Ellen's BoysA New Play About Change Amid Social Upheaval and a Shifting Moral Landscape

New York, N.Y. (June 12, 2025) – True Repertory Theatre announces the New York premiere of Ellen’s Boys, a new play by James Sullivan about accepting change amid social upheaval and a shifting moral landscape. Donald Sheehan directs a cast of nine, including Victoria Bond, Julie M. Butler, Patrick Dean, Avery Fischbach, Kylie Logan, Aria Martinelli, Donald Sheehan, Kyle Silver, and Elias Wettengel. Eight performances will be staged from June 20-29, 2025, at West End Theatre at St. Paul & St. Andrew UMC, 263 West 86th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10024.

Set in a working-class Irish American triple-decker home in Dorchester, Mass., 1965, Ellen's Boys follows devoted matriarch Ellen Flaherty as she navigates a transformative year with her three adult sons during a time of profound social change. As she fights to maintain control over her family, Ellen discovers that her boys' lives are spinning beyond her influence. While scheming to find him the perfect wife, Gil faces his own private struggle as he confronts his sexuality in an era when such truths remain unspoken. John, a priest at the local parish, begins to sense the brewing troubles that will soon shake the Catholic Church. While youngest son Michael, freshly enlisted in the army, falls for an Italian girl whom his mother deems completely unsuitable. With no secrets safe and no boundaries respected, only their deep love for one another and their resilient sense of humor can hold the family together through the emotional upheaval that threatens to tear them apart. 

"Exploring themes of acceptance, family loyalty, and the painful process of adapting to change during the turbulent 1960s, this poignant drama captures the universal struggle between tradition and progress, examining how families navigate shifting moral landscapes while holding onto what matters most," shares director Donald Sheehan. "Ellen's Boys embodies everything True Repertory Theatre stands for. It's a deeply human story that will make audiences laugh, cry, and feel something profound while challenging them to think about the complexities of family, love, and acceptance."

Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.

The runtime is two hours, plus one 15-minute intermission.

General admission tickets are $60 (plus a $1.50 one-time fee).

For tickets, visit TrueRepTheatre.com

Direct ticketing link: https://truereptheatre.com/#buy-tickets

The premiere theatrical organization based in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, True Repertory Theatre seeks to engage, inspire, entertain and challenge audiences with theatrical productions that range from the classics to new works, making essential contributions to the quality of life in the communities they serve. Laugh, Cry, Cheer. Feel Something. Think Something.

MEET THE CREATIVES AND CAST

James Sullivan (Playwright) began writing Ellen’s Boys, a Broadway World nominee, ten years ago. The character of Ellen is based on his own Nana and the stories and relationships are semi-autobiographical. He has also written the plays, How I Spent My Summer Vacation and Joshua. He is currently writing several new plays. As an actor he has acted in several Massachusetts theater companies as Lenny (Rumors), Ernie (Amateurs), Scrooge (A Christmas Carol), June (Second Samuel), Jack’s Mother (Into the Woods) among others. He is an Acting Member of True Rep Theater.

Donald Sheehan (Director / Gil Flaherty) founded True Repertory Theatre Company in 2000. He is a lifelong resident of Pembroke, MA where his love for theatre began at the age of thirteen. He holds an MFA in acting from Trinity Rep Conservatory in Providence, RI. Donald has worked as both an actor and director with such theatres as Williamstown Theatre Festival, Trinity Rep, Beowulf, The Gamm, and The Theatre Cooperative. After receiving his MFA, Donald launched a production of Much Ado About Nothing, and True Rep was born. Over the past two decades as Artistic Director, Donald has honed True Rep’s signature style, focusing on non-traditional storytelling. He often immerses the audience in the world of the play by breaking the fourth wall and engaging them in unexpected ways. True Rep has over fifty credits, but some stand out productions include Ellen’s Boys, which was an original play by a local playwright, The Crucible, Into the Woods, A Christmas Carol, Blithe Spirit, and The Imposter. Donald spent seventeen years living with kidney disease and received a transplant on July 19, 2016. This prompted him to start Project 719 which is a community-based outreach initiative that brings awareness and fundraising to various organizations whose missions align with the dramatic themes of the True Rep season. Donald’s acting highlights include Gil in Ellen’s Boys, Elvira in Blithe Spirit, and Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods. Directing highlights include Ellen’s Boys, the New England premiere of Dancing at the Revolution, and Kimberly Akimbo.

Victoria Bond (Ellen Flaherty) majored in theatre at Emerson College with a focus on acting. After receiving her degree, she spent a decade in NYC working in all aspects of theatre but, as an actor, particularly enjoyed working on new plays. In 2002 she relocated to MA and in 2009 she co-founded Rogue Theatre Company, a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit, where she has been a performer, producer, director, writer, and administrator. In 2017 she started working with True Repertory Theatre as an actor. She quickly became an artistic advisor and recently stepped into the Associate Artistic Director role. This past March she directed Waiting for Godot for True Rep. She has appeared on stage many times, with many companies. Some of her favorite roles include Shirley in Shirley Valentine, Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, and Mame Dennis in Auntie Mame. 

