North American tour and opportunities for writers and emerging theatre artists

Following five-star reviews of Dion Boucicault’s The Shaughraun at the Galway international Arts Festival, Druid's current season – Strange Country: Ireland in America – continues with A Moon for the Misbegotten by Eugene O’Neill at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway from 14-26 September and the Gaiety Theatre from 1-4 October as part of Dublin Theatre Festival. Following this Druid will embark on a tour of North America in the winter. 

First stop is Toronto where Endgame by Samuel Beckett will mark the inaugural performance at The Canada Ireland Foundation’s new multipurpose arts and culture venue, the Corleck from 18– 28 November. This Canadian premiere of Druid’s Endgame features the original cast Bosco Hogan and Druid Ensemble members Aaron Monaghan, Tony-winner Marie Mullen, and Rory Nolanin Beckett’s tragicomic tale of a man living with his parents and his servant in a world beyond time and place which earned a Critic's Pick from the New York Times – 'it’s awfully good to be in their company ... the fine, funny artists of Garry Hynes’s venerable Druid troupe'. 

In the new year, following a sold-out tour in Ireland in 2026, Druid’s five-star production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth embarks on a two-city tour of America, directed by Garry Hynes. Starring Marie Mullen as Lady Macbeth and Marty Rea as Macbeth, this is the Scottish Play like you’ve never seen it before. Druid brings its visceral and uniquely Irish perspective to one of Shakespeare’s fiercest and bloodiest tragedies.  

Macbeth is presented at the Charleston Gaillard Centre, South Carolina from 5 – 7 February, before transferring to the Irish Arts Centre, New York from 18 February to 21 March in a celebrated double bill with J.M. Synge’s Riders to the Sea, that served as the centrepiece of the company’s 50th anniversary in 2025. 

Druid has a long history of international touring worldwide including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Hong Kong. Druid’s tours of the United States have earned the company critical acclaim and numerous awards, including four Tony Awards for its 1998 Broadway run of Martin McDonagh’s The Beauty Queen of Leenane. 

Garry Hynes, Artistic Director of Druid Theatre: “Touring is in Druid’s DNA, it’s great to be going back on the road again. We are thrilled to be asked to perform Endgame as part of the opening presentation of the Corleck and are immensely proud of this production of Macbeth and we look forward to visiting audiences in New York and Charleston.” 

Maureen Kennelly, Druid CEO: “Whenever Druid travels overseas we bring the essence of Galway with us. We’re very grateful to our tour venue partners and our funders and supporters, in particular the Arts Council and Culture Ireland for making this tour possible.”  

In addition to touring, this week Druid is delighted to announce opportunities for writers and women working as theatre artists on the island of Ireland through its New Writing open call and Marie Mullen Bursary. 

Named in honour of actor and Druid co-founder, the Marie Mullen Bursary is an annual award for women working on the island of Ireland as theatre artists in the fields of design, directing and dramaturgy and is intended to support the professional development of women in Irish theatre. This bursary provides the chosen theatre artist with the time, physical resources and mentoring necessary to support their work. Deadline for application is 5pm, Thursday 27 August 2026. 

The New Writing open call, also announced this week, invites scripts from playwrights for Druid Debuts, a series of rehearsed readings of new plays from which we develop new work for the stage. The submission window is open until 5pm, Thursday 20 August 2026. 

Druid gratefully acknowledges the generous support of its Friends, Supporters and Funding Partners in Galway, throughout Ireland and around the world, and in particular the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Smurfit Westrock, McDonogh Capital Investments, University of Galway, Culture Ireland, and Galway City Council.