We're going to start the St. Patrick's Day season off with something a bit different: a play. Not just any play mind you but a play written by one of our members that features the singing of rebel songs and some other Irish music played throughout.

The playwright is Nora Sun McLaughlin, a 27-year-old New Jersey native, and the play, her first to hit the stage, is "The Giant's Causeways," at the Red Room Theater in the East Village. As the title suggests, it's about Northern Ireland, specifically Belfast, where her father was born and raised. The play chronicles some of his experiences during the early years of the Troubles. Here's some promotional info:

"Nora Sun McLaughlin's new play, The Giant's Causeways, asks the question, can the friendship between two boys, one Catholic, the other Protestant, stand up to the political and religious battles surrounding them in 1960s Northern Ireland? Loosely based on a story told by her father who grew up in Belfast during the Troubles, McLaughlin tells her tale from a larger, empathetic perspective that no one side was right, weaving a fierce drama about rage, pain and death along with some Irish singing, whiskey drinking, and the moral choices we make every day."

The play stars James Fauvell and Thomas Hodgskin and is directed by Jill Harrison. We're going to go see it on a Wednesday night, which is an off night for the theater so they could use the gate we can bring. Tickets are just $12. The play is part of the FRIGID New York Festival. All proceeds go to the artists, not promoters or production companies. Click HERE to buy tickets online. Service charges are minuscule, like 62 cents a ticket or something like that. You can also buy tickets by phone by calling Smarttix at [masked]. If you can't join us on this night, the play will also be showing Feb. 27 at 10:30 p.m., March 1 and 7 at 8:30 p.m. and March 8 at 2:30 p.m.

Showtime is at 7:30 p.m. for us. We'll meet starting around 6 at our favorite haunt, Dempsey's, for drinks and pub grub for all who are interested. Unless of course, you're up for the 3-course theater special at the Knife & Fork. The play lasts just an hour so there'll be plenty of time for after-show fun as well.

I know we don't usually do theater events in this group, but think of it as the chance to take in Irish music in a whole new context. Plus a chance to support a talented young writer who's joined our group. I hope you'll come out for this one. Have I steered you wrong yet?