Ciara Ni Chuirc

Ciara Ni Chuirc is an Irish writer based in Los Angeles.

Her plays include MADE BY GOD (Off-Broadway), JUGGERNAUT (O'Neill Finalist, Columbia@Roundabout Finalist, Miranda Theatre Company 2021 Grant Recipient), AFGHANISTASIA (Campfire Theatre Festival Finalist, Princess Grace Award Semi-Finalist), FERNS (O'Neill Finalist), and SURE THIS IS IT (Tiny Plays for Ireland Winner).

Her work has been performed in the Samuel Beckett Theatre and Project Arts Centre (Dublin); Theatre Exile (Philadelphia); The Kennedy Center (Washington, DC); Inkwell Theater (LA), and The Tank, Irish Arts Center, Irish Repertory Theatre, Schapiro Theatre, Lenfest Center for the Arts, Kraine Theater, and the Studio Theater (NYC). She was selected as an emerging playwright by the Stewart Parker Trust and by Play On...

Ciara Ni Chuirc is an Irish writer based in Los Angeles.

Her plays include MADE BY GOD (Off-Broadway), JUGGERNAUT (O'Neill Finalist, Columbia@Roundabout Finalist, Miranda Theatre Company 2021 Grant Recipient), AFGHANISTASIA (Campfire Theatre Festival Finalist, Princess Grace Award Semi-Finalist), FERNS (O'Neill Finalist), and SURE THIS IS IT (Tiny Plays for Ireland Winner).

Her work has been performed in the Samuel Beckett Theatre and Project Arts Centre (Dublin); Theatre Exile (Philadelphia); The Kennedy Center (Washington, DC); Inkwell Theater (LA), and The Tank, Irish Arts Center, Irish Repertory Theatre, Schapiro Theatre, Lenfest Center for the Arts, Kraine Theater, and the Studio Theater (NYC). She was selected as an emerging playwright by the Stewart Parker Trust and by Play On (Dublin Theatre Festival). Her plays have been developed with Theatre Exile and The University of the Arts (Philadelphia); Fishamble Theatre Company and Dublin Theatre Festival (Dublin); and Elephant Run District Theatre Company and Origin Theatre Company (New York).

She is a recipient of the Inkwell Development LAB Lerner Fellowship, 2024, and a Theatre Project Award, 2022, from the Irish Arts Council. She has an MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University.

https://shoutoutla.com/meet-ciara-ni-chuirc-playwright/

Scripts

Made By God

by Ciara Ni Chuirc

Synopsis

A pro-life American podcast host named Eva goes to Ireland during the 2018 abortion referendum and finds her beliefs challenged while she's there.

“this excellent one-act…a moving examination of love, faith, guilt, remembrance, and regret…Ní Chuirc’s dialogue finds the perfect tone” – Ken Marks, The New Yorker

"A play this compassionate is a godsend" - Kevin Phoenix, Irish Echo

A pro-life American podcast host named Eva goes to Ireland during the 2018 abortion referendum and finds her beliefs challenged while she's there.

“this excellent one-act…a moving examination of love, faith, guilt, remembrance, and regret…Ní Chuirc’s dialogue finds the perfect tone” – Ken Marks, The New Yorker

"A play this compassionate is a godsend" - Kevin Phoenix, Irish Echo

Afghanistasia

by Ciara Ni Chuirc

Synopsis

Afghanistasia is the story of Marine / drag queen Walker's life - from his childhood through his time in the Marine Corps right up to the present day, as he does his damnedest to create a happy ending for himself out of some not-so-great stuff. But as he tells his story, the wife of his fellow veteran Ethan Wentworth keeps interrupting with her own. The play is about masculinity, the toxic culture of the...

Afghanistasia is the story of Marine / drag queen Walker's life - from his childhood through his time in the Marine Corps right up to the present day, as he does his damnedest to create a happy ending for himself out of some not-so-great stuff. But as he tells his story, the wife of his fellow veteran Ethan Wentworth keeps interrupting with her own. The play is about masculinity, the toxic culture of the American military, and forgiveness. 

