Sierra Stages presents The Beauty Queen of Leenane

Nevada City, Calif. May 11, 2023 – Sierra Stages is thrilled to present The Beauty Queen of Leenane as the next installation of their long-running Theater by the Book series. Written by playwright Martin McDonagh, this fierce and funny show won the Olivier Award for Best Play, and was nominated for four Tony Awards, winning four of them.

The Beauty Queen of Leenane is the story of Maureen, a lonely isolated woman whose youth has been squandered in the care of her ailing but iron-willed mother, Mag. When a suitor threatens to lure Maureen away, the desperation drives both women to the edge—and a mother-daughter confrontation explodes. 

“McDonagh’s distinctive voice and particular brand of absurdist dark comedy is unlike any other modern playwright,” says director Chase Coney. “With his recent film The Banshees of Inisherin having just won Best Picture, I felt that this was an excellent opportunity to introduce our audience to one of his earliest plays.”

Called “satanically funny” by the New York Times, this production features local luminaries Sue LeGate-Halford and Ariel Elliott, playing the mother and daughter respectively, along with Casey Burke and Forrest Diedrich.

Theater by the Book is a unique, one-night-only event in which the actors have their scripts in hand and only minimal sets and props are used. In this intimate performance style, the audience is free to revel in the language and use their imaginations to bring the action to life. Don’t miss it!