AlthoughDermotHealy(1947-2014)isprobablybestknownasanaward-winningnovelistandpoet,hewasalsoaprolificplaywright,screenwriter,andactor.Healy’sinterestindramawaslong-standing,andwascentraltohisdevelopmentasawriter.Between1985and2010hewrotethirteenstageplays,includingacritically-acclaimedadaptationofGarc穩aLorca’sBloodWeddingin1989.Alloftheseplaysarepublishedhereforthefirsttime.OneofthemoststrikingfeaturesofHealy’sdramaticworksistheirspiritofcommunitycollaborationandtheirstrongsocialconscience.Hisfirstplay,HereandThereandGoingtoAmerica(1985),wasperformedbymembersoftheSligoDoleQCompany;Metagama(2004)waswrittenforTheatreHebridesontheIsleofLewis;Serious(2005)waswrittenincollaborationwith(andperformedby)prisonersfromCastlereaPrison;ANightattheDisco(2006)waswrittenincollaborationwiththeteachersandstudentsofStMary’sSecondarySchoolinBallina.Thesecommunity-basedproductionswereinterspersedwithmoreprofessionalcommissions,includingMrStaines,performedbyPanPanTheatreCompanyattheSamuelBeckettTheatreinDublinin1999,andMentotheRight,WomentotheLeft,firstperformedatTheAbbeyTheatrein2005bytheClonesDramaGroup.AlthoughthesettingsofHealy’splaysareoftenlocalandregionalbydesign,theirreachisalwaysinternationalanduniversal.Withthepublicationofthisvolume,Healy’scontributiontodramaseemscertaintoflourishamongstpractitionersandscholarsalike,andTheCollectedPlayswillbeofgreatinteresttoalldevoteesofcontemporaryIrishtheatre.