Jupiter

by Ciara Ni Chuirc

Synopsis

October, 1962. Richard, a speechwriter at JFK’s White House finds himself exhausted – overworked, terrified of nuclear annihilation, and even worse, he’s just been dumped. Every draft he writes is getting thrown out or reworked by people vastly less intelligent than he is, and he feels like he never gets the chance to make a single decision. All day, every day, powerful men orbit him making decisions, and his...

October, 1962. Richard, a speechwriter at JFK’s White House finds himself exhausted – overworked, terrified of nuclear annihilation, and even worse, he’s just been dumped. Every draft he writes is getting thrown out or reworked by people vastly less intelligent than he is, and he feels like he never gets the chance to make a single decision. All day, every day, powerful men orbit him making decisions, and his job is to write the speeches stating that these decisions have been made. After several sleepless night, the President asks him to write a speech declaring nuclear war (just in case!) – but it’s Richard who has a meltdown.

When he comes to, Richard finds himself on the main deck of Soviet Submarine B-59, which is unexpected to say the least. While he tries to figure out where he is (and who he is) the situation underwater is getting grim – the air conditioning stops working, they’ve lost contact with Moscow, the workers are all fainting – and how long have they been underwater, anyway? As everything comes to a (war)head, the captain and political officer start putting pressure on Richard to agree to fire the “special weapon” – and suddenly Richard is handed the chance to make the biggest decision of all: should he start World War Three?

Juggernaut

by Ciara Ni Chuirc

Synopsis

Jay "Juggernaut" Hayes thinks that she has been called by God to be an MMA fighter. She is single-minded and focused on what she sees as her purpose: she is going to fight ex-champion fighter Maria Rodriguez. Maria is reluctant to return to the octagon after a year off but her manager Lena convinces her otherwise. As the fight looms, Jay becomes more and more resolved while Maria starts to feel doubtful - does...

Jay "Juggernaut" Hayes thinks that she has been called by God to be an MMA fighter. She is single-minded and focused on what she sees as her purpose: she is going to fight ex-champion fighter Maria Rodriguez. Maria is reluctant to return to the octagon after a year off but her manager Lena convinces her otherwise. As the fight looms, Jay becomes more and more resolved while Maria starts to feel doubtful - does she really want to fight the so-called "Daughter of God"?

Ferns

by Ciara Ni Chuirc

Synopsis

A drama set in rural Ireland, about a man who doubts his sister’s memory of childhood abuse. Her involvement in a court case against the alleged perpetrator further fractures their relationship, but brings her closer to one of his childhood friends.

A drama set in rural Ireland, about a man who doubts his sister’s memory of childhood abuse. Her involvement in a court case against the alleged perpetrator further fractures their relationship, but brings her closer to one of his childhood friends.

Self:Same

by Ciara Ni Chuirc

Synopsis

The story of a young woman who tears herself from her homeland of Ireland to start a new life in America. However, she is haunted by the part of her she left behind, her twin brother Fionn. Told through three different perspectives: Einin; her twin brother, Fionn; and the boy she met in America, Bo.

The story of a young woman who tears herself from her homeland of Ireland to start a new life in America. However, she is haunted by the part of her she left behind, her twin brother Fionn. Told through three different perspectives: Einin; her twin brother, Fionn; and the boy she met in America, Bo.

Sure This Is It

by Ciara Ni Chuirc

Synopsis

A short play that was part of Tiny Plays for Ireland, a theatrical glimpse at Ireland in 25 plays.

A short play that was part of Tiny Plays for Ireland, a theatrical glimpse at Ireland in 25 plays.

Down On My Knees

by Ciara Ni Chuirc

Synopsis

A play set in an all-girls Catholic school in Ireland following a fall-out between a friend group.

A play set in an all-girls Catholic school in Ireland following a fall-out between a friend group.