Irish Repertory Theatre Presents Another Life-Affirming Show

“Villains,” to borrow from essayist Agnes Repplier “must be wicked enough to excite our aversion, strong enough to arouse our fear, human enough to awaken some transient gleam of sympathy.” 

In the life-affirming, heartwarming musical The Streets of New York Amanda Jane Cooper skillfully evokes compassion for her villain Alida Bloodgood. The musical begins during The Panic of 1837 during a brutal time in New York. The banks are failing, poverty abounds, morale is low and a very evil banker, Gideon Bloodgood, is destroying lives. Twenty years later, Bloodgood and his daughter Alida Bloodgood, continue the cruelty. 

“Alida is cunning, driven and will stop at nothing to get what she wants,” says Cooper. “Even though she regularly asks her father for a lot of money, which he willingly gives, there is deep familial love between them. All they’ve had is each other. Deep down Alida has real insecurities and pain from childhood that she covers with her grasps for control.” 

In The Streets of New York father and daughter are ultimately outdone by the good people who Gideon tried to destroy. While destitute, they are committed to generosity and kindness. They show us that hope is not lost and what really matters. 

“I love the heart of this show,” adds Cooper who also starred as Glinda in Wicked, “ It encourages us to look at what is right, what is good and what is honorable. It encourages us to it extend our hands to the poor, to act justly and to love mercy. It reminds us also that material things do not define our worth and value. And that grace and forgiveness are indeed powerful. That’s why this show is so important right now.”

Another gem of a show from Irish Repertory Theatre, The Streets of New York is based on Dion Boucicault’s play of the same name. Charlotte Moore, co-founder and artistic director of the Irish Rep directed adapted and wrote the songs. The cast also features Amy Bodnar, Kerry Conte, Richard Henry, David Hess, Ben Jacoby, Justin Keyes, Daniel J. Maldonado, Polly McKie, Ryan Vona, Price Waldman, and DeLaney Westfall. Since 1988 Irish Rep has been passionately devoted to bringing Irish and Irish-American works to the stage. 

“Boucicault’s 18th century world seems to fit right into our 21st with its darkness and restrictions,” says Moore about the choice to revive The Streets of New York which Irish Rep originally did in 2002. “But, as always, I love the end of our story. It’s filled with hope and the victory of the power of good. One day soon we will surely be headed in that light-filled direction.”

Amanda Jane Cooper offers more insight.  

Jeryl Brunner: What made you fall in love with The Streets of New York? 

Amanda Jane Cooper: The show has a refreshing simplicity and an earnest core that provides a beautiful space for laughter and tears alike. Each character is dynamically written. The music is sweeping and full of emotion. The style of a melodrama is loads of fun and the show has an important message. I don’t believe there’s anything quite like it in New York City right now. So it’s extra special to experience the audiences experiencing what we’ve made!

Brunner: Why do you like working with Irish Repertory Theater? 

Cooper: The Irish Rep is a really special place. With over 30 years of storytelling in New York City, it’s a place you can come imagine, feel, learn, laugh and cry and be a part of something bigger than yourself. The quality of the productions is incredible with Charlotte [Moore] and Ciarán [the theater’s producing director Ciarán O’Reilly] at the helm. It’s magical, you might say. The theater was also recently renovated and is a gorgeous place to take in the show. 

Brunner: Tell us about your director, Charlotte Moore. 

Cooper: Charlotte is absolutely a dynamo and incredibly humble! She is a beloved and integral part of the fabric of New York theatre. It has been a gift to spend hours in a rehearsal room with her, to sing her material and to be directed by her. She’s really funny! She keeps everyone laughing, and she believes in us. Charlotte adores actors. And you can feel that in the way that she empowers you and gives you freedom to play and follow your instincts. Her work ethic is also something to be admired. What she has done with The Streets of New York, both musically and in her direction, is so special. She also provides the best snacks. There’s always tea on the kettle and a bon bon to enjoy.

Brunner: Alida Bloodgood is so mean. What advice would you give her? 

Cooper: Alida has a lot of lessons to learn. And we see that throughout the show. I would encourage her to choose kindness and to value all humans equally, regardless of their status in society. I would also tell her to stay away from the “bad boys” she adores so easily. Ha!

Brunner: How are you staying creatively nourished during this time?

Cooper: I’ve had the opportunity to get back on set with Law & Order: SVU. I also did a lady-led tennis comedy feature called First One In. I’ve also been involved in workshopping a few musicals including True North by Holly and Kelvin Reed and am really excited about its future. I’ve also been recording and releasing music which can be found on all streaming platforms. 

Also, I had a ball coaching my beloved students in my private online studio. It creatively nourishes me to empower younger artists to step into their gifts. I’ve had the chance to speak to students at my alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University, which is always a delight. My husband and I were married at the very beginning of the pandemic on Zoom! So that has been a big adventure. We were recently able to have our in-person celebration in September. 

Brunner: When did you know that you had a gift for acting and singing and dancing? 

Cooper: My 5th grade music teacher Mrs. Messner gave me a part in the school musical and it pretty much changed my life. It was the first time I realized I had a spark of passion and some gifts in this area. I deeply appreciate my parents who fostered my new love, and sacrificed much to give me the best chance to be able to pursue my dreams. When I made my Broadway debut as Glinda in Wicked it was a really emotional moment of gratitude. My parents brought me to see the original cast twice when I was in high school.