KINGSTON, R.I. – College of Arts and Sciences alum, Jay Clarke ‘19, theatre, makes his return to the Ocean State from New York City to perform in The Gamm Theater’s latest production,The Cripple of Innishmaan, by Martin McDonagh (Banshees of Inisherin, In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri). The Gamm Theatre in Warwick, Rhode Island, notably has ties to the URI Theatre Department, with a number of alumni appearances, and Tony Estrella, acting instructor, and Rachel Walshe, assistant professor, as artistic director and associate artistic director, respectively.
The Cripple of Inishmaan, set on the desolate Irish island of Inishmaan, tells the story of young “Cripple” Billy, who yearns to leave his isolated life and earn a role in a Hollywood film. When a movie crew lands on a neighboring island, Billy seizes his chance. Clarke takes on the role of Bartley, described as the village idiot, performing alongside Estrella, who plays Johnny Pateen Mike. Clarke embraces the opportunity to participate in McDonagh’s dark comedy, which weaves laughter with heartbreak throughout the performance. The experience is particularly meaningful to Clarke as he collaborates with his former mentors.
“Working with Tony is so surreal. I wasn’t a big movie or television viewer when I was younger; I fell in love with acting in the Fine Arts Center classrooms but it was seeing local theatre, especially at The Gamm, that supplemented my passion for the craft. Now, people I’ve been watching for years are coming to see the show. It’s such a full circle moment,” said Clarke.
Clarke currently lives in New York City pursuing an acting career, after moving to New Zealand post-graduation in 2019. While in New Zealand, Clarke took a short break and worked in the wine industry. It did not take long for the “itch” to return to the theatre and become front and center. He soon found his way into the film world, uninhibited by the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to New Zealand’s robust approach in keeping the virus outside of its borders. Some of his work includes the massive Amazon show The Rings of Power, set in The Lord of the Rings lore, as a stand-in, extra, and production assistant (PA).
“I was initially a stand-in for the character Elrond, but then I was asked if I wanted to be a PA for a few weeks, which turned out to be a nine-month gig where I was trained in various Assistant Directing positions. There was a day that an extra playing an elf was out and they pulled me into a scene where the characters are making a few of the famed rings, which was so unbelievably cool,” said Clake. “Just give me my elf ears and tell me where to go!”
When reflecting on his time at URI and in the Theatre Department, his passion for his craft truly started on day one. Originally considering an engineering degree, Clarke visited the Kingston campus to get a sense of the campus. With theatre still in the back of his mind, he visited the Fine Arts Center, where he saw theatre students running lines and painting sets, where there was an “immediate sense of passion” that called to him.
From his freshman year onward, Clarke ate, lived, and breathed theatre. With a concentration in acting and directing, he relished every opportunity to shape his craft. From Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure to playing Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins, Clarke learned the push and pull of taking on new challenges and finding his own unique character with the help of his peers and Theatre Department faculty, particularly from Rachel Walshe.
“Rachel was a huge influence on me. I took nine of her classes, four of which I was her teaching assistant. Her approach to theatre is so sensible, and her love for academia is real. As her teaching assistant, she would let me teach the class sometimes, and then give me notes on how to teach,” said Clarke.
After the 3-week run of The Cripple of Inishmaan, Clarke will head back to New York City to continue pursuing a career in acting. For any undergraduate or prospective undergraduate theatre student, Clarke encourages pursuing the B.F.A. program because it affords artists the opportunity to learn the craft of theatre: trade, design, acting, directing, and stage management.
“Theatre at URI is unique because it may be one of the few majors where you are asked to learn so many interdisciplinary skills. You get to build a solid community, and in these unprecedented times, art is always a tonic,” said Clarke. “Honor the itch!”
The Gamm Theatre presents The Cripple of Inishmaan, running April 9 to May 3, 2026. Purchase tickets at https://www.gammtheatre.org/.