Mrs. O’Malley is the president of the mothers’ club in the 2nd act Players’ fall show, The Institute. The Institute is an all-boys, Catholic, military high school on the edge of New York’s Greenwich Village
Mrs. O’Malley has sent four sons there but has become increasingly worried about whether a military high school is appropriate at a time when the country is being ripped apart by the Vietnam War.
She seeks change by influencing a person she considers a key decision maker at The Institute, Fr. Greavy, the prefect of discipline. The prefect at first tries to deflect her concerns but as the years, and the war, go on, he faces increasingly tense confrontations with her about the school’s military program
Julie Mitre will be portraying Mrs. O’Malley as well as playing Joan Brennan. She has previously worked with Akvavit Theatre, Indie Boots Theatre Company, City Lit’s Art of Adaptation, Oil Lamp Theatre, Theatre-Hikes, The American Theatre Company, and The James Downing Theatre. Memorable roles include Ana in The Clean House, Seika in Kokola and several seasons as “Grandma” with The Ruth Page Civic Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. Watch here for a video of Julie discussing her character.
The Mrs. O’Malley character is the personification of the anti-war sentiment so prevalent in the country during the years, 1967-1971, in which The Institute takes place, explains show author John N. Frank.
Tickets for The Institute, which will be running weekends from Oct. 21 through Nov. 13, are available by simply clicking this link.