Open Fist Theatre to Open THE GOOD THIEF, 3/24

The Open Fist Theatre Company presents THE GOOD THIEF, written by Conor McPherson and directed by Scott Paulin (Foote Notes, St. Nicholas) and starring Michael McGee. Mr. Paulin and Mr. McGee's previous collaboration on the McPherson play St. Nicholas was a critically-acclaimed endeavor at the Stephanie Feury Theatre. THE GOOD THIEF, will preview on St. Patrick's Day - Sunday, March 17 at 7pm; Monday, March 18 at 8pm and will open on Sunday, March 24 at 7pm and runs through Monday, April 29 at the Open Fist Theatre, 6209 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

THE GOOD THIEF by Irish playwright Conor McPherson opening March 24th at The Open Fist Theater reunites director Scott Paulin and award-winning actor Michael McGee from the critically acclaimed 2010 production of McPherson's play for one actor, St. Nicholas. McGee stars in the whirlwind tale of a hard-drinking petty thug from the slums of Dublin whose obsession with the wrong woman nearly gets him killed. Call it Dublin Noir, The Good Thief is edgy and fast-paced, bullet-riddled, rain-soaked, darkly romantic, sardonically funny, and in the end deeply moving. The Good Thief is a rarely performed early masterpiece from one of Ireland's greatest writers.

Conor McPherson (Playwright) was born in Dublin. He was educated at University College Dublin, McPherson began writing his first plays there as a member of UCD Dramsoc, the college's dramatic society, and went on to found Fly by Night Theatre Company which produced several of his plays. He is considered one of the best contemporary Irish playwrights; his plays have attracted good reviews, and have been performed internationally (notably in the West End and on Broadway). The Weir opened at the Royal Court before transferring to the West End and Broadway. It won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play for 1999.

His 2001 play, Port Authority tells of three interwoven lives. The play was first produced by the Gate Theatre of Dublin but premiered at the New Ambassadors Theatre in London in February 2001, before moving to the Gate Theatre in April of that year. The production was directed by McPherson himself. New York's Atlantic Theater Company staged a production of the play in spring of 2008, starring Brian d'Arcy James, and Tony Award winners John Gallagher Jr. and Jim Norton. Says New York Times critic Ben Brantley, "I found myself holding on to what these actors had to say as if I were a 5-year-old at bedtime being introduced to 'The Arabian Nights.'" McPherson also directed his play, Dublin Carol, at the Atlantic Theater Company, New York, in 2003.

His 2004 play Shining City opened at the Royal Court and prompted The Daily Telegraph to describe him as "the finest dramatist of his generation..." A meditation on regret, guilt and confusion, the play is set entirely within the Dublin offices of a psychiatrist who himself has psychological secrets. Whilst much of the play takes the form of monologues delivered by a patient, the everyday stories and subtle poignancy and humour make it a riveting experience. It subsequently opened on Broadway in 2006 and was nominated for two Tony Awards, including Best Play.

In September 2006, to great critical acclaim, McPherson made his National Theatre debut as both author and director with The Seafarer at the Cottesloe auditorium, starring Karl Johnson and Jim Norton, with Ron Cook as their poker-playing, Mephistophelean guest. Jim Norton won an Olivier Award for his performance while McPherson was nominated for both the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Play.