Solas Nua, Washington, DC’s premier contemporary Irish arts organization, announces the North American premiere of Lie Low, a dark comedy by rising Irish playwright Ciara Elizabeth Smyth, directed by Rex Daugherty. Running November 6-23, 2025, at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, Lie Low marks the company’s first full production of Smyth’s work following several years of presenting her plays in the company’s play reading series, where they became consistent audience favorites.
About Lie Low: after a home invasion, Faye has not slept in twenty days. She’s fine, though — or so she insists. Living off of nothing but Rice Krispies and adrenaline, she enlists her brother Naoise in an increasingly absurd attempt at exposure therapy. But Naoise has a secret of his own that’s about to surface. Lie Low is a razor-sharp, comedic exploration of trauma, the lies we tell ourselves, and the unpredictable ways our minds work.
Mentored by acclaimed playwright Enda Walsh (Disco Pigs and Tony Award winner for ONCE), Smyth has been steadily gaining recognition on the international stage. Her plays have been presented by the Abbey Theatre Dublin, the Lyric Theatre Belfast and the Traverse Theatre Edinburgh, the Royal Court London and The Irish Repertory Theater in New York. Ciara is under commission with several television production companies and theatre companies across the UK and Ireland.
In 2023, Lie Low won Best Theatre Script at the Zebbies, was a First Finalist for the BBC Writersroom Popcorn Award, and was nominated for the Irish Times Best New Play. She is also the winner of the Fishamble New Writing Award, a recipient of the Arts Council’s Next Generation Award (2020), and her play Irishtown was longlisted for The Women’s Prize for Playwriting (2020). Smyth’s plays All Honey and Sauce are both being adapted for television.
Solas Nua audiences have been introduced to her work through its play reading series, where her pieces have drawn enthusiastic responses. This upcoming production follows the company’s landmark Enda Walsh Festival earlier this year, underscoring Solas Nua’s commitment to presenting both established and next-generation Irish talent.
“Over the past few seasons, we’ve intentionally introduced Ciara’s work to Solas Nua audiences through our play reading series, and the response has been overwhelming. Every time we asked if her plays should be fully staged, the answer was a resounding yes,” said Solas Nua’s Artistic Director of Theatre, Rex Daugherty. “As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, it’s the perfect moment to present our first full production of her work — and to introduce North American audiences to a playwright whose voice is both fearless and unforgettable.”
Lie Low runs November 6-23, 2025, at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St NE, Washington, DC. Performances are Thursdays-Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays-Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets to this production are priced at $45 with pay-what-you-can options available and will go on sale at a later date. For more information, visit www.SolasNua.org.
About Solas Nua
Founded in 2005, Solas Nua – ‘new light’ in Irish, is a leading multidisciplinary arts organization that is dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts. Based in Washington, DC, their mission is to bring the best of contemporary Irish arts to the U.S. Solas Nua presents, produces, and commissions thought-provoking and groundbreaking work across the arts, and are recognized for making a substantive, unique contribution to the artistic and cultural richness of the city of Washington, DC and beyond.
