbegotten. A dream role for me and that alone – to play that role every night – was a highlight of my time with ITC. To add, Brian Dennehy came to our show one night; I had the pleasure of meeting him after and got to chat with him about playing in the world of Eugene O’Neill.

Theater has become a notoriously difficult art form to keep alive during a pandemic. How has ITC handled this? And has it changed your perception of the art form at all?

Matthew Isler: I don’t think that the pandemic has changed my perspective of the art form. It has been difficult to produce work under mandated restrictions but I still see the medium as a powerful force for change and introspection through character studies and storytelling.

Performing shows nightly requires an incredibly strong work ethic. How do you maintain the drive to give your best performance, even on days when you feel particularly worn out?

Carolyn Kruse: I look at each performance as a new and fresh opportunity to share my characters’ story with an audience. I need to trust the rehearsal process and all the preparation I have done with the director/actors/design team, so when it comes time to perform — whether I am emotionally or physically tired — that the work and preparation is there and will sustain me.

Every actor has their own process and we each come to the theater with that preparation at the forefront. I personally love to use music and breathing/meditation in my prep to center myself, ground myself, and focus.

Matthew Isler: Make sure that you take care of yourself. Try not to take on more than you know that you can handle physically and mentally. Keep your tools clean and sharp and the job will get done.

We thank the cast for their thoughtful answers, and we’re looking forward to welcoming the Irish Theatre of Chicago back to the center for this beautifully poignant play.