Marie Mullen facts for kids

Marie Mullen, born in 1953, is a talented actress from Ireland. She is famous for helping start the Druid Theatre Company in Galway, Ireland. She also won a special award called a Tony Award in 1998. This was for her amazing acting in the play The Beauty Queen of Leenane.

Marie Mullen's Acting Journey

Marie grew up in Drumfin, a place in south Sligo. She knew she wanted to be an actress since she was in high school. When she was 17, Marie met Garry Hynes at NUI Galway. They were both interested in drama.

Starting the Druid Theatre Company

Marie studied archaeology at NUI Galway. There, she met Garry Hynes and Mick Lally. Together, they decided to create the Druid Theatre Company. This company became very important in Irish theatre.

Famous Roles on Stage

As a founding member of Druid Theatre, Marie has acted in many plays. She was in Conversations on a Homecoming in 1985. She also played the role of "Mary" in Tom Murphy's play Bailegangaire.

Marie first played Maureen in Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane in 1996. She performed this play on Broadway in 1998. Her performance was so good that she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.

Other plays she performed with Druid include Brigit and The Cripple of Inishmaan. In 2008, she acted in The Cripple of Inishmaan Off-Broadway. Later, in 2014, she played "Mommo" in Bailegangaire. Critics praised her "astonishing performance."

In 2006, Marie was part of DruidSynge. This was a special theatre event where all of John Millington Synge's plays were performed in one day. Marie acted in five of the six plays. A reviewer from New York Times called her "the great and glorious Marie Mullen."

In 2007, she acted with James Cromwell in Long Day's Journey into Night. In 2015, she was in DruidShakespeare at the Lincoln Center Festival. She played several important male characters in this production.

Marie was also part of the Broadway show The Music Man in 2022. She played the character Mrs. Paroo.

Marie Mullen's Film Appearances

Marie has also acted in a few movies. In 1991, she appeared in the film Hear My Song as "Mickey's Mom." She was also in the 1994 film Circle of Friends, playing "Mrs. Foley."

Awards and Special Honors

Marie Mullen has received many awards for her acting.

• 1998 Tony Award: She won the Tony Award for Best Actress for The Beauty Queen of Leenane.
• 2012 Alumni Award: NUI Galway gave her an award for her achievements in arts and social sciences.
• 2013 Special Tribute Award: She received this award at the Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards. It recognized her huge impact on Irish theatre.
• 2016 Honorary Doctorate: Her university, NUI Galway, gave her an honorary Doctorate of Arts.
• Marie Mullen Bursary: In 2018, the Druid Theatre launched a special award named after her. This award helps female dramaturgs, directors, and designers.

Marie Mullen's Family Life

Marie Mullen married Irish actor Seán McGinley in 1990. They first met in 1977. They have two daughters together. Her husband has also worked with the Druid Theatre Company many times.