Many Irish Americans have a good sense of where they come from. Were it not for their ancestors’ emigration from the Emerald Isle over the last several centuries, 32 million of us wouldn’t be here at all. They fled poverty and persecution, making a treacherous journey, seeking better opportunities an ocean away from their homeland. Many of them landed in Philadelphia and spread out across the country.
But not everyone knows their story, and the producers of a prospective new musical, “Where Eagles Fly—A Better Place,” hope to answer the question: Do you know who you are?
“Where Eagles Fly” had its start in Belfast in 2004 as a massive arena show called “On Eagle’s Wing,” featuring hundreds of actors, singers, dancers and musicians. The show gained considerable attention at the time, even garnering some television exposure.
For many years, that was the end of it. But lead producer at the time, Michael Durkan, had always dreamed about scaling the show down to something more manageable for the stage. Now, his dream is coming to fruition.
Recently, Durkan and other members of the creative team brought an even more scaled down preview production with a relative handful of talented actors, singers and dancers to the National Constitution Center, in hopes of generating interest—and possibly financial backing—among Philadelphia area arts and tourism officials and other influencers and power brokers.
The musical tells the tale of immigrants and refugees from Ireland and Scotland who came to Philadelphia in the late 1600s, who made an impact on American culture, both here in the city and across the country.
“Where Eagles Fly” initially tracks the journey of those early immigrants, whose descendants include the likes of Davy Crockett and President Andrew Jackson, and follows a trail to more recent times.
“We believe we have a special musical,” says Durkan, a longtime producer and musician. “The storyline isn’t all that different from what we had in the arena show. It’s the story of all of us. Once you go back to the early period (of immigration), that’s where the real stories are. You can see the hardships that people went through to get us to where we are today.
“The plan is to debut in Philly in 2024 for probably four weeks, and maybe go up to Boston for a week, and maybe two or three shows in New York. Then, we’ll break for Christmas, and after that, embark on a nationwide tour. We’re hopeful that we can take it to America and create a global musical out of it.”
Of course, Broadway is a key goal.
Diane McGraw, former wife of the late Tug McGraw, is CEO of McGraw Productions, former executive director of the Office of Travel, Tourism and Film for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Ridley Park native. She is a co-producer of the show.
Last year, while producing a Ukraine soccer legends benefit, she was introduced, in a roundabout way, to Durkan—which is ultimately how the sneak preview of the music wound up at the National Constitution Center. “When he realized I had an entertainment company, he said, ‘I want to talk to you,’” says McGraw. “He said, ‘One of my musicals would be perfect for Philadelphia.’ I said to him, let’s make it happen, come to Philadelphia and meet some people and get people interested and see if we can get some investors.”
McGraw says she can’t stop listening to the music of “Where Eagles Fly.” It is, she says, just that powerful. “I would put it on the level of ‘Les Misérables,’” she says. “It’s a bit of history, wonderful music, and a tribute to the Philadelphia area.”
To McGraw, the show is timely for another reason. Her recent work on behalf of the Ukrainian cause reinforces the idea that people all over the world are fleeing war, poverty, violence and other forms of persecution. She believes “Where Eagles Fly” will resonate with audiences other than Irish Americans.Durkan agrees. “We are trying to tell everybody’s story through this Irish journey,” he says. “It’s a tiny little planet we live on. The world has erupted into chaos, and I don’t know why because there’s plenty for everybody. People all over the world are looking for reasons to hope. The storyline that runs through “Where Eagles Fly” has never been more apt than it is today. There’s no place better to give people an opportunity than America.”
Listen to a song from the show, “A Better Place.”
