Crowded Kitchen Players heartfelt retelling of the story of a tragic uprising by a group of Irish rebels on Easter Monday in 1916 is made even more poignant with the addition of the moving words of the granddaughter of one of the actual rebels.
Fiona Galligan Sweeney, granddaughter of Irish rebel Peter Paul Galligan, makes her stage debut in the often raw, but always compelling "The Rising: The Irish Rebellion in Song and Verse" through March 19 at Charles A. Brown IceHouse in Bethlehem.
Conceived and directed effectively by Ara Barlieb, the story of "The Rising" returns after a successful run in 2022, with additional material about Sweeneys ancestor, who played a critical role in the fighting and was one of the few leaders who escaped execution.
Sweeney and the rest of the small cast are memorable and engaging as they dramatize the bloody Rising through newspaper articles, poetry, songs, speeches, proclamations, letters from the condemned rebels to their loved ones, and a "The New York Times" interview with Moira Regan, who was in the Dublin General Post Office and helped run messages for the rebel forces. 
Tying all the vignettes together is talented musician Joey Mutis III of the band The Electric Farm, who performs traditional songs written about the uprising throughout the show. Mutis melancholy voice resonates on songs including "Irelands Rise," "Banna Strand," "'The Row in the Town," "Tri-coloured Ribbon," "The Parting Glass" and "The Foggy Dew" that are interspersed through the story giving them a deeper meaning. Mutis accompanies himself on guitar, as well as occasionally singing a cappella for a haunting effect.
There also are poems by Irish poet Williams Butler Yeats about the uprising woven through the story.
Trish Cipoletti returns as the determined and passionate Moira Regan, the young woman who witnesses some of the fighting first hand. Tom Epstein is effectively intent as Joyce Kilmer, the famed reporter conducting the interview.
As doomed rebellion leader Padraig Pearse, Drew Adamczak gives the strong and stoic leader an unflinching sense of purpose and Michael Sheridan returns to bring tenacity and fortitude to rebel leader "The ORahilly," as well as also portraying the brave but gravely wounded leader James Connelly.
Ensemble members Pamela McLean Wallace, Carla Hadley, Sharon Ferry, Mary Pat Lamass, Colleen Popper and Sweeney powerfully play multiple roles from witnesses on the streets of Dublin to members of Cumann na mBan, a womens auxiliary to the Irish volunteers.
Painfully memorable is when members of the cast portray British citizens reading actual editorials from the Manchester Guardian newspaper, illuminating the patronizing and dismissive attitude of the British toward the Irish.
A screen behind the stage enhances the performance by showing period photos, artwork and newspaper articles.
Although the uprising ended unsuccessfully and resulted in the execution of many of the leaders, Barlieb emphasizes how "The Rising" became a symbol of the resolve of Irish people to win their freedom. Sharon Ferry offers a dramatic coda about how it led to Irish independence six years later.
The set is simple but functional and highlighted by green, white and orange lights representing the Irish flag. The show is 85 minutes long with no intermission.
Performances are March 17-18 @ 730PM and March 19 @ 200PM at The Charles A. Brown IceHouse, 56 River St., Bethlehem. Tickets are $18.
For information, call 610-704-6974 or go to www.ckplayers.com.