Lyric Stage Boston presents Thirst, playwright Ronan Noone's captivating and compelling look into the Irish immigrant experience and the struggles in building a meaningful life in a new world. Imagine if behind the drama of Eugene O'Neill's classic drama Long Day's Journey Into Night there was an equally compelling story happening in the kitchen of that same home amongst the cook, maid, and chauffeur. There's a whole other story unraveling on the other side of the kitchen wall.

Thirst at Lyric Stage Company of Boston


Two Irish immigrants, including a disappointed cook whose shuttered heart only blooms when she has a bottle in her hand and a vibrant young maid who survived a trip on the Titanic, pass the day amid their gloomy daily chores alongside a resilient American chauffeur with a troubled past. As tensions rise, high-spirited humor and harsh cynicism boil over as the trio confront abandoned dreams and heart-breaking misfortunes. Underneath it all, hope is not as far away as it seems.

Director Courtney O'Connor° says, "This is a story near and dear to my heart as I honor the journey of my own great-grandmother leaving Ireland to pursue a life in America. Ronan Noone takes us behind the walls with the servants in the kitchen, with yearning souls and lyrical banter. This will be the second-ever production of Ronan's play, giving us the opportunity to support this important local playwright. And thanks to the brilliance of our entire artistic team, there will be actual eggs and bacon cooking on stage."

To see a list of all the shows playing now, visit our Shows In Boston page.