Celebrate St. Patrick's Day at the Best Irish Wake in Town

Minneapolis, Minn, February 26, 2002 - The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre and the citizens of Grapplin, County Sligo, Ireland joyously invite you to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at special performances of Flanagan's Wake. As the only Irish party in town that contains a coffin, improvised Irish song, and mourners who can't help but laugh, Flanagan's Wake is a premiere St. Patrick's Day event and the only funny funeral you'll probably ever attend. The hilarious details of Flanagan's life and death are created by the audience and performed by the cast through improvised story and song. Mourners will raise a pint or a cup in O'Doul's pub, enjoy an authentic Irish meal in the town hall, and help determine what will be done with the famed Flanagan land. From the glowering Mother Flanagan to parish priest Father Damon Fitzgerald, the colorful citizens of the fictional town of Grapplin create a lively, party-like celebration in laying Flanagan to rest, repeatedly and with great variety.

The special St. Patrick's performances are Thursday, March 14 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16 at 5:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 17 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Rest assured, as dear Flanagan does, that special events will be taking place in light of St. Patrick's Day and may include a glimpse of ghosts, beer that disappears and additional Irish music and muses. As part of Flanagan's St. Patrick's toast to the Twin Cities, citizens from Grapplin, and surrounding towns, will march in the Minneapolis and St. Paul St. Patrick's parades on Saturday, March 16, and dole out true Irish Blarney.

In addition, local Grapplin pagan Kathleen Mooney cast her spells at the Ms. Blarney contest held recently at Kieran's Irish Pub in downtown Minneapolis. And, not to be outdone, Grapplin's best known writer, young Mickey Finn, intends to enter and win the Best and Worst Irish Tenor contest being held at Mancini's, 531 West 7th Street in St. Paul, on March 13 at 6:00 p.m. Do not be surprised if Grapplin citizens continue to appear quite suddenly throughout the Twin Cities to sprinkle a bit of Irish cheer this March!

Following these special performances, Flanagan's Wake returns to its regular, ongoing schedule with performances on Thursdays and Fridays at 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 5:00 p.m. All performances include dinner and take place at the historic Palace Theatre, 17 West 7th Place, in downtown St. Paul. For more information and to reserve tickets, contact the Brave New Workshop, founded by Dudley Riggs in 1958, at 612-332-6620.

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