Plans for St. Pat’s

Young Chang

When in Ireland, right? While we are pretty far from St. Patrick’s

native land, it’s that time of year again.

In honor, memory, what have you, of the saint who brought Christianity

to Ireland while driving the snakes out with the ring of his bell, local

theaters will feature Irish-themed works while bagpipes sound at clubs

and restaurants.

Birraporetti’s, an Italian restaurant and Irish bar (the original

owner’s mother was Italian, his father Irish) will hold their 14th annual

St. Pat’s Party at their Costa Mesa location. Green beer will be served

starting at 8 a.m. -- that’s right, a.m. -- and musicians will play

bagpipes at 3 p.m. The band City will follow with popular contemporary

music starting at 6 p.m.

And the drinks -- green jello shooters, green Bellinis -- will match

the color of the day, while an outdoor grill will provide a summer party

feel, said David Sadler, general manger at the restaurant.

A cover charge of $6 will be collected starting at 3 p.m. Get there

earlier and slide in for free.

“We have a big big bar,” Sadler said. “And the hard wood floor, the

brass, the motif -- it’s a natural fit for St. Patrick’s Day.”

Costa Mesa’s Skosh Monahan’s will open 4 p.m. Saturday, three hours

earlier than normal. The bar plans to serve corned beef and cabbage, lamb

stew and Irish coddle and fish ‘N chips. The music of Rob Eller will play

from 4 to 7 p.m.

Durty Nelly’s in Costa Mesa will feature DJ Mic Ketchum and his Irish

music at 4 p.m. The cover charge is $5, said owner Monique Kamies.

Their Irish breakfast, from 8 to 11 a.m., will include a pint of beer.

Muldoon’s in Newport Beach will also start early on the festivities.

The Van Diemans Band will perform from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Irish

pub, while Kelly Fitzgerald and Vesica Pisces will play contemporary

Celtic rock and traditional Irish music as well as some originals

starting at 6 p.m.

Both groups are veterans to the pub on St. Patrick’s Day. Manager Mary

Murphy said she expects a flock of annual regulars.

“We even have people who dye their hair green,” she said.

Patrick’s Pub in Costa Mesa is also in on the color scheme, serving

green draft beer starting at 11 a.m. and featuring performances by a

bagpiper at 3 and 7 p.m. Budweiser, Guinness and Killians promoters will

visit throughout the day, and the pub will feature prizes and free

giveaways.

For theatergoers, the stage is another place with cultural promise.

Martin McDonagh’s “The Lonesome West,” an Irish comedy about two

conniving brothers, had its West Coast premiere Friday and will show

through April 15 at South Coast Repertory’s Second Stage.

Orange Coast College features a couple of Irish treats. Shelagh

Stevenson’s “The Memory of Water,” about three sisters reunited for their

mother’s funeral, will be staged today and Sunday in the Drama Lab

Theatre.

St. Patrick’s festivities will extend into the next weekend at OCC,

with a performance by Dublin’s Traditional Irish Cabaret at 8 p.m. March

24 in the Robert B. Moore Theatre. Headed by Irish comedian Noel V.

Ginnity, the group also performs in the summer and fall in Dublin. Their

repertoire includes famous native taproom ballads and pub songs.

A cast of 15 will dance, sing and provide humor for the crowd.

And finally, Newport Harbor High School’s Navigators will present its

seventh annual “A Shamrock Rock ‘N’ Roll” benefit at 6 p.m. today at the

Sutton Place Hotel. The event will feature a a silent auction, dinner,

dancing and a live auction, with proceeds benefiting Newport Harbor High

School.

FYI

WHAT: The Van Diemans Band and Kelly Fitzgerald and Vesica Pisces

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today for the band, 6 p.m. for Fitzgerald

WHERE: Muldoon’s, 202 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.

CALL: (949) 640-4110.

WHAT: “A Shamrock Rock ‘N’ Roll”

WHEN: 6 p.m. today

WHERE: The Sutton Place Hotel, 4500 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach.

COST: $75

CALL: (949) 851-9230.

WHAT: “The Memory of Water”

WHEN: 8 p.m. today and 2 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Orange Coast College’s Drama Lab Theatre, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa.

COST: $6-$9.

CALL: (714) 432-5880.

WHAT: St. Pat’s Party at Birraporetti’s

WHEN: Green beer served starting at 8 a.m., cover charge applies

starting at 3 p.m.

WHERE: 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa

COST: $6

CALL: (714) 850-9090.

WHAT: DJ plays Irish music at Durty Nelly’s

WHEN: 4 p.m. today

WHERE: 2915 Red Hill Ave., Costa Mesa.

COST: $5

CALL: (714) 957-1951.

WHAT: Patrick’s Pub

WHEN: opens at 11 a.m., bagpiper performance will be at 3 and 7 p.m.

WHERE: 2645 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa

COST: no cover charge

CALL: (714) 966-2721

WHAT: “The Lonesome West”

WHEN: 7:45 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

through April 15

WHERE: South Coast Repertory’s Second Stage, 655 Town Center Drive,

Costa Mesa.

COST: $18-$47.

CALL: (714) 708-5555.

WHAT: Dublin’s Traditional Irish Cabaret

WHEN: 8 p.m. March 24

WHERE: Orange Coast College’s Robert B. Moore Theatre, 2701 Fairview

Road, Costa Mesa.

COST: $26-$32.

CALL: (714) 432-5880.