Tony Nominee Christopher Fitzgerald Leads The Good Thief at Two River Theater
The Good Thief, written by Tony Award nominee Conor McPherson, follows a small-time Irish gangster on the run who confesses his story about a simple job that goes wrong and spirals into a violent, chaotic journey. It is a far cry from the biblical penitent "Good Thief" who was crucified with Jesus and entered with him into paradise. While the title alludes to the "Good Thief" in the Gospel of Luke, McPherson's monologue play is a darkly humorous thriller exploring distinct themes of crime and redemption.
The Good Thief runs from February 4-15, 2026, at Two River Theater in Red Bank, NJ. Staged in the Victoria J. Mastrobuono Library, it stars three-time Tony Award nominee Christopher Fitzgerald in a tour-de-force performance. Fitzgerald is best known for his acclaimed, quirky comedic roles, particularly originating Boq in Wicked on Broadway, Igor in Young Frankenstein, and the award-winning Ogie in Waitress, earning him multiple Tony nominations and Drama Desk Awards. He is also recognized for TV appearances in shows like Godless, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Happy!
Justin Waldman and Christopher Fitzgerald Bring The Good Thief to Life
Marking his Two River directorial debut, Artistic Director Justin Waldman brings over 20 years of theatrical experience to The Good Thief. The story behind this production is one of serendipity. Fitzgerald reached out to Waldman about his eagerness to "give a crack at" the powerful Conor McPherson one-man play. As fate would have it, a slot in Two River's winter schedule became available due to a conflict. The opening provided the perfect collaborative opportunity for Waldman and Fitzgerald, whose friendship and artistic bond dates back over 25 years, since their days as mentees at The Huntington Theater Company. "(Christopher) wanted to explore this piece in a very intimate, fun, and nuanced way," shares Waldman, whose extensive background includes an eleven-year tenure at the renowned Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.
For Waldman, the theater has served as his creative heartbeat since childhood. "I was privileged. I attended shows with my family," says the New Hampshire native and Tufts University graduate. He recalls a formative trip to New York at age 15. "My grandmother took me to see the original production of Angels in America. It blew my mind. I'm a small town kid seeing a world so much bigger than the one I knew," Waldman says. That encounter not only revealed to him a world of political depth and human scale he hadn't yet imagined, but it struck a profound chord in him about storytelling. In Waldman’s view, theater remains a powerful vehicle to expand horizons and translate complex human experiences into shared empathy.
He brings a lifelong passion for transformative theater to every production he helms, masterfully shaping the audience journey. Two River's limited run of The Good Thief offers a rare, spellbinding experience for those who secure tickets. Seating is limited to 35-40 guests per show, promising an immersive encounter with one of Broadway's finest performers. Waldman points out that opportunities like this are exceedingly rare.
"This is about as intimate a theatrical experience as you can have with a major, major talent in the American theater. No one is going to be further than 25 feet from him," as he spins a tale of botched crime and traversing the rainy Irish countryside, says Waldman.
Inside Two River Theater’s Limited-Run, Immersive Staging of The Good Thief
Two River offers various distinct environments for experiencing the performing arts. While the Rechnitz Theater serves as its primary mainstage and the Marion Huber Theater provides a flexible black box setting, the Victoria J. Mastrobuono Library is a cozy, versatile space for both public theater-related programming and private events. Waldman emphasizes engagement at Two River isn't limited to buying a standard ticket. "There are numerous pathways for audiences to connect with our work, especially if they are looking for an experience that is up close and personal," he adds. In this production, "the audience should feel like they’ve walked into an Irish pub. There is a gentleman sitting in the corner, and he's going to tell you a little yarn about his life."
"The Good Thief" is a dark, lyrical confession delivered by an unnamed narrator, a small-time Dublin thug who is paid by a local gangster to intimidate people. The narrator recounts how a routine job escalates into a deadly shootout and a desperate flight across Ireland. Pursued by the police, his boss, and the IRA (Irish Republican Army), he finds himself on the run as an unlikely protector of the dead man's widow and young daughter, creating a strange, dysfunctional family unit. As he grapples with the memory of the woman who left him for his boss, he is forced to face the heavy weight of his conscience and the consequences of his violent life.
In his solo play, McPherson examines themes of self-justification, guilt, love, desperation, and the search for meaning, with the title hinting at the narrator's own complex, contradictory nature. It was originally titled "The Light of Jesus" when the play premiered in 1994 at the City Arts Centre in Dublin, produced by the Fly By Night Theatre Company and directed by McPherson. It was restaged as The Good Thief for the Dublin Theatre Festival and won the Stewart Parker Award for best Irish debut play in 1994.
McPherson reportedly drew inspiration from the scripture about two thieves crucified alongside Jesus: one impenitent (bad) and one penitent (good). The "good" thief confesses his guilt, rebukes the other, and acknowledges Jesus' divinity, receiving salvation in return. This repentant thief is now honored as St. Dismas, the patron saint of condemned prisoners and reformed thieves.
What makes the themes of McPherson's play so compelling, Waldman says, is that the protagonist has endured a life of profound extremes. "He is struggling to reconcile how something so beautiful and something so ugly can coexist—how the worst day of his life might (simultaneously) be his best," Waldman explains. "“There is something truly remarkable about finding beauty within the darkest times (the worst circumstances in our lives and framing that discovery) within a high-stakes crime caper that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats."
Tickets for The Good Thief start at $50 and are available online at the official Two River Theater website.
