Toronto Irish Players

The Toronto Irish Players (TIP) was founded by a group of new Irish immigrants in 1975 and is Toronto’s only Irish community theatre group. Over the last 46 years, we have produced more than 91 plays, connecting Toronto’s Irish community and sharing Irish heritage with Toronto audiences by presenting classic and modern works from Irish playwrights. From the first performance of Kathleen Ni Houlihan at Toronto’s Caravan in 1975, TIP has striven to bring the numerous sides of Irish theatre to Toronto. Including multiple presentations of the works of Sean O’Casey (Shadow of a Gunman; Juno and the Paycock) and Brian Friel (Translations), to The Warrior Bard,(written by TIP member Jonathon Lynn) and James Joyce’s The Dead: The Musical, from The Patrick Pearse Motel to Bookworms, from The Hostage to Shining City. Forty five years have seen friendships forged and tested, bonds created, immigration and emigration, and more than one family has multiple generations become part of TIP, while we welcome new members every year. TIP has been recognized with a number of awards at the ACT_CO Theatre festival, Theatre Ontario Festival and Acting Irish International Theatre Festival. Even more meaningfully, TIP was named The Irish Person of the Year in 2013, a recognition of its longstanding contribution to the culture of the Irish community in Toronto. But the surest award, and the one that really keeps the company going is the reward of creating theatre together out of the endless well of memories, aspirations and prose and sharing that with the audience, so many of whom have been with us for many years on this journey. Presenting the plays to you that you enjoy (that keep you coming back again and again) and having the opportunity to chat with you in the lobby over a glass afterwards, is as much as any of us ask. A volunteer-based organization, TIP relies completely on the generosity of our members and sponsors. Please get in touch if you would like to join us.