Irish Repertory Theatre provides a context for understanding the contemporary Irish-American experience through evocative works of theater, music, and dance. This mission is accomplished by staging the works of Irish and Irish-American classic and contemporary playwrights, encouraging the development of new works focused on the Irish and Irish-American experience, and producing the works of other cultures interpreted through the lens of an Irish sensibility. Founded by Ciarán O’Reilly and Charlotte Moore, The Irish Repertory Theatre opened its doors in September 1988 with Sean O’Casey’s THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS. In 1995, the theater made its permanent home in Chelsea on three completely renovated floors of a former warehouse, allowing for both a Main Stage theater and a smaller studio space, the W. Scott McLucas Studio. The Irish Repertory Theatre is currently the only year-round theater company in New York City devoted exclusively to bringing Irish and Irish-American works to the stage.