Theater Department Performs Story of Faith, Love and Loss in Irish War of Independence

Liberty’s theater department prepares for its rendition of “Little Moon of Alban,” a story of faith, love and loss during the Irish War of Independence. The play originally debuted on television in 1958.

Set in Dublin, Ireland, during the 1919-21 Irish War of Independence, the story follows a young Irishwoman named Brigid Mary Mangan, played by senior Grace Ehrhorn. Brigid Mary’s brother, father and eventually her fiancé are killed by English soldiers. 

Portraying a character who endures so much suffering is intimidating, Ehrhorn explained, especially having never experienced the same kind of tragedies herself. 

Brigid Mary joins the Daughters of Charity, a group of Catholic women who devote their lives to service, and begins work in a hospital. There she meets an injured English lieutenant, who she eventually learns killed her fiancé. As their relationship grows, Brigid Mary is forced to choose between her faith and her feelings. 

The play is packed full of spiritual messages, Ehrhorn said, including healing, grief, identity, belonging, love and trust. Playing the character of Brigid Mary inspires her to cultivate the same qualities of strength, positivity and mercy in herself.

“It’s hard to not connect with such a well-written character,” Ehrhorn said. “James Costigan, the playwright, did a masterful job of writing incredibly authentic, real people suffering through unimaginably hard times.”

For many of its productions, Liberty’s theater department partners with the Alluvion Stage Company, a professional theater company. This production, however, is also an academic performance. Andy Geffken, an associate professor of theatre arts at Liberty, serves as the director of this production. 

As an academic performance, the show takes on special significance for Ehrhorn’s work as a student. In this play, she is performing her senior thesis role, which requires additional in-depth research, application of techniques she has learned in class and an oral defense after the show closes. The academic aspects of the show prepare students to develop their own process to use in their future careers, she said. 

Ehrhorn hopes the audience leaves the play with something to ruminate over, whether it be calling a loved one they have not spoken to in a while or the poignant reminder of eternal life. 

“The greatest part of being a believer in this field is that I know God will use whatever we do up on that stage,” Ehrhorn said. “Whether we feel like we performed well or did a good job doesn’t matter because we know God can still use our worst for someone else’s benefit.”

“Little Moon of Alban” will be showing in the Black Box Theater Nov. 11-20. Tickets are available on Liberty’s website. 

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