Rochester Community Players presents The Ferryman

"The Ferryman" by Jez Butterworth is the second production from Rochester Community Players (RCP) during its landmark 100th season this year. Directed by Jean Gordon Ryon, this award-winning drama set in 1981 takes place in rural Northern Ireland during “The Troubles,” a dangerous time with threats of violence from both the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and the English military. The Carneys--a large farming family--have been living for 10 years with a mystery that has had a major impact on everyone: the unsolved disappearance of Seamus Carney, a member of the IRA. When a visitor arrives during their annual harvest celebration, they get unexpected news that soon turns their world upside down. "The Ferryman" is by turns funny and dark as it explores family secrets, grief, and the impact of political violence on everyday life. A multi-generational cast of 21 people includes characters ranging in age from children and teens to adults in their 20s through 80s. Everyone in the Carney family faces changes in their lives as the play’s story unfolds. Director Ryon says, “This is a grand sweep of a play filled with big emotions and important moral choices, but audiences don’t need to know the history of Ireland to understand and enjoy its powerful story.” The Ferryman premiered in London in 2017 and won several “Best Play” awards. The Guardian newspaper described it as “A rich, serious, deeply involving play about the shadows of the past and the power of silent love.” After opening on Broadway the following year, four Tony Awards were added to the play’s accolades. The Ferryman is a licensed amateur production by arrangement with Nick Hern Books. Rochester Community Players is the oldest community theatre in Rochester, second-oldest in New York state, and among the oldest continuously operating community theatres in the United States. Performances are April 18 to May 3, 2025. The show on April 26 is also ASL-interpreted.