Julie M. Butler (Kathleen) is very excited for her premier appearance on a New York stage, reprising her role in Jim Sullivan’s original play, “Ellen’s Boys” and to be a continuing company member with True Rep Theatre. Born and raised in the Midwest, Julie began singing and acting at a very young age and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Musical Theater. Upon relocating to New England, Julie was first cast as Mary Curley, wife of the infamous Mayor, in a Boston original Musical The Life and Times of James Michael Curley, which was an ongoing production in Boston’s theater district. Julie has continued her craft throughout the years, by working in children’s theater and singing in several bands. She now enjoys living on the South Shore of MA with her beautiful family whose unwavering support makes it possible for her to do theater at all! Some recent roles include: Sheila in The Boys Next Door, Elmire in The Imposter, Izzy in Rabbit Hole, and Sister Augusta in Drinking Habits and now back as Kathleen in this fantastically funny, intricately touching play which is soon-to-be a classic.

Patrick Dean (Nathan) Stage credits include Cabaret (Bobby, Capital Productions at the Middletown Arts Center), Kill Othello (Cassio, Yarde Theater Troupe), Hotel Baltimore (Mr. Katz), Ascension Day (Jerry), 12 Angry Jurors (Juror #10) - all with The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he trained - as well as Into the Woods (Wolf/Prince, St. John’s Playhouse) and City of Angels (Gene, Cornerstone 14). On screen, Patrick has appeared in “Mysteries of the Church” (NET), “Therefore I Am” (Fatalis Films), “NY, NY: The Sitcom” (Horsefly Productions), and has performed background work on “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Gossip Girl,” “Fringe,” “Life on Mars,” and others. He was featured in an AXE Hair commercial on MTV and a national print campaign for Dr. Pepper. Patrick also made a brief appearance as a top 20 finalist on Bravo’s “Make Me a Supermodel” (Season 2, “Meet the Models” episode, available on Apple TV).

Avery Fischbach (Michael) is graduating from Experimental Theater Wing, NYU Tisch Drama, with primary training at Stella Adler Studio (3 years) and a summer at International Theatre Wing: Amsterdam. You might have seen Avery in HEAT (a new work) at IRT, or on the Tisch Drama Stage as Tiresias in The Bacchae or Greg Wirth in The Duck – a devised work based on a classic play.

Kylie Logan (Bridgie) is an actor and playwright based in New York City. She recently toured John Kearns' award-winning play Boann and the Well of Wisdom throughout Ireland after earning a Best Actress nomination from Origin Theatre’s 1st Irish Festival Awards for the title role. She's overjoyed to be back at the West End Theatre, where she shared the title role in Caitlin Morley's reimagined Macbeth with three other actors. Lately, she's been involved in the development process for various new works, and this fall, she’ll be taking the stage in a Dining Table Collective production of a new play by Emily Finn. She completed her MFA in Theatre in 2021 and recently produced her culminating solo show 21st Century Golden Girl in NYC with Emerging Artists Theatre.

Aria Martinelli (Tina Tocchio) is an actor and cross-disciplinary artist from Brooklyn, New York. She has studied acting and performance creation at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, The British American Drama Academy, Atlantic Acting School, École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, and Smith and Amherst Colleges. Aria has also trained with members of the Complicité Theater Company in London and France and participated in workshops with Action Theater in NYC. Her coaching includes work with Jonathan Broadbent, Ezra Barnes, Yasuyo Mochizuki, François Lecomte, and Leo Wringer. Fluent in Italian and Spanish, Aria also has a passion for documentary filmmaking, sketching in pen, painting with oil, photojournalism, and advocating for social justice. Aria holds a B.A. in Theater from Smith College, with a minor in Political Science and a concentration in Journalism. https://www.ariamartinelli.com

Instagram: @aria_mmartinelli

Kyle Silver (Father John) - Past New York credits include How Was Your Day, Beyond Therapy, Measure For Measure and John Wayne’s America. Proud member of SAG-AFTRA whose credits include Alpha House, Eastbound and Down, Under The Dome, Mr. Mercedes, Good Behavior, Tammy, Herman & Shelly and Hightown. The Christophers Award for the short film – “The Adventures of Average Joe.” Graduate of The University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Elias Wettengel (Patrick) is a 13-year-old stage and screen actor with a passion for bold characters and powerful storytelling. He recently appeared as Young Jacob/Heini in Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt at Boston’s Huntington Theatre and played Freddie in School of Rock at Stage 284. His other favorite roles include Grover in The Lightning Thief, Oliver in Oliver!, and Les in Newsies. On camera, Elias has starred in multiple student films and indie productions, including Moontoken, Frère Jacques, and Message in the Tides. He trains in voice, acting, and dance, and is represented by Stewart Talent. Learn more at www.eliwettengel.com.

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West End Theatre @ St. Paul & St. Andrew UMC

263 West 86th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10024 

General Admission Tickets are $60.00

(plus one $1.50 one-time fee)

 For tickets, visit TrueRepTheatre.com

Direct ticketing link: https://truereptheatre.com/#buy-tickets

Runtime: Two Hours (plus one 15-minute intermission)

Media Contact: Paul Siebold, Off Off PR, 917-626-3014, paul@offoffpr.com

Click here for the Media Kit.