Fox Cities News

A staged reading of a play written by Timothy X. Troy, a Lawrence University theatre arts professor, will be presented on March 28 at Cloak Theater. The play, titled "Run with the Hare (…and hunt with the hound)," was developed during Troy's Fulbright year in Ireland and explores the life of Dan Stapleton, an influential figure in the Irish War of Independence.

Troy spent the 2022-23 academic year in Ireland as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar, teaching at University College Dublin while conducting research for his play. His work focuses on Stapleton, a three-time All-Ireland hurling champion and committed nationalist who played a significant role from 1918 to 1921.

The initial reading took place in Kilkenny, Ireland, where Troy tested his script with local actors. “The action of the play takes place in Kilkenny," Troy explained. "I made a few adjustments to the play based on that feedback.”

This upcoming reading marks its U.S. debut, featuring professional actors Stephen Spencer, Olivia Gregorich ’17, Alan Kopischke, Jacque Troy, and Lawrence seniors Ella Rose Schaefer, Alec Welhouse, and Jon Winkler.

Troy’s inspiration came from meeting Lucy Stapleton in 2016 and discovering her great-grandfather Dan Stapleton's history through family documents and an oral history recorded in 1953. Helen (Stapleton) Ledwidge expressed her admiration for Troy’s portrayal: “He sent me a copy of his first draft... we were blown away at how good the story looked and sounded on stage.”

The Fulbright Program has enabled over 400,000 participants since its inception in 1946 to engage in educational exchanges worldwide.