After a wonderful production of “Constellations” under the tent at the Swift House Inn, Middlebury Acting Company returns with its second selection of the season with Irish American playwright, John Patrick Shanley’s “Outside Mullingar.” Shanley, who wrote the screenplay for the beloved film “Moonstruck,” among other things, gives us a quirky, passionate and funny love story set in the Irish countryside.

Two adjacent farms, a long-time squabble over the right of way between the farmers (was it a loan? was it a sale?) and two adult children, looking middle age straight in the face set up this tale. Anthony and Rosemary, two introverted misfits, hilariously bumble bravely through as they each decide to take a chance on love.

Melissa Lourie, founder of MACo, serves as director. She has cherry picked a cast of seasoned professionals to play the sometimes adversarial neighbors, The Reilly’s and The Muldoon’s. The cast features Alexandra Hudson, Eric Reid St. John, Gary Smith and Mary-Adams Smith. All the performers have solid backgrounds in professional regional theatre.  Alexandra Hudson, who plays Rosemary, also serves as the dialect coach. Having spent much time living and studying in Ireland, she is uniquely equipped to fine tune and authenticate those charming Irish accents.

In an essay that Shanley published around the time he completed “Outside Mullingar” he wrote: “Life has its miracles, good erupting from the darkness chief among them.”

This show certainly gives us a delightful opportunity to witness that wonderful experience.

See you there!

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“Outside Mullingar” runs Sept. 23-26, at 7:30 p.m., under the tent at the Swift House Inn in Middlebury. Tickets are available at 802-388-1436 or at townhalltheatre.org.

In order to provide a safe and secure experience, Middlebury Acting Company is requiring all patrons to show proof of vaccination and to be masked while under the tent.

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Nancy Maxwell is a retired writer living in Bridport.